Fareham Town bid for another formbook-busting Wessex League success at high-flying Horndean

Last November, mid-table Fareham travelled to leaders Horndean - three points clear at the top having won 15 of their 19 Premier fixtures with only 11 goals conceded - and dished out a 5-1 thrashing.

The Creeeksiders stormed down the slope from the kick off, taking a startling 2-0 lead inside the opening five minutes.

The formbook was sensationally lobbed out of a metaphorical window, with the Deans having won six of their previous seven league games and Fareham having suffered four straight defeats.

And it was only the fourth time - and the first at Five Heads Park - that they had conceded five in a league fixture since Michael Birmingham had taken charge in the summer of 2016.

Fast forward to November 2022 and the form guide is spookily - Halloween reference alert! - similar to 12 months earlier as Fareham return to Five Heads Park on Tuesday.

The Deans have rattled off seven wins and a draw in their last eight league fixtures - and the draw was the only occasion AFC Portchester have dropped Premier points this term.

In contrast, Graham Rix’s Fareham have picked up just two points from their last four Wessex fixtures, culminating in last weekend’s 5-0 home caning by a Ryan Pennery inspired Moneyfields.

The Reds conceded as many goals in 90 minutes at Cams Alders on Saturday as Horndean have shipped in 11 league games in 2022/23.

Fareham’s cause was not helped when Dan Bennett was shown a straight red for a foul on Josh Hazell around the 20-minute mark, but Moneys were already 2-0 up by then anyway.

‘It was a difficult afternoon,’ Rix said of the Moneys pasting. ‘We weren’t at it, and if you’re not at it in this league you will get beat, simple as that.

‘Ryan Pennery was hot, to say the least, and we couldn’t handle him.’

SEE MORE: Fareham v Moneyfields picture gallery

Regards Bennett’s red card, the manager remarked: ‘I thought it was harsh. If that was a red card there should have been about four red cards at Hamble the week before. All we want is consistency (of refereeing decisions).’

Due to a shortage of players, Rix handed former Hythe & Dibden midfielder Jan Blazicek a starting debut against Moneys.

‘We’re really short of players at the moment,’ Rix admitted. ‘Mark Smith (signed from Fleetlands in early season) has hardly played due to a hamstring injury, he’s around two weeks away.

‘Curt Robbins hasn’t played all season, Ethan Jones took a nasty knock (against Moneys) but hopefully will be ok for Tuesday.

‘It’s frustrating but I know it happens, we’ll come through it.’

Horndean will join Bemerton and Portchester in a three-way tie at the top of the Premier if they can beat Fareham.

Zack Willett reached a half-century of goals for Horndean at the weekend - a milestone brought up on only his 57th appearance - with a double in the 5-0 win at Brockenhurst.

He is expected to continue playing in a central striking role in the injury-enforced absence of Connor Duffin.

Harry Jackson and Luke Dempsey return to the Deans squad after being unavailable for the trip to Brock.

Baffins Milton Rovers start a run of three home Wessex Premier games against rock bottom Alresford on Tuesday.

Alresford’s 6-0 caning at leaders Bemerton at the weekend was their 12th straight Premier defeat.

Baffins host Hythe & Dibden next weekend with Cowes Sports visiting the PMC Stadium next Tuesday.

Striker Kelvin Robinson completes his three-game suspension against Alresford.