Ryan Bath breaks through 30-goal seasonal barrier as Locks Heath shatter Moneyfields’ dream of a Hampshire Premier League and cup double

The Senior Division’s top scorer, Ryan Bath, netted twice as Locks claimed a 4-3 victory to set up a final date with fellow top flight outfit Sway.

Most of the entertainment was squeezed into the opening 45 minutes, where Locks took a 3-0 lead - against the run of play it has to be said - with Moneys missing a penalty at 1-0.

Moneys hit back to cut the deficit to 3-2 at the interval, with each side netting once in a second half lacking the entertainment value of the first.

Defeat capped a miserable few days for Moneys, who last week saw three points deducted for fielding too many first team players in a game last November. They then fell seven points adrift of Senior Division leaders Denmead after crashing 3-0 at Fleetlands on Saturday.

Here, they were the better side for most of the opening half hour, yet found themselves three goals in arrears after 34 minutes.

The first came after 18 minutes when Connor Johnson squared to Adam Clark, whose low shot seemed to go under Sam Richards’ dive.

Locks keeper Joe Hunt tipped over a 20-yard drive from Danny Burroughs before producing an even better stop on 24 minutes.

Ref Mark Bradley pointed to the penalty spot after a linesman’s flag ruled Simon Stone had handballed a Chad Cornwell cross.

Ex-Moneys keeper Hunt, though, plunged to his left to beat away Liam Kyle’s firmly-hit spot-kick. It would prove a decisive moment in the tie.

Four minutes later Locks doubled their advantage, Bath taking advantage of some poor defending to net his 30th league and cup goal of 2021/22.

Locks were in dreamland on 34 minutes when, after some penalty area pinball, Johnson steered a header into the bottom corner.

Refusing to lay down, Moneys replied two minutes later when a free-kick was cleared as far as George Way on the edge of the 18-yard box, and he fired a low shot past a possibly unsighted Hunt.

Moneys were right back in the game four minutes before the break when Locks again failed to clear a set-piece and striker Finn Gibbs netted, Hunt getting a hand to his shot but only helping the ball in.

Moneys started the second half on the attack, left wing-back Luke Richards curling a right-footed shot just wide of the far post.

But Bradley - whose decisions frustrated both teams throughout - awarded his second penalty on 49 minutes when Jordan Whiteley was fouled. Bath stepped up to confidently send Richards the wrong way.

Bath had two chances to complete a hat-trick - first dragging a shot across Richards and wide from the right-hand side of the penalty area.

Then, after being sent clear in the left side channel, he delivered a cross-shot which evaded both Clark and the far post.

Gibbs set up a tense finale on 76 minutes when he struck from close range after Locks had produced the sort of defending which characterised their rivals’ first half showing.

Though Moneys had more possession in the closing stages, they didn’t fashion any great chances.

The nearest they came was in injury time when Richards sent in a low shot which Hunt fumbled at his near post, conceding a corner. But Richards subsequently sent the flag-kick wastefully out for a goal kick.

For Locks, it was a second win over Moneys this season - having ended their two-year unbeaten HPL record last September. It was also a second cup win at Cams Alders, having stunned two divisions higher Fareham Town on penalties in a Portsmouth Senior Cup in January. There were seven fewer goals that evening in the 90 minutes.

Now, having knocked them out of the League Cup, Locks could well also stop Moneys from winning the title.

If Denmead win their last game on Saturday, Moneys will need 10 points from their last four matches to finish top on goal difference - providing Colden Common don’t win their last seven matches.

As it stands, Moneys’ last league game of the season on April 16 is against Locks!

Locks: Hunt, Smallbones, S Stone, Kent, Hall, B Stone, Clark, Dugan, Whiteley, Johnson, Bath. Subs used: Hawley, Steele, Dawson.

Moneyfields: S Richards, Cornwell, L Richards, Kyle, Dowell, Hopkins, Way, Boyd-Kerr, Bailey, Burroughs, Gibbs. Subs used: Toman.