Fareham boss Stiles hails ‘job well done’ as Reds experience joy of six

Josh Benfield struck twice for Fareham in their 5-1 drubbing of Tadley Calleva

Following a 5-1 home success against Tadley Calleva, the Reds have now blasted 24 goals in claiming four successive Wessex Premier victories and Russell Cotes and Portsmouth Senior Cup wins.

Though still only 10th, Pete Stiles’ men are now just six points adrift of third-placed Baffins Milton Rovers.

If they won their three games in hand on Alresford, they would only be three points adrift of the table-toppers.

Stiles lauded the performance against Tadley, admitting: ‘It was a job well done.

'I regard it as one of our best displays of the season so far.

'We played well and could easily have won by a few more.

'We are getting closer all the time to the top teams, and this puts us within touching distance.'

Ethan Jones missed an early penalty before Fareham finally made a 33rd minute breakthrough.

Curt Robbins slipped the ball inside to Luke Benfield who fired a first-time shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Three minutes later Benfield extended the lead with his 10th goal in eight games since stepping up two divisions from Hampshire Premier Leaguers Paulsgrove.

It would have been 11 in nine, but last Wednesday’s Russell Cotes Cup tie against Portchester was abandoned at half-time with the score 1-1.

Fareham continued to dominate against Tadley after the break and cruised to victory through an own goal and strikes from subs Charlie Cooper and Simon Woods.