‘We cannot look too far ahead’ – Fleetlands’ Wessex League promotion ambitions are now a lot clearer

The Coptermen were one of three Hampshire Premier League clubs to apply for promotion to step 6 for 2022/23 along with Denmead and Stockbridge.

Denmead, though, are now out of the equation after failing to have their Front Lawn ground passed by a ground grading inspection team prior to last Thursday’s deadline.

Dorset League pair Hamworthy Recreation and Dorchester Sports – who groundshare with Gosport Borough’s Southern League Premier South rivals Dorchester Town - have also had their facilities passed.

At present, it is not known how many spaces will be available in next season’s Wessex League Division 1. But almost certainly whoever finishes higher out of Fleetlands and Stockbridge will be invited up.

With both clubs having four games left, the Coptermen lead Stockbridge by just two points.

And both clubs still have to play Colden Common, a team who retain an outside chance of winning the title due to their games in hand.

Blakeman, metaphorically delving into a book of managerial cliches, said: ‘All we can do is concentrate on the football, finish as high as we can, and see where that gets us to.

‘We just have to take each game as it comes. The next game is always the most important one - you can’t afford to look too far ahead.’

The ‘next game’ for Fleetlands, who have won 11 of their 15 games since Blakeman replaced Rich Bessey as manager last October, is away to Colden Common next Saturday.

‘It’s a big game,’ said Blakeman, who welcomed Dan Greenwood as his co-manager in early December after the latter decamped from Hayling.

‘They’re on a good run but we had a good result against Moneyfields in our last game and should be confident.

‘This is why you want to be involved in football. It’s an exciting period and you have to try and enjoy it.

‘When I took over the expectations were to try and get up the league, win as many football matches as we can, and see where that gets us to.’

Stockbridge moved to within two points of Fleetlands by hammering leaders Denmead 5-1 at the weekend.

It was their fifth win in a seven-game unbeaten run and they have conceded just two goals during that period.

At the start of the season, the bottom three clubs in Wessex Division 1 were due to be relegated. With Infinity withdrawing, the bottom two - confirmed as Fleet Spurs and Totton & Eling - will go down. For geographical reasons, though, Fleet might not want to enter the HPL.

With three possible vacancies at step 6, both Fleetlands and Stockbridge could therefore be promoted. But Hamworthy Recreation and Dorchester Sports are both likely to finish in the top three of their league, which isn’t the case with the two HPL promotion hopefuls.

Based on final league positions, therefore, two Dorset clubs and one Hampshire club could be invited into the Wessex.

Of course, there are other imponderables to consider, such as other clubs currently in Wessex 1 deciding to withdraw.

One thing is probably sure - by the time Fleetlands have kicked their last ball of the 2021/22 season, they won’t know in what league they will be starting 2022/23.

Remaining games

Fleetlands: Colden Common (A), Liphook (A), Sway (H), Winchester Castle (A)

Stockbridge: Paulsgrove (A), Moneyfields (H), Colden Common (A), Liphook (H)