Horndean facing hectic Wessex League run-in – and more rain could make the situation worse

Horndean boss Michael Birmingham is relaxed about his promotion-chasing club’s hectic final month of the Wessex League season.
Horndean boss Michael Birmingham. Picture by Martyn WhiteHorndean boss Michael Birmingham. Picture by Martyn White
Horndean boss Michael Birmingham. Picture by Martyn White

Tuesday’s postponement at Baffins meant the Deans managed just three Premier Division games throughout March.

As a result, they now have to squeeze their final eight league fixtures - a fifth of the season - into the first 22 days of April.

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On top of that, they could also still have two Portsmouth Senior Cup ties and a promotion play-off tie against a step 4 club to play.

Frustratingly, the situation could worsen as a bad weather forecast is already casting a huge doubt over this Saturday’s home game with fellow promotion hopefuls Bemerton.

As it stands, the Deans’ final three league games - home to Brockenhurst and Portland either side of the rearranged trip to Baffins - are shoehorned into a five-day period (April 18-22 inclusive).

They are then due to host AFC Portchester in the semi-final of the Portsmouth Senior Cup on Tuesday, April 25.

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Whoever finishes runners-up in the Wessex Premier, though, will face a Southern League side in the play-offs. And, according to the Southern League website, that game will take place on Wednesday, April 26.

Again as it stands, Horndean or Portchester could be contesting that play-off fixture.

The Deans are 13 points adrift of the Royals, but have four games in hand and are due to visit the On-Site Group Stadium on Saturday week, April 8.

‘It is what it is,’ said Birmingham. ‘There’s nothing anyone can do about Mother Nature.

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‘It’s not as if we can afford to cover the pitch or put blowers on it.

‘We’re not the only ones, and I’m sure the players would rather play on Tuesdays and Thursdays than train.

‘Nobody complains about tiredness if you’re winning. There’s no grumbles from me.’

Fareham are the only other Wessex Premier club with eight league fixtures remaining. Like Horndean, their last three games - including a Thursday clash with Hamble Club - are squeezed into the final five days.

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Six other clubs - including Bemerton and Baffins Milton Rovers - have seven Premier games to fit into the first 22 days of April.

‘There’s always someone worse off,’ Birmingham added. ‘We’re ok, there’s lots of teams around us - we’ve got to go to Portchester and Baffins but they’re only a few miles away. Imagine if it was Portland or Cowes (with a hectic run-in)?

‘I was speaking to Steve Leigh the other day and he said when Newport went up in the Southern League (in 2000/01) they had to play 17 games in 31 days. That’s a fixture nightmare!’

Horndean also had a busy run-in to the 2015/16 Wessex season. Due to bad weather, they did not play a home game at Five Heads Park between December 5 and March 15.

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That resulted in the club’s final 11 league fixtures - nine of which were at home - being shoehorned into a 26-day period.

Birmingham will need a fit squad for the April programme, and at present he has one with Eddie Wakely the sole injury-related absentee.

The former Portsmouth Academy defender has not played since suffering a knee injury at Blackfield in mid-September that required surgery.

He is now back in light training and Birmingham believes there is still a chance he could make a competitive playing return before the curtain is pulled down on 2022/23.