Hobbs nails Eastleigh in extra time
AFC STONEHAM 2 EASTLEIGH RESERVES 1 (after extra time)
Southampton Senior Cup
Southampton Senior Cup
Roger Allen reports from Chestnut Avenue
This was a full blooded cup tie and if the flowing football was sporadic, the players had the excuse of a difficult pitch and a strong cross wind to cope with.
Stoneham were off to a flying start in the third minute as a Pat Blackmore corner was headed into the roof of the net past a static defence by Liam HALL. This was the prelude to a man of the match performance in which Hall gave the promising Sam Wilson hardly a sniff of a chance.
For much of the first half Eastleigh controlled possession as Stoneham struggled to build on their lead. Eastleigh’s best chance came from a free kick just outside the penalty area on the half hour. Sam Wilson’s shot was heading for the top corner but Danny Chapman in the home goal just got his fingertips to the ball to push it over.
The second half started with both sides going full pelt to create an opening but it took until the 64th minute for Eastleigh to equalise. Substitute Joe CROOK advanced into the penalty area and slid the ball under the advancing Chapman.
At this stage Eastleigh looked favourites to go on and win the tie but in the 73rd minute came the incident which turned the game. Stoneham’s Lee Hewett was pushed by a defender into a collision with Eastleigh’s keeper Jamie Banasco-Zaragoza which involved lengthy treatment for both players.
On getting to his feet the keeper evidently said something to the referee which resulted in a red card being shown to him. He was determined to get his full money’s worth for the inevitable fine and suspension that will follow by delivering a tirade of abuse at the referee before being persuaded to leave the field.
Ben Wilson took over between the sticks and was soon able to prove that he wasn’t a novice keeper by producing a full length save to palm away a Chris Knight shot.
Both sides had goalbound efforts saved before the whistle heralded another 30 minutes of extra time. The decisive moment came in the seventh minute as Dean Higgins crossed from the right and James HOBBS coming in from the other wing got across his marker to score at the near post. By this stage several players were operating on a short fuse but fortunately a number of minor scuffles broke up without causing the referee to resort to the early bath. In the end Stoneham squeezed out the win which takes them through to the semis and a possible date at St Marys.
The second half started with both sides going full pelt to create an opening but it took until the 64th minute for Eastleigh to equalise. Substitute Joe CROOK advanced into the penalty area and slid the ball under the advancing Chapman.
At this stage Eastleigh looked favourites to go on and win the tie but in the 73rd minute came the incident which turned the game. Stoneham’s Lee Hewett was pushed by a defender into a collision with Eastleigh’s keeper Jamie Banasco-Zaragoza which involved lengthy treatment for both players.
On getting to his feet the keeper evidently said something to the referee which resulted in a red card being shown to him. He was determined to get his full money’s worth for the inevitable fine and suspension that will follow by delivering a tirade of abuse at the referee before being persuaded to leave the field.
Ben Wilson took over between the sticks and was soon able to prove that he wasn’t a novice keeper by producing a full length save to palm away a Chris Knight shot.
Both sides had goalbound efforts saved before the whistle heralded another 30 minutes of extra time. The decisive moment came in the seventh minute as Dean Higgins crossed from the right and James HOBBS coming in from the other wing got across his marker to score at the near post. By this stage several players were operating on a short fuse but fortunately a number of minor scuffles broke up without causing the referee to resort to the early bath. In the end Stoneham squeezed out the win which takes them through to the semis and a possible date at St Marys.
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