Paulsgrove promising Hampshire Premier League title chasers Colden Common a ‘fiery’ welcome next week after narrow loss last night

Common took another step towards a third HPL championship when they beat Grove 1-0 last night.

Grove had chances to dent their hosts’ title bid before conceding a goal around the 75th minute mark.

Common will now win the league if they take seven points from their last three matches - away to Locks Heath on Saturday, Paulsgrove on Wednesday and Hayling United on April 30.

Common could lose one of those games and still take the title, but would need two large wins in their other fixtures to overturn current leaders Denmead’s superior goal difference.

At present, Denmead’s difference is plus 48 compared to Common’s plus 39.

Denmead could yet win the title almost a month after their last game, a 5-1 home trouncing by Stockbridge on April 2!

‘I felt we were unlucky not to come away with something,’ Ledger said of last night’s encounter at Oakwood Park in Otterbourne.

‘It was a case of nearly but not quite, the story of our season really.

‘We haven’t had anywhere to train, and we start games well but after about 60 or 70 minutes our legs go.

‘We should have been 3-0 up at half-time. For 60 or 70 minutes we were the better side, but they had a full bench - they brought on five subs.’

Aaron Fennemore was introduced as an early sub following an injury to Ollie Complin, and had a good chance to break the deadlock.

Striker Frankie Kemp also had an opening, while in the second half he was ‘cleaned out’ by the Common keeper. ‘It was a stonewall penalty,’ reported Ledger.

‘My lads came out with a lot of credit, they played ever so well.’

Ledger was forced to play teenager Daniel Lambe at left back - not his usual position - and said he was ‘absolutely outstanding.’

Meanwhile, Common are going to have to work for the first HPL title since the 2009/10 campaign.

‘Locks Heath will be a tough game (for Common) this weekend and we will be more than up for it next week.

‘There was a bit of needle last night and they can expect a fiery welcome and a hostile atmosphere.’