Denmead revelling in their underdog status ahead of Hampshire Premier League Cup semi-final

The Division 1 high-fliers take on top flight heavyweights Bush Hill in one of the biggest games in the club’s history at Locks Heath FC.

Bush have won two of the last three HPL titles - finishing second to Paulsgrove in between in 2017/18 - and have only lost once in this season’s competition.

Victory for Paul Goddard’s side - who were playing in the Meon Valley Sunday League last season - would be one of the biggest shocks in the Hampshire non-league football scene for many years.

‘We have nothing to lose and everything to gain,’ said Goddard. ‘There is no pressure on us. No-one is expecting us to get a result, but we are full of confidence and will give it our best shot.’

Denmead’s story is one of the best of the 2019/20 local league season.

Goddard has been managing some of the players since youth football, with Denmead progressing to the HPL this season after four years in the Meon Valley League.

There they finished third and first in Division 2 and won the Division 1 title for the last two seasons.

The likes of captain Steve Field, Lewis Crook, Jacob Arend and Martin Chubb have been together virtually since the team’s formation in kids football.

Denmead are currently second in HPL Division 1 and have gone 10 league and cup games unbeaten, winning their last six league matches in the process.

In addition to reaching the last four of the HPL Cup, they are also through to the quarter finals of the Portsmouth Senior Cup.

Their reward for a startling victory at four divisions higher AFC Portchester is a home tie against five tiers higher Moneyfields on a date to be confirmed.

Denmead won 3-1 on penalties at Portchester after a 3-3 draw against a Royals XI that included Wessex regulars Brad Snelling, Ellis Martin, Steve Ramsey, Dan Wooden, Brodie Spencer, Liam Bush and Jack Barker.

Bush Hill, though, will obviously pose a huge threat - in particular leading scorer Mark Barker.

The man who plundered 62 goals for Bush last season already has 28 from just 17 starts this term.

The winners of the tie face either holders Infinity or Colden Common in the final. They play their semi-final at Locks Heath next Wednesday.