New-look Locks end Grove’s run
Honours even in entertaining affair in filthy conditions
Locks Heath hit back from two goals down to end the last remaining 100 per cent record in the Hampshire Premier League last night.
In filthy weather conditions, they came from 0-2 down to lead Paulsgrove 3-2 before the points were eventually shared in an entertaining six-goal affair.
Grove had entered the game having netted 21 times in winning their opening four Senior Division matches.
And it looked like a fifth straight win was on the cards as they opened up a 2-0 lead inside the opening half-hour.
Danny Lane had struck nine goals in those first four games, and the division’s leading marksman only needed nine minutes to make it double figures.
Locks keeper Joe Hunt slid out to prevent Zac Willett from latching onto a back pass, but his clearance only went to Lane who struck his effort into an empty net.
Lane could - perhaps should - have had a second shortly after, shooting wide from close range though he was adamant Hunt had got a touch on it for a corner.
The pacy Willett had a shot saved by Hunt before the same player lashed a superb effort from the edge of the area which flew into the net.
It was somewhat against the run of play when Locks reduced the arrears on 36 minutes, Jimmy Cuthbert scoring with a low shot across a crowded goalmouth from a short corner move.
Locks boss Dave Fuge made a double change at half-time, introducing striker Jordan Whiteley and wideman Connor Johnson.
It paid instant dividends as, within three minutes of the restart, Locks had turned the game on its head and were winning.
First, Johnson pounced to fire in a low shot after Grove failed to clear a free-kick - though the set-piece was taken 10 metres in front of where Preston Tee’s foul had taken place.
Before the visitors knew what had hit them, Laurence Wall - one of the few survivors in Locks’ squad from last season - had put his side in front with another low effort from just inside the penalty area.
Their shock lead did not last long, though, as Grove were back on level terms two minutes later.
Referee Patrick McGonical awarded a penalty for handball and Shane Cornish stepped up to confidently score to Hunt’s right-hand side.
In an end-to-end second period, both teams carved out good chances.
Willett had a clean sight of goal, but Hunt saved with his legs, while Locks defender Shane Kent headed wide from six yards out after Simon Stone had delivered the chance.
Locks were adamant they had retaken the lead in an incident where Grove twice cleared off their own line in quick succession.
Grove were equally confident they should have had a last-minute penalty when Willett was brought down - and their shout looked a very good one indeed.
Both teams should be congratulated for producing a full-blooded encounter in driving wind and rain which, at times, McGonical did threaten to lose control of as the tackles flew in.
Grove have two big goal threats in
Lane and Willett, who now have 15 goals between them - more than 10 of the division’s 15 teams have scored in total.
If you include last season, they have finished in the top three in each of the last three seasons and were fourth in 2016/17. It will undoubtedly take good teams to finish above them again.
Full credit, though, to new-look
Locks who, lest we forget, were propping up the Senior Division last season when life went into lockdown. Had the pandemic never happened, they would almost surely be playing Division 1 football now.
As it is, Fuge and his management team have already forged a squad which looks set to trouble most of the top teams. Prior to this game, they had led
Fleetlands 2-0 and 3-2 before losing 4-3 - and leaders Infinity can expect a very tough encounter when they visit this Saturday looking to stretch their unbeaten league run to 32 games.
Locks: Hunt, Nowacki, S Stone, Kent, Goldring, Dugan, Wal, B Stone, Chambers, Sales, Cuthbert.
Paulsgrove: Goodman, Dorsett, Scott, Pepall, Essai. Butcher, Tee, Doughty, Lane, Willett, Cornish.
Ross Cook struck four times as Overton caned Liphook 5-1 in last night’s other HPL Senior Division encounter.