‘Cheap and soft’ goals cost Moneyfields dearly as Denmead win huge game at the top of the Hampshire Premier League

They both arrived within the first six minutes to give Denmead a 2-0 win at Front Lawn, allowing them to halve Moneys’ lead at the top to three points with a game in hand.

Strikers Owen Milen and Kieran Hammond were on target as Denmead extended their unbeaten league run to 17 Senior Division games.

‘I asked for a fast start,’ said Mould, ‘and we gave them two goals inside the first 10 minutes. To say they were sloppy, cheap and soft goals would be an understatement.

‘It was pretty even steven after that with neither side creating too much.’

Moneys fielded a handful of under-18s - Bassy Stott on the left of a back three, Sam Drew on the right of it, Alex Pullin at left wing-back and debutant Will Porter up front.

‘The youngsters didn’t do anything wrong, it was the experienced lads that were at fault for the goals.’

The first came when Liam Kyle tried to head a long ball back to keeper Sam Richards, only for Milne to nip in and score.

Then Richards allowed a cross to go over his head, which hit both crossbar and post before rolling across the area for top scorer Hammond to tap in.

Mould was sent off with about 15 minutes remaining for dissent after the only notable incident of the second period.

He was adamant Denmead keeper Chris Clark should have been red-carded for a handball outside his 18-yard box.

‘It was as blatant (a handball) as you could possibly see,’ Mould remarked. ‘I didn’t cover myself in glory after that - the red mist came down.

‘I’m not saying that decision cost us, because it didn’t, but it didn’t help us.

‘We didn’t look that threatening going forward, there was a lack of a cutting edge.’

Clark was playing his first game since suffering a knee injury in September’s HPL Cup defeat to Moneys at Dover Road.

He has been advised to stop playing, ahead of surgery, but will be seeking a second opinion.

Moneys now have a goal difference of plus 43 - five better than Denmead - after completing two-thirds of their league fixtures.

Of Denmead’s remaining 11 games, only four are away - including their first two of 2022 at second-bottom Liss and fifth-bottom Overton.

After that come home matches against mid-table Liphook and rock bottom Lyndhurst.

Mould admits there could yet be twists and turns in the title race.

‘Fleetlands will take points off teams, Clanfield will take points off teams,’ he said.

‘Locks Heath still have Denmead to play, Fleetlands have to play Denmead twice.

‘I wouldn’t be surprised, if we weren’t to win it, if someone came from the pack, someone like Colden Common. They’ve played Denmead twice, they’ve played us twice.

‘We should be a lot stronger in the new year, though as a reserve team you can never tell.’

At present, Chad Cornwell is likely to play some reserve games after recovering from a foot injury while new signing Jack Chandler will start off with Mould’s squad.

Midfielder Harry Bedford could also get run-outs as he returns to playing after 18 months out with an ACL injury.