NEW INN, who were winners of the Hampshire Junior ‘A’ Cup in both 2009 and 2010 under their previous monicker of FC CenSo, won it again in 2014 due to two first half goals against Southampton League side Compton.

New Inn got off to the best possible start when the ball came in from the right and flicked off a Compton defender, it fell to Spencer who hit a fine well controlled volley from 15-yards into the near corner of the net. A good New Inn move featuring Alex Spencer and Matt Bennett fashioned a chance for James Ariss whose turning effort was off target and from a corner, Gordon Birch headed wide. Compton keeper Glenn Harris made a fine diving save from a Luke Richardson shot. Compton had been struggling to create much, but they had a chance when Jamie Ricketts was put in, he took a nice touch but his angled effort went just wide of the far post. New Inn netted a second goal when an innocuous pass came in from the right and managed to get to Ariss who lashed the ball home from close range. Despite losing Rob Harris to injury, the Compton performance showed signs of improvement as the first half moved into the latter stages, but the score remained 2-0 in favour of New Inn at the interval.

Ricketts fired just wide of the far post from the left for Compton early in the second half and, at the other end, Ariss set up Luke Richardson whose shot was instinctively tipped over the bar by Glenn Harris. Compton’s Fielder headed over a Basley right-wing cross. Basley had been an interval sub but he was on the receiving end of a very heavy challenge in midfield and had to be carried off the pitch. This meant he was on the field for just 13 minutes and this also meant Compton had to use their final substitute.

There was a niggly incident in the 67th minute following a further foul in midfield and once things had cooled down the referee produced red cards for New Inn’s Kalwarczyk and Compton’s Whitehouse and the game was reduced to ten a side. From there, the match never really hit any real pattern and the two goal advantage for the Basingstoke side seldom looked under threat. Wood for the New Inn drove just over the bar and, very late in the game, Compton’s Yaldron took a left-wing corner that somehow got through everyone in the middle and came off the far post and was cleared and that was followed by a Ricketts shot that was off target following a good run and pass by Duthie. However, the damage had already been done in the first half.

Full-time: 0-2

Although the dark clouds formed following the final whistle, the rain did manage to hold off for this presentation ceremony (but only just, which wasn’t the case for the ‘B’ game earlier!). The player-of-the-match award went to New Inn’s Alex Spencer.