Horndean aim to end two long AFC Stoneham unbeaten runs in Wessex League’s match of the day

Horndean's Zack Willett, left scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win a Stoneham in January 2022 - the Purples have not lost at home in the Wessex League since. Picture: Keith Woodland

The third-placed Deans travel to second-placed Stoneham having seen their hosts open up a nine-point lead over them in the past week.

While Horndean were seeing home games against Brockenhurst and Christchurch postponed due to wet weather, the Purples were beating Laverstock 2-1 at home and Shaftesbury 4-0 away.

That latter victory in north Dorset extended Stoneham’s current Premier Division run to 19 games unbeaten - 17 of which they have won. The last team to beat them were leaders AFC Portchester in early December.

The win against Laverstock, meanwhile, extended the Purples’ unbeaten home Wessex League run to 23 games - remarkably dropping just four points in the process.

But - and could this be an omen? - the last team to beat them in league action at fortress Stoneham Lane was Horndean.

It was in late January 2022 that a Zack Willett hat-trick propelled Michael Birmingham’s men to a 3-1 victory.

Stoneham will be targeting a double on Saturday, though, having won 1-0 at Five Heads Park, Liam Callaghan netting, last month.

Birmingham told The News: ‘They thoroughly deserved their three points, there were no grumbles from me.

‘We have got to play a lot better than we did then, it was one of our direst performances of the season.

‘They are a good side, a well drilled side. They score goals for fun, they go forward with great pace and great numbers - but they defend in great numbers as well.’

Birmingham isn’t too concerned that recent postponements will mean a diet of midweek games between now and the season’s end.

‘We’ll be playing Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday - that’s ok, it is what it is.

‘It’s only the same as the start of the season when you play Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday for eight or nine weeks.

‘We’ve got nine games left and they’ll be tough for different reasons - playing teams fighting to stay up or fighting to get promotion. They’re all tough, no matter who you play.’

Asked how his squad was looking in terms of availability, he replied: ‘it’s looking ok, but then it was looking ok when we played Stoneham at home! It’s about how you turn up and approach the game.

‘We know Stoneham like to start quickly, they like to impose themselves on games.’

No doubt Portchester, four points clear of Stoneham, would be happy if the Purples v Deans contest ended in a stalemate.

The Royals travel to Wiltshire at the weekend to take on Laverstock & Ford with skipper Brett Pitman still on 49 league and cup goals for the season.