Infinity targeting Wessex League football after agreeing deal to move into AFC Stoneham’s ground

Ahead of their 6-2 cup win over Liphook, the club received confirmation that a forthcoming move to AFC Stoneham’s current HP Arena ground had been accepted by Wessex officials.

Infinity will move into the HP Arena once Wessex Premier club Stoneham have decamped to their new facilities at the £9m Stoneham Lane complex.

That could be as early as next month and it will leave Infinity knowing they will definitely be promoted if they win a first HPL title this season.

‘It’s brilliant news,’ said Infinity boss Danny Thompson. ‘It’s great that we have this chance to move to Stoneham as without it I don’t know what we’d have done.

‘It’s hard enough to attract players to play at our level as it is - if we couldn’t go up it would make it even harder.

‘Many of our players are good enough to play in the Wessex Premier, let alone Wessex 1, so it would have been hard to keep them together if we couldn’t go up.

‘I would probably have found it hard as well if we won the league and couldn’t go anywhere. I’ve got ambitions as well.’

A new ground is being built for Infinity in a new housing complex near Wickham. But that won’t be ready for next season, hence the move to AFC Stoneham’s ground.

‘The club’s owners Jody Hoare and Simon Tribe have put in so much work in the last few months to make this happen,’ said Thompson. ‘They’ve done their bit, now we have to do ours by winning the league.’

Infinity could take their place in Wessex 1 next season even if they don’t collect a first ever HPL title, providing whoever finishes above them haven’t also applied for promotion.

One of the Infinity players with extensive Wessex League experience, Wayne Boud, cracked a hat-trick in the HPL Cup quarter final win over Liphook.

In a tie moved to a 3G surface in Eastleigh in order to ensure it went ahead, two of the former Fareham Town player’s goals were penalties.

Jamie White - with his 29th strike of the season - Andrew Powell and Luke Middleton were also on target as the HPL Cup holders stormed into a 5-0 half-time lead.

Thompson was delighted with the debut of teenage keeper Kieran Webster, deputising for Tom Boyle who was attending trials for the England deaf team.

‘I was very impressed,’ said the manager of a player who doesn’t turn 17 until next March. ‘His handling and his communication were very good.’

Wet weather ensured Infinity are the only club currently through to the last four of the HPL Cup.

The Liss v Bush Hill tie is scheduled for this coming Tuesday while the Fleetlands v Colden Common and Kingsclere v Denmead ties have been rescheduled for next Saturday, December 21.