Dingle Rovers face crunch clash in bid to win a double for the second year running

Last year, the club - named after a park in Locks Heath - won the Meon Valley League Division 1 title and the Portsmouth & District FA Intermediate Sunday Cup.

Last Sunday, they came from behind to defeat Whistle Stop 3-2 at Baffins’ PMC Stadium to lift the Meon Valley League’s Pink Cup.

Now they face Paxton this Sunday knowing that anything but a win will see Paxton clinch the Meon Valley title. A Dingle win - and another three points in their final fixture against Cobden - will see Rovers retain the title.

Charlie Cooper - who will be involved in Fareham Town’s bid to win the Wessex League Cup this Saturday - opened the scoring in the Pink Cup final.

Whistle Stop hit back to lead before Ryan Bath grabbed the fourth goal of the first half.

Bath has enjoyed a great season at Locks Heath, where his 31 league and cup goals have made him the Hampshire Premier League Senior Division’s highest scorer.

Harry Brown gave Dingle victory with a second half winner.

Dingle player-boss Lewis Mintrim told The News that the club are considering applying to play in the Gosport, Fareham & Solent Sunday League.

‘There’s more games and it’s a bit more competitive,’ he remarked.

Dingle’s 2021/22 league season will only comprise six matches, while there are eight clubs, for example, in the top tier of the GFSL.