‘Very soft’ penalty at Hayling sees Colden Common crowned Hampshire Premier League champions after stunning late-season run

But Colden Common timed their run to perfection to collect their third county league trophy on a nerve-jangling final day.

Needing just a point at Hayling United to pip Denmead to the title, Common required a 72nd minute penalty leveller to snatch a 1-1 draw.

They had fallen behind five minutes before the interval, boosting Denmead’s hopes.

It was only the fourth time in 24 Senior Division games that Common had failed to collect three points. That followed a run of four losses in their opening six games, including six-goal pastings by Denmead and Moneyfields.

Denmead would have won the league if they had beaten Stockbridge in their final game at the beginning of April. Instead, they lost 5-1 - their heaviest defeat of the season.

Moneyfields would have won it, had they not been docked three points for fielding ineligible players against Fleetlands in early November.

But it was Common who DID win it, taking advantage of their matches in hand - they still had six games left when Denmead finished their fixtures.

‘It’s quite remarkable,’ Common secretary Ian Steele told The News. ‘Three weeks ago, I would never have considered winning the league.

‘In the run-in we had to play Locks Heath, Paulsgrove twice, Stockbridge, Fleetlands … there was nothing to suggest we’d win it.

‘It’s a quite colossal achievement. We’ve put a tremendous run together, all credit to the lads.’

Common are managed by Connor Doswell - son of Hawks boss Paul - and Nathan Morgan, who had previously been in charge at HPL outfit Winchester Castle and Wessex Leaguers Folland Sports.

At the end of January, Common trailed both leaders Moneyfields and second-placed Denmead by 18 points, though they did have four games in hand.

They fell behind in their fixtures due to playing just twice in the league between November 27 and February 12. Their 4-1 loss against Clanfield at Westleigh Park on January 22 would prove their only defeat since August.

Common entered their game at Hayling having not conceded a goal in five HPL games. But the goalkeeper in all those matches - Jon Webb - was unavailable. As a result, Common handed a debut to Dan Kempson, who like Webb has turned out for Fareham Town in 2021/22.

Kempson was beaten by Dan Goodsell’s effort to give the Humbugs a shock half-time advantage.

‘It was very nerve-wracking,’ said Steele.

Common were handed a title-winning lifeline when referee Des McCulloch awarded a penalty for a foul by debutant Will Lewis on Mike Douglas. Up stepped Ben White - skippering the side in the absence of unavailable Aaron Blaxall - to convert the spot-kick.

Kempson pulled off a fine close range stop in the closing stages to ensure Common became the first club to win three HPL top flight titles since the competition began in 2007.

Hayling boss Dan Bishop, whose side hadn’t played for almost a month and had previously picked up one point in seven matches, said: ‘I was very pleased with our performance. We did all we could.

‘If Colden Common had played like that all season, I don’t think they would be champions. But they’ve had a lot of games in a short space of time and that showed in their legs.

‘I said to my lads before the game, ‘this is our last game as a group’ - I know a few will move on - ‘I’ve let you make some mistakes, now you have to go out and play like men.’ And they did, we were excellent.

‘It was a very soft penalty. Their attacker has been clever and cute in going down and the referee wasn’t that well-sighted.’

Bishop is resigned to losing the cream of his young crop to higher division clubs this summer. ‘I know some Wessex managers are interested. I just wish they’d pick up the phone and call me,’ he stated.

‘I would be quite content to go with this group again, but I think a few have had their heads turned. It’s natural - they’re good players.

‘I want us to be competitive next season and we have to carry on developing our young players. We have shown we will give them a chance.

‘We want to be the best place for nippers in this area to come to.’

Common’s one-point win over Denmead, meanwhile, was the closest HPL finish in terms of points since Common finished two points above Team Solent to win the 2010/11 title. Bush Hill and Infinity would have ended 2018/19 level on points had their season-finishing clash in Southampton ended as a draw; instead, Bush won 4-0.