‘Right decision’ eventually reached as Moneyfields set up tie with Hampshire Premier League big guns Bush Hill

Jacob Payne completes his hat-trick at AFC Netley from the penalty spot. Picture: Dan (JMA Media).

Moneys were initially left 'shocked' at being asked to replay their game with AFC Netley - despite leading 5-1 when it was called off with 13 minutes left.

Knight admitted the correct call was made to abandon the tie after Netley's Chris Da Silva suffered a serious shoulder injury.

However, Moneys were staggered at originally being ordered to replay the last-16 clash next Saturday.

But Knight praised those associated with AFC Netley after their decision to opt against replaying the tie - instead awarding victory to Moneyfields

‘It was a bit of a nightmare (game abandonment),’ he remarked. ‘I’m glad the right decision has come about now, though.

‘Fair play to them (Netley), I messaged them on Saturday and they cleared it up straight away, they were fair and made the right decision.

‘You’ve got to hold your hands up to them; some teams might have tried to play that again, but they knew they were beat fair and square and were happy with that.

‘The big lad (Da Silva) fell on his shoulder and you saw immediately he was in some serious pain.

‘At the end of the day, football is football, but when people get injured like that their health comes first. It was the right decision to stop the game, he was in some agony. We’re hoping the big man is alright.'

Knight was pleased with the clinical finishing Moneys produced against their Hampshire Premier League Division 1 rivals.

Fred Penfold fired the hosts ahead inside three minutes before Harry Osman levelled.

But Jacob Payne hit a hat-trick before Dan Penfold rounded off the scoring prior to the abandonment.

Moneys have now set up a quarter-final trip to Hampshire League Premier Senior Division big-hitters Bush Hill on Saturday.

Knight sees it as another opportunity for the squad to show what they are capable of as a group.

He said: 'We’re always confident in any game we go into and we believe we have the quality.

‘Again, we’re playing a Bush Hill side who are fighting for that league every year; if not winning it, then coming very close.

‘We’re looking forward to it. We believe we have what it takes to win these games so we’ll see how it goes.'

Bush Hill should provide Moneys with their hardest test since they entered the HPL in 2019.

The Southampton-based side have won 53 of their last 64 league games, stretching back to the start of 2018/19.

In addition, they reached the final of the 2019/20 HPL Cup final - a competition subsequently null and voided - and this year they won all six of their L4 Cup group ties.

They then hit back from 1-3 down to win 4-3 against lower division QK Southampton and book their place in the last eight.

Mark Barker, the HPL’s leading scorer in recent years, didn’t score against QK - but he still has 30 goals to his name from just 17 league and cup appearances in 2020/21.