Twenty nine successive wins between them – no wonder something has to give when Harvest Home clash with FC Strawberry this weekend

Something has to give in their clash of Mid-Solent League heavyweights Harvest Home and FC Strawberry this weekend.
Harvest Home's Nathan Newer, right, scored the only goal in the Billy Hill Cup final against FC Strawberry last August. Picture: Vernon NashHarvest Home's Nathan Newer, right, scored the only goal in the Billy Hill Cup final against FC Strawberry last August. Picture: Vernon Nash
Harvest Home's Nathan Newer, right, scored the only goal in the Billy Hill Cup final against FC Strawberry last August. Picture: Vernon Nash

Both clubs are still chasing the quadruple of league, Hampshire Vase, Father Purcell Cup and Len Day Cup.

Harvest are currently three points clear at the top of the MSL having won their opening 11 matches.

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Strawberry, though, are hot on their heels and have only lost once - a 2-1 defeat to Harvest back in mid-September.

That was their second loss to Harvest in a fortnight, after a 1-0 loss in the Billy Hill Cup final - Nathan Newer scoring the only goal.

Both teams are through to the last eight of the Vase, while last weekend Strawberry progressed to the semi-finals of the Purcell Cup after trouncing Rowner 10-0.

Top scorer Lew Saville struck a hat-trick in that match - the seventh time this season he has scored three or more goals in a game.

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And in five of those games, he’s netted at least four - topped by a seven-goal haul against Cowplain in the Purcell Cup.

This weekend, though, one of Harvest or Strawberry will crash out of the Len Day Cup as the pair meet at Cowplain School at the quarter-final stage.

Harvest are without striker Jake Daniels, who is suspended after being sent off against Whitecroft & Barton in the Hampshire Vase a fortnight ago.

Boss Ray Ogilvie has other players missing too, but insists: ‘My players pay me to play football - not the other way around.

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‘I tell them life, family and work must all come before football.’

Harvest have won all 13 league and cup matches they played in 2019/20 - plus another two where they were awarded the game due to their opponents failing to raising a side.

Strawberry, meanwhile, have won their last 14 games in all competitions.

They include three walkovers - two in the league, one in the Vase - and a penalty shoot-out win in the Vase at north Hampshire club Silchester after a 3-3 draw.

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So, 29 wins in a row between the two clubs - that’s why something has to give this weekend.

Carberry – who lost in the final to 10-man Horndean United last season – host Wymering in the Len Day Cup while Portchester Rovers host Meon Milton.

The remaining last eight tie sees Segensworth host Burrfields.

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