‘This is the one team we don’t know a lot about’ – Fareham prepare to resume Wessex rivalries with Blackfield & Langley

Fareham Town open their Wessex Premier campaign with a tricky contest against unknown quantities Blackfield & Langley at Gang Warily (3pm).
Flashback to 2012 and Mat Jones (left) and Liam Hibberd in action for Fareham in a Wessex game against Blackfield & Langley. The two clubs meet again on the opening day of the 2020/21 Wessex League season. Picture: Sarah StandingFlashback to 2012 and Mat Jones (left) and Liam Hibberd in action for Fareham in a Wessex game against Blackfield & Langley. The two clubs meet again on the opening day of the 2020/21 Wessex League season. Picture: Sarah Standing
Flashback to 2012 and Mat Jones (left) and Liam Hibberd in action for Fareham in a Wessex game against Blackfield & Langley. The two clubs meet again on the opening day of the 2020/21 Wessex League season. Picture: Sarah Standing

Reds manager Pete Stiles is backing his team to bounce back after their disappointing FA Cup extra preliminary qualifying round exit at Frimley Green in midweek.

A 76th minute penalty proved enough to dump Fareham out.

Stiles felt his side were unfortunate and insists that they must keep their belief.

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'Defensively we were okay and we competed well in the middle of the park,' he said.

'Frimley were never going to score from open play.

'If you want to win games, though, you have to score and we failed in that area.

'In the final third our decision making wasn't good enough.

'I am looking for us to sharpen up and improve on certain things.

'We also need to get on with it, do a job and deal with a few things better.

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'This is a tough opener because Blackfield were playing two levels above us last season.

'They are the one team in our league that we don't know a lot about.

'We have to be prepared to cope with whatever comes at us.'

Blackfield have returned to the Wessex League after taking a voluntary relegation.

Promoted as Wessex champions in 2017/18, they went up again the following season as Southern League Division 1 South title winners.

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But the club took a financial hit when benefactor Matt Davies moved to AFC Totton, later taking Blackfield boss Glenn Howes with him.

Asking the FA for relegation carries a mandatory two-division relegation.

Fareham, meanwhile, are waiting on the fitness of Callum Benfield who went to hospital with a suspected broken collarbone in midweek.

'We don't want to go two or three games at the start of the season without a win,' said Stiles.

'If that happens players can start to doubt themselves.

'Our players are good enough and it is important they keep the belief.'

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