Freak injury rules Petersfield Town skipper Connor Hoare out of Wessex League Cup final against Baffins Milton Rovers

The experienced midfielder - who has made more league and cup starts for the Rams than anyone else this season - misses the showpiece occasion against Baffins Milton Rovers due to a swollen foot.

The injury was picked up when Hoare accidentally tripped over a goalpost while celebrating Petersfield’s penalty shoot-out victory in the Division 1 play-off final at New Milton last weekend.

Hoare, who counts Gosport and Moneyfields among his former clubs, has made 41 starts in his first season at the club, scoring 10 goals.

The Rams must therefore make two changes at least to the XI that started at New Milton as Oliver Davies is cup tied.

Co-boss Pat Suraci told The News: ‘We’re going there (to Portchester to face Baffins) in a bit more relaxed mood.

‘We’re going with a real confidence and an air of freedom.

‘It’s a chance for us to show people what we’re about, and to celebrate the season we’ve had.’

Suraci and joint-boss Joe Lea have guided Petersfield back into the Wessex top flight - after a five-year absence - in their first season managing in men’s football.

‘Promotion and a cup final wasn’t on our radar, it’s not something we talked about last summer,’ Suraci recalled.

‘We’ve exceeded our expectations, and probably the expectations of others.

‘But we’ve deserved it, myself and Joe have put in a lot of hard work and so have the players.

‘On days like last Saturday there’s no comparison (between managing and playing).

‘We know there will be lots of lows, so when you get the highs you have to cherish them.’

Petersfield won both their play-off semi-final (v Newport) and final on spot-kicks, but Suraci said: ‘It looks tight, but we felt disappointed we didn’t win (at New Milton) in normal time.

‘If we’d by two or three I don’t think anyone could have argued.

‘We went to the team that finished second (Newport) and beat them and then we went to the division’s top scorers and really nullified them.’

Suraci is hoping most of the current squad will still be around when next season kicks off.

‘The boys deserve the chance to show what they can do in the league above,’ he said. ‘A lot of them have played at that level before.

‘’I am sure there will be interest in our players, but I’d be surprised if many of them wanted to go anywhere else, we’ve created a good environment here.’

While Baffins won the Wessex League Cup four years ago, the Rams have never lifted the silverware.

They reached back-to-back finals in 2014 and 2015, only to end up on the losing side on both occasions.

A Warren Bentley hat-trick helped Alresford to a huge 7-2 win in the 2013/14 final, while an extra-time goal from Alex Baldacchino gave Portchester - then managed by Graham Rix - a 1-0 victory 12 months later.

The Royals had to play the whole of the extra half-hour after Joe Bye was sent off on the stroke of half-time.