Journalism & News from Bournemouth University

Non league football disrupted by weather

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Non league football fell victim to the rain on Saturday with with seven games across the region called off due to waterlogged pitches.

County Ground stadium Hamworthy Photo by Daniel Quina Brito (Buzz)

The weather played havoc with the weekend’s non-league football fixtures with the majority of games falling foul of the rain – but four games across the region did go ahead.

There were wins for Dorchester Town and Hamworthy United in the Southern League whilst Portland won their first match under Mark Carter in the Wessex League.

Ringwood Town also earned a hard-fought draw in the only non league football games to take place across the region.

National League

Weymouth’s National League South tie against Chippenham Town was called off in the eleventh hour after the referees deemed the pitch unplayable with the team and some fans already at the ground. 

Southern League

In the Southern League Premier, Dorchester shook off the disappointment of their Dorset Cup semi final defeat against The Terras in the week, as they beat Winchester 2-1 at the Avenue Stadium. 

In front of over 500 fans, The Magpies came from a goal behind as Simabarashe Miambo initially put the away side in front on 29 minutes. 

Charlie Gunson levelled things up six minutes later before Harvey Bradbury grabbed the winner in the 75th minute. Dorchester remain fifth but go level on points with Poole Town after the Dolphins trip to Hanwell was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

Down in Division One, only Hamworthy United’s fixture survived as Wimborne Town’s trip to Bristol Manor Farm was called off early on Saturday morning.

https://twitter.com/HamworthyUtdFC/status/1614304839814496258/photo/1

The Hammers have now gone three years without defeat at  Sunseeker International County Ground after beating Evesham United 2-1, with 208 fans in attendance.

Max Wilcock opened the scoring after 16 minutes before Cameron Munn doubled the home side’s lead four minutes later as they raced into a 2-0 lead. 

Evesham did manage to pull one back in the 93rd minute through Micheal O’Regan which set up a nervy finish in Poole. Hamworthy moved up to second in the table as their inaugural season in the Southern League continues to go from strength to strength.

Wessex League

Moving to the Wessex League, just tw0 games survived the rain as Bournemouth FC vs AFC Stoneham and Christchurch vs Pagham were called off in the Premier Division. 

Division One’s  match featuring Hamworthy Recreation and Downton was off, along with Verwood’s trip to Whitchurch, leaving Ringwood’s game against high-flying Andover New Street and Portland’s trip to Moneyfields the region’s only games to take place.

Mark Carter took charge of Portland for the first time since being appointed as the club’s interim-manager earlier in the week and got off to a winning start.

George Stuttle got the only goal of the game with 20 minutes left to go and United took all three points back to Dorset to lift them above Bournemouth to 15th in the table.

Richard Morse’s Ringwood almost inflicted Andover New Street’s first defeat of the season as Joss Holford opened the scoring as the visitors  took a one-goal lead into the break. 

Micheal Davis grabbed an equaliser just after halftime, though, before Ringwood’s top scorer, Harry Smith, netted his 14th goal of the campaign to give Ringwood the lead once again with just 15 minutes left to go.

But victory was snatched away in the final five minutes as Josh Moore preserved Andover’s unbeaten record and sent them top of the table. Ringwood moved up one place to 13th and will hope this result can kick start the club’s season.