Picture gallery – 'Relentless' Clanfield in seventh heaven for second week running after Hampshire Premier League romp at Hayling United

A week after caning rock bottom Overton at Westleigh Park, they trounced second bottom Hayling United on the island in another Hampshire Premier League fixture.

Jake Knight led the latest spree with his second hat-trick of the month as Lee Blakeley’s men, who were 5-0 up at the interval, rose to fourth place in the Senior Division table.

The previous week Olly Long had struck a treble against Overton, but also missed a penalty.

This time Knight was entrusted with spot-kick duties, and converted a penalty in each half en route to his hat-trick at Hayling College.

The skipper had previously netted four times in a Hampshire Trophy victory at Fawley Reserves on January 7.

Blakeley told The News: ‘The lads are really building some momentum. They’re turning up with the right mentality and showing great togetherness.

‘We were relentless, from the kick off until the final whistle. We never let them get in the game, we were relentless with or without the ball.

‘It was a really good performance on a tough pitch.’

Harvey Cooper, Dan Penfold and Long also netted in the first half, with sub Yusupha Badjie completing the rout on 70 minutes.

Clanfield now face a huge February, with league games against leaders Andover New Street, Sway and Stockbridge.

Having applied for promotion to the Wessex League, Clanfield need to finish in the top five of the Senior Division. As Stockbridge are the only other HPL club to have applied, finishing above them would also boost their chances of step 6 football in 2023/24.

Before those three games, though, Clanfield travel to Bournemouth Sports in the quarter-final of the Hampshire Trophy next Saturday.

Sports are currently second in the Dorset Premier League, four points behind Sturminster Newton with two games in hand.

The home side’s main danger will come from striker Jack Voisey, Sports’ leading scorer with 15 goals this season.

Last season he fired 45 league goals in just 33 starts, but his side could only finish fourth in the table.

Previously Voisey had netted 21 times for Parley Sports in 2018/19 and 19 times the season before.

‘They’re at home so they will have better availability,’ said Blakeley. ‘I’d imagine it will be like playing a top five side in our division.’

Defenders Stanlie Hopkins and Dan Clasby are ineligible, having played for Fleetlands in the Hampshire Senior Cup this season.

But striker Fred Penfold is available again after completing a six-match suspension. He will get some minutes prior to the cup tie by playing for Clanfield’ under-23s in a midweek game against Gosport Borough U23s at Sidlesham.