Hutchings at the double as Moneyfields avoid Portsmouth Senior Cup banana skin tie against four divisions lower Denmead

New-look Moneyfields avoided a banana skin tie to progress to the semi-finals of the Portsmouth Senior Cup.
Moneyfields' Jake Raine, right, goes in for a tackle during his side's 4-0 Portsmouth Senior Cup win against Denmead. Pic: Martyn White.Moneyfields' Jake Raine, right, goes in for a tackle during his side's 4-0 Portsmouth Senior Cup win against Denmead. Pic: Martyn White.
Moneyfields' Jake Raine, right, goes in for a tackle during his side's 4-0 Portsmouth Senior Cup win against Denmead. Pic: Martyn White.

The holders, with six new faces in their starting XI, defeated four divisions lower Denmead 4-0 in a delayed quarter-final tie on a 3G surface at Front Lawn in Havant.

Moneys were clearly the better side on the night, as befitting a side who play in the Southern League while their opponents turn out in the second tier of the Hampshire Premier League.

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But Denmead can take great credit from their performance, and certainly in the opening 45 minutes gave a very good account of themselves.

The higher division club certainly knew they had been in a game, with Denmead - who play in the same league as Moneyfields’ reserves! - producing a display which should give them great heart.

Denmead keeper Prad Bains, the Mayor of Havant, was always the busier of the two keepers and the scoreline would have been greater but for a number of fine stops.

A heavier defeat, though, would have been an injustice on Denmead.

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Moneys fielded a strong XI, though with their reserves playing on the same evening had little choice.

The gulf between the two teams was obvious. While Denmead were playing in the Meon Valley Sunday League as recently as April 2019, Moneys included three ex-pros - Steve Hutchings, George Barker and Tom Dinscombe.

Sam Pearce has played in the National League South for Gosport, while Marley Ridge has National League experience with Hawks.

Striker Kieron Roberts, meanwhile, played in the top flight of the Southern League for Wimborne and Blackfield last season and Alex Lafleur has done likewise for Gosport and Salisbury.

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It was Hutchings who opened the scoring on nine minutes with a close range effort after Denmead had left him in too much space.

Three minutes later Jake Hallett parried Danny Lucas’ angled effort - one of only a few saves he had to make all evening.

At the other end Bains saved well from Ridge, Pearce twice went close with headers and Bains was out quickly to stop Roberts getting on the end of a Hutchings cross.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic, but Denmead - playing some nice one-touch football, never resorting to long balls up front - were unable to work any clear openings.

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Ridge calmed any Moneys nerves on the hour mark when he received a Barker pass and drilled a low shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.

Three minutes later it was 3-0 when Roberts - full of powerful running throughout - crossed from the right and Hutchings took one touch to control the ball before turning and scoring his second of the night.

Sub Danny Burroughs completed the scoring eight minutes from time, collecting a Joe Briggs pass to steer his shot under Bains.

Denmead never gave up, however, and kept trying for a consolation - midfielder Jacob Arend twice going close with shots from the edge of the box.

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Moneys now face Fareham Town in the PSC semi-final, with the winners facing Baffins Milton Rovers or Horndean in the final.

Moneys’ next game is an FA Cup preliminary round tie at home to lower division Camberley this Saturday.

Denmead: Baines, Boopa, B Lucas, Brewer, Crook, Arend, D Lucas, Field, Hammond, Trevaskis, Harrison.

Moneyfields: Hallett, Lafleur, Briggs, Pearce, Sanders, Dinscombe, Raine, Ridge, Barker, Hutchings, Roberts.

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