Pacy striker Zack Willett reaches Horndean half-century in Wessex League caning of Brockenhurst

The striker netted his 49th and 50th competitive goals for the Deans in a 5-0 Wessex League Premier Division win.

Willett has needed only 57 league and cup games in which to reach his half-century - a stunning record made even better by the fact he doesn’t take penalties.

In his first season at Five Heads Park last term, the jet-heeled attacker struck 38 times in just 42 starts plus one off the bench.

Challenged back in the summer by boss Michael Birmingham to prove he was no one season Wessex wonder, Willett now has 12 strikes in 13 starts plus one as sub.

No player in the Wessex League Premier has scored as many goals for a top flight club as he has since the start of last season.

Prior to joining Horndean, Willett had smacked 24 goals in just 13 starts, plus one off the bench, for Hampshire Premier League club Paulsgrove in 2020/21.

‘Zack’s doing well,’ said Birmingham after the Deans had rattled off their fifth successive away league victory to narrow the gap on joint leaders AFC Portchester and Bemerton to three points.

‘Sometimes I think he’s too quick for the ball. He’s still got a lot to learn but we’re working with him.’

In the absence of the injured Connor Duffin, Willett has been playing in a central striker role rather than out wide.

That was the position he was deployed in at Brockenhurst, latching onto two Rudi Blankson passes to net as Horndean opened up a 4-0 half-time lead.

Tommy Scutt (2) and Tommy Tierney were also on target for a Deans side who will move into joint top-spot if they can beat Fareham at Five Heads Park on Tuesday.

‘We have played better,’ said Birmingham when asked to sum up the Brock win.

‘We played better and lost at Hythe and we played better and drew with Portchester.

‘We were ruthless in front of goal, some of our attacking play was very good.

‘The first half of the first half was very open - it was like between the 60th and 90th minutes of a match where gaps start to open.

‘It doesn’t matter if you play well and win 1-0 or don’t play so well and win 5-0, you still only get three points.’

That may be so, but Horndean will be above Portchester by virtue of a better goal difference if they can beat Fareham, albeit having played a game more.

Midfielder Ash Howes replaced Sam Hookey, who reported a tight quad, at half-time against Brock - his longest appearance since returning from a double hernia operation.

Harry Jackson and Luke Dempsey could be added to the squad to face Fareham after being available at the weekend.