Club record marksman Steve Hutchings still has a ‘point to prove’ after returning to Moneyfields scoresheet

The striker celebrated his first competitive start since October with a goal in Friday’s 5-2 Wessex League victory over Alresford at Westleigh Park.

It was only his 11th start of the season, and only his third goal.

For the first time this season, Moneys boss Glenn Turnbull started Hutchings, top scorer Callum Laycock and Ryan Pennery in the same game.

Hutchings was the lone striker with Laycock - whose brace took his seasonal tally to 21 - in the ‘hole’ behind in between Pennery on the left and the left-footed Josh Hazell on the right in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Charlie Bell, often used in the attacking three, was this time partnering Callum Glen in a central midfield two.

‘Steve’s looking as if he’s got something to prove,’ Turnbull told The News. ‘I don’t know whether that’s to me, to himself, or to others. He’s still got that fire in his belly.

‘He’s probably trained more in the past few weeks than he’s trained in nine years at Moneyfields. He lifts those around him just by his presence, even in training.’

Laycock’s double eased Moneys into a 2-0 lead against a rock bottom Alresford side who had arrived with 16 successive Premier losses to their name.

But a much-changed Magpies side - bolstered by players signed on from Winchester City and Hartley Wintney - hit back to level.

Pennery restored Moneys’ lead - with his eighth goal in ten starts (plus two off the bench) - before Hazell and Hutchings extended the lead in the last 10 minutes.

‘It was a really good game,’ said Turnbull. ‘I would have taken a 1-0 or a 2-1, but I wouldn’t say 5-2 flattered us. We were still good for that. We do create a lot of chances, and we did so again.’

Turnbull appreciates he has a selection dilemma. It’s one thing unleashing Hutchings, Laycock, Pennery and Bell against the division’s bottom team, but could they all face the Wessex Premier’s cream?

‘You could probably play them all against most teams,’ said the manager. ‘To do it against the Horndeans, the Stonehams, the Portchys, may or may not be something we could achieve.

‘It’s one for us to work out. They are all big players and big players will expect to play in the big games.

‘There’s also Chad Cornwell, he’s another option if we want some pace. And Josh Hazell was brilliant against Alresford, he was my man of the match.’

Next up for Moneys is a home game with Laverstock & Ford at Westleigh Park next Friday. Hutchings is unavailable for that one but Dec Seiden comes back into contention.