Humbugs desperate to help out Denmead
Hayling United, the team that haven’t won since early February, hold the destiny of the Hampshire Premier League title in their hands this weekend.
Almost a month after playing their penultimate game of the 2021/22 season, the Humbugs host Colden Common in their final fixture.
Common, following a stunning run of results, only need a point at Hayling College to win the HPL for a third time.
Remarkably, Common will top the table for the first time this season on the last day if they avoid defeat.
A shock Hayling win, though, would see Denmead take the title four weeks after Paul Goddard’s men wrapped up their fixtures with a 5-1 home loss to Stockbridge – on goal difference.
Common have pieced together a stunning run since losing four of their first six league games, including a 6-1 home hiding by Moneyfields and a 6-0 defeat at Denmead in the space of eight days.
Since then, they have won 22, drew two and lost just once - a 4-1 defeat against Clanfield at Westleigh Park on January 22.
Hayling, meanwhile, have claimed just a solitary point from their last seven fixtures. They last won on February 5, almost three months ago.
‘I’d really like Denmead to win the league,’ said Humbugs boss Dan Bishop. ‘It would be good for a PO postcode club to win it. It’s a nice story.
‘We knew a few of the Denmead lads and get on well with them. We’ll be doing everything we can to win.
‘We’ll be going out to attack, we’re not good enough to sit back and absorb pressure.
‘We haven’t played for a few weeks and weren’t in great form. They’ve been playing a lot of games and winning them all. On the face of it, we’ll get a pasting, but let’s see how it works out.’
Common’s surge into title contention in recent weeks has been based on a superb defensive record. Keeper Jon Webb - who played a few games for Fareham Town earlier this season - kept his fifth successive clean sheet in Wednesday’s 3-0 win at Paulsgrove.
Bishop has been forced to rebuild, ever since an early December exodus of players that followed his former assistant Dan Greenwood to Fleetlands.
Top scorer George Gregory, Dan Clasby, Josh Watts, above left, Toby Wilson, George Caister, Joe Boxall, Callum Dart and Callum Theobald all moved to Lederle Lane.
Those players - most of whom played in November’s 3-1 loss at Colden Common - now stand on the brink of promotion to the Wessex League.
‘They were good players (who left). Dan Greenwood has done well with them over there,’ said Bishop.
‘There’s no animosity. You can’t turn a switch and think they’re good players to not liking them. I’m buzzing for them - it’s a shame it wasn’t with us.’