Shane Cornish returns to Paulsgrove – as boss Steve Ledger challenges his youthful squad to finish in the Hampshire Premier League’s top three

Cornish ended last season as Grove’s leading scorer with 13 goals from as many starts, despite leaving to join Moneyfields mid-season. No-one else scored more than six.

After only featuring four times for Moneys reserves in the HPL, the former Baffins Milton Rovers man has returned to Marsden Road.

He will take his place in a youthful squad which Ledger is still expecting to be a force in the Senior Division.

Billy Paice, who played four times for Grove last term on a dual registration from AFC Portchester U23s, is now a permanent signing.

Youngsters Brandon Bowman, Billy Smith and Aiden Hutchings have been promoted from the reserve team that won its Hampshire Combination title in 2021/22.

Another former Portchester U18/U23 player - defender Lewis Shann - has also been recruited.

And keeper Taylor Revy has been told to give Grove another season before progressing up the pyramid.

‘Billy Paice is an outstanding kid, with a great attitude,’ enthused Ledger.

‘Billy Smith is absolutely rapid, he reminds me a bit of (former Grove striker) Zak Willett.

‘He just needs to work on the finer aspects, but with a bit of coaching he will be another one.

‘Lewis Shann has massive potential. He wants a crack at men’s football, which he is more than ready for.

‘That’s why I do what I do - I want to find another Zak Willett.

‘Taylor Revy was my player of the season last year. There’s Wessex League interested but I’ve asked him to give us one more season. Then he will go up the Wessex, or even higher - he could make the semi-professional level, he’s that good.’

Ledger added: ‘We didn’t really have a pre-season last year, we only played one friendly and hardly trained.

‘When the season started, we weren’t fit enough, we weren’t sharp enough.

‘Last season we ended up seventh, it wasn’t the greatest.

‘I’m expecting top three this season, nothing less.

‘This season is about the desire and the commitment, because I know we have the talent. If I get 100 per cent commitment from the players, we can push on.

‘It’s about blending a mix of older, experienced players with young, new blood.’

Club captain Aaron Fennemore remains sidelined with the knee injury that forced him to miss most of last season.

‘He’s a big loss,’ rued Ledger. ‘Fenners is huge for us - when he plays he gets 20 per cent extra from all the other players.

‘Hopefully he can come back, he’d be like a new signing.’

Striker Lincoln Pepall, who played for Infinity in the Wessex League last term, has also signed for Grove after a few outings in 2021/22.

Grove’s first game of the new HPL campaign is home to top flight newcomers Whitehill & Bordon on August 6.