Clanfield ‘overwhelmed’ by support after travellers wrecked their Peel Park pitch

Fellow Hampshire Premier League club Hayling United were quick to donate £50 when they heard the news last week.

They asked if all the other HPL clubs could do likewise.

In addition, an online Crowdfunding page set up by Clanfield secretary Stuart Wallis has already raised over £1,000 in just a couple of days.

‘The response has been unbelievable,’ said Clanfield boss Lee Blakely.

‘We’ve been overwhelmed by the support of the local community and other football teams who want to help us.’

Though Clanfield’s first team will soon be groundsharing on Hawks’ new 3G pitch at Westleigh Park, the club’s other teams - reserves and youth - are staying at Peel Park.

The club had undertaken summer renovation work on the pitch helped by a grant from the Football Foundation.

‘The pitch was probably looking the best it’s ever done,’ said Blakely.

‘It’s just a shame that travellers had to come in and wreck it.

‘I don’t know how long it will take to repair.

‘Our last home game (before moving to Westleigh Park) was supposed to be against Bush Hill on September 26.

‘With Bush being one of the bigger clubs in the league, we wanted to have a good farewell game - but I’d say it’s 50/50 at the moment.’

Clanfield could yet be the first team to play a competitive game on the 3G pitch - if Hawks are drawn away in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup.

Hayling boss Dan Bishop - whose side host Clanfield in the HPL on Tuesday - explained why they decided to kick off the fundraising.

‘It felt like a kick in the nuts when I heard the news,’ said Bishop.

‘I put myself in their shoes and thought ‘we need to do something for them’.

‘I know we’re all enemies on the pitch, and we wind each other up at times, but off the pitch we’re one big community.

‘We should be helping each other out if we can, and I hope it stays like that.

‘It’s a great community, and I’ve been amazed by the response.’

‘Hayling did a massive thing for us the other day with starting the donations going.

‘I’ve got a lot of respect for Dan and the people down at Hayling - they’re a good club.’

Clanfield will be bidding for a third successive Senior Division win at Hayling College.

They followed up a 4-0 win against Chamberlayne by beating Lyndhurst 5-3 in a game moved to Horndean College because of the damage at Peel Park.

Clanfield stormed into a 4-0 half-time lead through goals from Oli Glover (7), Oli Amos (12), Owen Milne (25) and James Barker (44).

Lyndhurst hit back to make it 4-3 but Mauro Morais settled the nerves with a last-minute fifth goal.

‘The first half was probably the best we’ve played since I’ve been manager,’ said Blakely.

Morais, a summer signing from Liss, has scored in all three league games so far while strike partner Milne also has three goals to his name.