Fareham aiming to end a miserable run against teams with worst home records in the Wessex League Premier Division

Fareham are aiming to end a run of miserable results against Wessex League strugglers in the next week.
Dec McCarthy returns in goal for Fareham at Solent University this weekend. Picture: Keith WoodlandDec McCarthy returns in goal for Fareham at Solent University this weekend. Picture: Keith Woodland
Dec McCarthy returns in goal for Fareham at Solent University this weekend. Picture: Keith Woodland

The Reds - targeting their first top 10 league finish since 2010 - have so far dropped 10 points against lowly opposition.

They have drawn at home to Bournemouth and Solent University, while crashing to shock defeats at Shaftesbury and Amesbury.

All those teams are in the bottom five.

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Boss Pete Stiles takes his men to fourth bottom Solent this weekend before a trip to the Isle of Wight next Tuesday to face second bottom Cowes.

‘We have to try and get a bit more consistency,’ he said.

Goalkeeper Dec McCarthy returns after missing the midweek Russell Cotes Cup win at AFC Portchester.

Ex-Pompey midfielder Lewis Stockford should also be back, while Jack Nicholls and Matt Simm - cup tied in midweek - could earn a squad recall for the trip to Southampton.

Given previous results in 2019/20, Stiles might not want to know that Solent have yet to win at home in the league this season.

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Indeed, the students have picked up only a single point in 10 matches - and that was via a 93rd minute equaliser in a 3-3 draw with Horndean on November 23.

Cowes also possess a shocking home league record - winning just once and losing eight times in 10 games.

Their solitary win was a 1-0 success at Shaftesbury in September.

Stiles is targeting a top six finish, ‘which would be a huge improvement on where the club has finished in recent years.

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‘This season I’ve tried to bring through more youngsters, and that’s made a difference.

‘Last season we had a few too many players around the 30 mark, but at Portchester we had a lot of youngsters.

‘We looked a fitter side towards the end at Portchester.’

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