Clanfield’s dream of ushering in new 3G era with a victory is shattered by goal-happy Paulsgrove

Strikers Danny Lane and Zak Willett were both on target in their side’s 5-1 romp on the Hawks’ 3G surface - taking their combined tally to 22 in just seven Hampshire Premier League games.

Skipper Aaron Fennemore struck twice and Billy Butcher completed the nap hand in front of a crowd of over 200.

Field are hoping their groundsharing deal with Hawks will prove a catalyst to boosting the club’s profile and, ultimately, their league standing.

Ending Grove’s unbeaten start to the Senior Division season would have been a superb way to usher in an exciting new era.

But the visitors are the top scorers in the division for a reason, despite having played fewer games than almost everyone else.

And though Clanfield boss Lee Blakely admitted he thought his side were the better of the teams in the first half, in the end Grove could have won by more goals.

The hosts, having previously trained on the pitch, were the quicker to settle and after Owen Milne had a shot blocked for a corner, Grove keeper Taylor Revy threw himself full length to save a Chris Waterson shot.

It was against the run of play, therefore, that Fennemore had the honour of scoring the first HPL goal at a stadium which has a grading to host EFL matches.

And what a goal it was, a stunning 30-yard drive that flew past static keeper Gareth Wiseman and into the top corner.

Willett could have had two goals in quick succession, first sending a near post header from a corner against a post and then shooting just wide after scampering on to a Lane pass.

Willett did double the lead on 32 minutes, though, scoring from close range after Waterman could only parry a curling Shane Cornish free-kick.

Less than 60 seconds later, Willett burst through again with Waterman saving well.

Jake Hughes brought Clanfield back into contention with the game’s second stunning long-range effort on 41 minutes.

Mauro Morais thought he had levelled on the stroke of half-time after Revy couldn’t hold a James Barker shot. A raised flag for offside cut short the celebrations.

Four minutes into the second half, Fennemore struck his second - a cross-cum-shot from virtually on the touchline hitting the back post and rebounding into the net.

Field refused to lie down, Morais seeing a shot tipped over by Revy before the same player should have done better with a far post header from a Hughes cross.

Grove always possessed the greater quality going forward, however, and it was 4-1 on 56 minutes when one of many quick passing moves ended with Lane scoring from close range into an empty net.

At the other end, Barker latched onto a quickly-taken free-kick but his shot was deflected wide for a corner.

Grove boss Wayne Grant took Cornish off on 73 minutes, putting on centre half Rob White and moving Butcher into a midfield role.

As the visitors kept on pressing, finding space a lot easier than Clanfield, and moving the ball a lot quicker too, Butcher was denied by a great Wiseman save five minutes from time.

He was not to be denied, though, and shortly after completed the scoring when he poked in a low right-wing cross from Joe Dorsett.

Paulsgrove have dropped fewer points than anyone else in the top flight, but so far the fixtures have been relatively kind to them. They have only played one other team in the top eight so far, Locks Heath, and that was the one game they haven’t won.

But Overton, Hayling, Infinity and Bush Hill make up their next four fixtures.

If Grove are still unbeaten and free-scoring after those games, perhaps we can start talking about the chances of the club landing a second HPL title to go with the one they won in 2017/18.

As for Clanfield, they need to start showing they can mix it with the division’s heavyweights.

Last season they finished 10th, but didn’t win a single league game against any of the teams that finished above them. And the only matches they’ve won so far in 2020/21 are against Sway and Chamberlayne, third bottom and second bottom respectively.

They have two more chances this week to show they are capable of taking on the high-fliers - at fifth-placed Locks Heath on Wednesday and at second-placed Infinity on Saturday.

Clanfield: Wiseman, Devaney, Hampshire, Ashling, Waterson, Caldwell, Hughes, Grice, Milne, Morais, Barker.

Paulsgrove: Revy, Dorsett, Scott, Butcher, Eames, Doughty, Cornish, Fennemore, Lane, Willett, Tee.