‘Offside call was a big moment’ Field boss
Clanfield’s dream of lifting the curtain on life at Westleigh Park with a stunning victory was dashed by partypooping Paulsgrove.
Strikers Danny Lane and Zak Willett were both on target in their side’s 5-1 romp on Hawks’ 3G surface - taking their combined tally to 22 in just seven Hampshire Premier League games.
Skipper Aaron Fennemore struck twice and Billy Butcher completed the nap hand in front of a crowd of over 200.
Field are hoping their groundsharing deal with Hawks will prove a catalyst to boosting the club’s profile and, ultimately, their league standing.
Ending Grove’s unbeaten start to the Senior Division season would have been a superb way to usher in an exciting new era.
But the visitors are the top scorers in the division for a reason, despite having played fewer games than almost everyone else.
And though Clanfield boss Lee Blakely admitted he thought his side were the better of the teams in the first half, in the end Grove could have won by more goals.
The hosts, having previously trained on the pitch, were the quicker to settle and after Owen Milne had a shot blocked for a corner, Grove keeper Taylor Revy threw himself full length to save a Chris Waterson shot.
It was against the run of play, therefore, that Fennemore had the honour of scoring the first HPL goal at a stadium which has a grading to host EFL matches.
And what a goal it was, a stunning 30-yard drive that flew past static keeper Gareth Wiseman and into the top corner.
Willett could have had two goals in quick succession, first sending a near post header from a corner against a post and then shooting just wide after scampering on to a Lane pass.
Willett did double the lead on 32 minutes, though, scoring from close range after Waterman could only parry a curling Shane Cornish freekick.
Less than 60 seconds later, Willett burst through again with Waterman saving well.
Jake Hughes brought Clanfield back into contention with the game’s second stunning long-range effort on 41 minutes.
Mauro Morais thought he had levelled on the stroke of half-time after Revy couldn’t hold a James Barker shot. A raised flag for offside cut short the celebrations.
Four minutes into the second half, Fennemore struck his second - a crosscum-shot from virtually on the touchline hitting the back post and rebounding in.
Field refused to lie down, Morais seeing a shot tipped over by Revy before the same player should have done better with a far post header from a Hughes cross.
Grove always possessed the greater quality going forward, however, and it was 4-1 on 56 minutes when one of many quick passing moves ended with Lane scoring from close range.
At the other end, Barker latched onto a quickly-taken free-kick but his shot was deflected wide for a corner.
Grove boss Wayne Grant took Cornish off on 73 minutes, putting on centre half Rob White and moving Butcher into a midfield role.
As the visitors kept on pressing, finding space a lot easier than Clanfield, and moving the ball a lot quicker too, Butcher was denied by a great Wiseman save five minutes from time.
He was not to be denied, though, and shortly after completed the scoring when he poked in a low right-wing cross from Joe Dorsett.
Paulsgrove have dropped fewer points than anyone else in the top flight, but so far the fixtures have been relatively kind. They have only played one other team in the top eight so far, Locks Heath, and that was the one game they haven’t won.
But Overton, Hayling, Infinity and Bush Hill make up their next four fixtures. If Grove are still unbeaten and freescoring after those games, we can start talking about the chances of the club landing a second HPL title to go with the one they won in 2017/18.
HPL goals for Paulsgrove in only seven games in 2020/21 so far
As for Clanfield, they need to start showing they can mix it with the division’s heavyweights.
Last season they finished 10th, but didn’t win a single league game against any of the teams that finished above them. And the only matches they’ve won in 2020/21 are against Sway and Chamberlayne, third bottom and second bottom respectively.
They have two more chances this week to show they are capable of taking on the high-fliers - at fifth-placed Locks Heath on Wednesday and at second-placed Infinity on Saturday.
Clanfield boss Lee Blakely was adamant a wrong offside call cost his side in their 5-1 drubbing by Paulsgrove.
In their first Hampshire Premier League game on Hawks’ new 3G surface, Field – after a bright start - had found themselves 2-0 down after 32 minutes.
Jake Hughes brought them back into contention, though, with a stunning 30-yard strike on 41 minutes before Mauro Morais had a goal disallowed for offside shortly after.
‘It wasn’t even close,’ said Blakely. ‘It was a really poor decision.
‘I’m not saying it would have affected the final outcome, but at 2-2 at half-time we have a completely different team talk.
‘It was a big moment in the game. ‘I thought we were the best side in the first half, but we didn’t show the same appetite in the second.
‘That’s the story of our season really. We can’t keep on playing for just 45 minutes or an hour, we’ve got to play for the 90 minutes.’
Their groundsharing deal with Hawks has given Clanfield the facilities to apply for promotion to the Wessex League.
It is now up to Blakely, above, to compile a squad good enough to get them there.
That will be a hard task, up against the likes of Infinity, Bush Hill and Fleetlands. Those three clubs also have the facilities and, at present, better squads.
Clanfield’s weekend loss left them fourth bottom after seven games, with their only two wins against two of the teams below them.
‘I don’t know if we’re mentally strong enough,’ said Blakely. ‘We certainly can’t keep on giving goals away like we are.’
Clanfield had a pre-match blow when skipper Billy Asmore failed a fitness test, and they were also without Oli Amos.
One huge positive, though, was a crowd of over 200 for their first game at Westleigh Park.
‘Apart from the result, it was a great day,’ said Blakely.
‘It would be nice if we could get a following going. I think there were a few people there who normally watch Havant play.
‘We want to put ourselves more on the local map if we can.’