Harvest Home aiming high ahead of their debut Hampshire Premier League season

Harvest Home celebrate a goal during the 2019/20 season. Picture: Keith Woodland

Ray Ogilvie’s side were accepted into the HPL after winning a third successive Mid-Solent League title in 2019/20.

They won all 23 of their league and cup games last season, only to be denied a possible five-trophy haul by the pandemic.

Home will start life in the HPL against Denmead at Front Lawn on Tuesday, September 1 (8.10pm). Both clubs will be playing home games on a 3G pitch at the Havant venue next season.

Ogilvie accepts Denmead are a ‘great template’ for his squad, after they finished runners-up in their first season in the HPL second tier last term.

‘The team (Denmead) have been together a long time and they play some wonderful football,’ said Ogilvie.

‘But we’re going into this league to beat them, and we want to beat Moneyfields Reserves as well. We want to win the league and if we don’t I’ll be disappointed.

‘My motto is if you don’t want to win it, you shouldn’t be in it.’

Ogilvie has signed attacking midfielder Charlie Deluchi and defender Mitch Cowan, who both played for his Sunday League side Co-op Dragons when they won the quadruple a few years ago.

In 2016/17 Dragons collected the Portsmouth Sunday League Senior title, the Hampshire Cup, the Buster Gordon Cup and the Challenge Cup.

Dan Anders, who hasn’t played competitive football for around eight years, is another new addition.

Ogilvie feels his best summer recruit, though, is his assistant manager Dave McCafferty.

McCafferty was in charge of AFC Portchester’s reserves when Ogilvie played for the Royals, and also had a spell as first team assistant.

‘Dave is calm and collected, he will make a big difference to us this season,’ said the boss.

‘He will provide a perfect balance - he has ideas of his own but he will be supporting me as well.

‘I have brought him in to help make me a better manager.’

Harvest have only played one friendly so far, a 1-0 victory over Paulsgrove Reserves. As a result of what he saw, Ogilvie will change his side’s formation from their previous 3-5-2.

‘It could be the most important friendly I’ve ever managed in,’ he said.

Home travel to Bournemouth League heavyweights Bournemouth Manor this weekend.

Manor were favourites to win their league for the fifth season running prior to lockdown in mid-March.

Jamie Horton - recruited via Ogilvie’s links with the Friends For Cancer charity - has been recruited to play in goal.