Harvest Home still confident of promotion to the Hampshire Premier League after 100 per cent season

The Mid-Solent League leaders, along with all other teams below step three level in England, discovered their season was cancelled last Thursday because of the coronavirus crisis.

Ray Ogilivie's men had won all 20 matches they'd played this term - they had also ‘won’ another two games as a result of the opposition failing to raise a side.

But now the quest to land a historic five trophies - the MSL, the Hampshire Vase, the Len Day Cup, the Father Purcell Cup and the Billy Hill Cup - is over.

But all might not be lost for Harvest, whose bid to play in the Hampshire League next term remains very much a possibility. A decision will be announced at the HPL’s annual meeting at Hamble Club scheduled for June 14, but it would appear extremely harsh if they were turned down.

‘We’re hoping to be accepted into the Hampshire League next season,' said Ogilivie.

‘They have got room, we have spoken to the league secretary (Paul Proctor).

‘It’s a shame to go out on unfinished business but our aspirations are to get out of the league.

‘I’m confident we’d be able to add something to the (Hampshire Premier) league.

‘We can now build on what we’ve created - we’re now becoming attractive for new players.

‘I’m already planning for next season and I’ve already spoken to a couple of players I want to bring in.

‘We’d like to strengthen but keep the mentality in the changing room.'

The Mid-Solent League are yet to reach a decision on the final outcome for teams.

They could either take the step to null and void the season or award finishing positions on a points-per-game basis.

And Ogilivie gave his view on what decision the league should make.

'We’ve not lost a single game and won all 22 games we’ve played,' he remarked.

‘We were on a wave, we were enjoying it, we were flying and we had some really good games.

‘It’s just all for nothing.

‘You can’t sit there and complain and moan, the FA have got a lot of decisions, a lot of leagues and I suppose it’s opening a can of worms if you start saying some teams have won the league but others haven’t.

‘The most sensible thing was to cancel the whole thing.

'For me personally, I believe doing a points ration per game over the season would have been the correct way of doing it.

‘The fact is we haven’t lost a single game, we beat our rivals FC Strawberry three times and Wymering twice.

‘It’s not as if you can sit there and argue, for instance, that Strawberry beat us once and we beat them once.'

When the season was halted, Harvest were locked on 39 points with Strawberry at the top of the table. Harvest were top by virtue of a slightly better goal difference - plus 71 compared to plus 69 - and also had a game in hand.

Harvest had also reached the final of the Hampshire Vase - they were due to play Strawberry in a mouthwatering final - and were still in the Len Day and Father Purcell Cups. The Billy Hill Cup had already been won at the start of 2019/20, beating Strawberry in the final.

In all, Harvest scored 115 goals in the 20 league and cup matches they played and conceded just 11. In only one game - a 5-2 Hampshire Vase success at Bournemouth Electric - did they concede more than a single goal.