‘Outstanding’ Gosport Borough maintain superb home record with FA Cup thrashing of Hamworthy United

Andreas Robinson’s third minute opener set the tone for a 4-0 replay victory over lower division Hamworthy United at Privett Park last night.

Harvey Rew and Dan Wooden added further first-half goals before Harvey Bradbury completed the rout late on.

It was the heaviest defeat the Hammers - managed by ex-Gosport FA Trophy hero Tim Sills - had suffered since a 7-0 Dorset Senior Cup loss in December 2019.

And it was only the third time since the start of 2021/22 that the reigning Wessex League champions had conceded more than two goals in a competitive fixture.

For Gosport, it booked a second qualifying round home tie against Hamworthy’s Southern League Division 1 South rivals Paulton Rovers.

Gale changed shape last night, reverting from the 4-3-3 he had gone with in Dorset at the weekend to a 4-4-2.

There were four changes to the starting XI with Bradbury, Rory Williams, Brad Tarbuck and Kyal Williams all recalled.

Danny Hollands, Matt Paterson and Abdulai Baggie were replaced, while Pompey loanee Harry Jewitt-White was suspended as a result of his Bank Holiday Monday dismissal at Winchester.

Gale brought in Tarbuck and Williams to offer a greater threat from the flanks, with Bradbury providing a bigger physical threat up front. Rew and Robinson were paired together in central midfield.

‘We were outstanding to be fair,’ saluted Gale. ‘I was really pleased. We executed the game plan really well.

‘We’d worked on a new shape in training on Monday night, as I felt that could cause them problems.

‘I said to the players we needed to come flying out of the traps, and that’s what we did - we nearly scored in the first minute.

‘Their chairman said to me afterwards that they’d been given a lesson.

‘Harvey Bradbury was outstanding, but he’ll be disappointed he didn’t get a hat-trick - the keeper’s made three fantastic saves and he’s hit the post.’

Gosport have now netted 15 goals in winning four successive home league and cup games in 2022/23.

They have the chance to further improve that record when Steve Claridge’s Salisbury visit for a Southern League fixture this weekend.

Salisbury have won their last three league games, with Seokjae Lee scoring the winner on his debut at Poole on Bank Holiday Monday.

Former Pompey Academy player Lee, who spent time at Gosport last season, has been dual registered with Hawks.

Salisbury returned to Poole to win an FA Cup tie last weekend, but Lee was an absentee as Paul Doswell doesn’t want him cup tied if he has to recall the player.

Gale is still working on bringing in a goalkeeper for this Saturday’s game as Pat O’Flaherty serves a one-game ban for his red card at Hamworthy.

The new signing could well stay at Privett Park for longer than just one game, and could feature in next midweek’s Hampshire Senior Cup tie with Andover Town.