Baffins hit Moneys for five ahead of cup final

Baffins Milton Rovers U18s warmed up for a midweek cup final date by romping to a Portsea Island derby success.

Baffins maintained their three-point lead at the top of the Hampshire Development U18 East Division table with a 5-0 win against Moneyfields at Furze Lane.

Mark Robinson’s squad now need just three wins from their final four fixtures to clinch the title - and that’s if reigning champions Horndean Red win their final five matches.

They will need just two wins if Horndean White can beat Horndean Red in their inter-club derby at Five Heads Park tomorrow.

Before that, though, Baffins host divisional rivals Gosport Borough in the final of the Hampshire Development League Cup at Hawks’ Westleigh Park tonight (7.45pm).

The teams have met once this season, drawing 1-1 in March, with Baffins’ home game against Borough still to take place.

‘My lads were down in the dumps (after the 1-1 draw),’ Robinson recalled, ‘but I told them that’s not two points dropped. They are probably the best footballing side we have played.

‘We’re not going to steamroller everyone we play. It will be a tough encounter, but I’m confident.

‘We’ve just beaten two good sides with two clean sheets. We played really well on Sunday, I wasn’t expecting to beat Moneyfields 5-0. We were really slick.’

Sonny Gower scored twice with left wing back Ethan

Gee and right wing back Harrison Cable also on target along with midfielder Owen Pelham.

Robinson’s squad is strengthened for the cup final with the availability of Ryan Harfield and Peter Hodgkins.

Harfield, who scored the winner in a huge game against Horndean Red recently, is back from injury while Hodgkins is available after completing his third suspension of the term. In all, the central midfielder has sat out over 10 games after picking up three red cards.

Gosport will also be going into the final in good form having beaten Fleetlands 6-0 and Winchester City 7-1 in their last two league fixtures.