Latest entrant into step 5 leagues seasonal 100 goal club - step forward Fareham Town

The Reds brought up three figures by hammering Cowes Sports 7-0 at Cams Alders on Tuesday.

Pete Stiles’ men are by some distance the lowest-placed team to score a century of step 5 goals in 2021/23.

Five of the other nine clubs to score at least 100 goals are currently top of their divisions, while all nine are in the top four. Fareham, in contrast, are 13th.

This is the first season since the Reds joined the Wessex League 24 years ago that they have scored a century of league goals. The club’s previous highest was 95 (38 games) in 2006/07.

But having scored 100 goals, they will now be desperately trying to avoid shipping three figures in their final two league fixtures.

Fareham, having conceded 94 times, host rock-bottom Amesbury on Saturday prior to heading to already-promoted Hamworthy, who could also be crowned champions by then, on the final day.

Stiles said: ‘We're six away from that (100 goals conceded), we've still got to go to Hamworthy, we've got to keep a clean sheet on Saturday (against Amesbury).

‘It was a good result the other night (v Cowes), we played well. It's always difficult when you're playing teams around the bottom (of the table) because they can come out with all the freedom in the world.'

Fareham appear to be reaping the benefits of Archie Willcox's switch from central defence into midfield following his hat-trick against Cowes.

Stiles added: ‘The past couple of games we've been playing him (Archie) in midfield, it's obviously paid off because he's playing a bit further upfield, but they were all headers from set-pieces. He's strong in the air anyway.

‘He wants to keep going forward, he's always got a goal in him, he's got a good range of passing so I decided to play him there. It suits him better. We're trying it out, there's nothing to lose at the moment.’

Step 5 clubs with 100 league goals this season

Wessex League - Shaftesbury (119 goals, 38 games, currently 3rd)

Southern Combination Premier - Littlehampton (114, 33, 1st)

Spartan South Midlands Premier - New Salamis (112, 35, 1st)

Wessex League - Horndean (109, 38, 4th)

Hellenic League Premier - Bishop’s Cleeve (108, 38, 1st)

North West Counties Premier - Charnock Richard (106, 40, 4th)

United Counties Premier South - Harborough Town (102, 34, 1st)

Northern Counties East Premier - Grimsby Borough (102, 37 1st)

Southern Counties East Premier - Chatham Town (101, 34, 2nd)

Wessex League - Fareham (100, 38, 13th)