Meon Milton targeting remarkable cup final double just 12 months after winning Mid-Solent League and stepping up to county football

They have reached the semi-finals of both the Hampshire FA Trophy and the HPL League Cup.

Both competitions are for clubs at their HPL second tier level and the one above. The Trophy is also for reserve teams of Wessex League clubs such as Fareham, US Portsmouth and AFC Stoneham.

First up is a home semi-final with higher division Shanklin from the top flight of the Isle of Wight League this Saturday (2pm) at Eastney Barracks.

Meon, last season’s Mid-Solent League champions, have already won through five rounds to get this far. Among their scalps were Shanklin’s division rivals Bembridge.

Shanklin, second in their league having won 12 out of 16 games, knocked out HPL Senior Division title hopefuls in an earlier round.

The Islanders could be a bit ring rusty, though, having not played since February 12 - indeed, they have only played two league games since the end of November.

Meon boss Bikram Singh has a full strength squad to choose from, though central midfielder Dan Edwards is an injury doubt.

Meon’s second cup semi is a clash with higher tier Sway at Fareham’s Cams Alders in the HPL Cup on March 26.

The New Forest club have been reinstated in the competition after Colden Common were kicked out for fielding an ineligible player.

‘It’s a great achievement to get to two semi-finals, given where we’ve come from,’ said Singh. ‘For me, I now want to get to two finals.

‘I do believe we can do it, it’s all about our attitude on the day.’

Meon’s chief goal threat is Connor Mansfield, who has struck 25 goals in only 17 appearances - including a hat-trick in the Hampshire Trophy quarter-final win against Hartley Wintney A.

Because of their cup exploits, Meon have only played half of their 18 HPL Division 1 South East fixtures so far. AFC Petersfield have completed their programme while Meon have at least six games in hand on all the other clubs.

Last weekend Meon lost 2-1 at Whiteley Wanderers. ‘We controlled the game,’ said Singh. ‘We were a bit gutted to lose. Their keeper had a blinder, but if we’d shown more composure in front of goal it could have been a different game.’

Brading Town, who have knocked out HPL top flight pair Fleetlands and Locks Heath so far, host Stoneham reserves in the other Trophy semi-final.