Wessex League waiting game for Fleetlands and Infinity will be over within a month

They are among the four clubs from the top fight of the Hampshire Premier League - Bush Hill and Stockbridge are the others - keen to progress as part of the FA’s long-awaited restructuring plans.

Dorset Premier League pair Dorchester Sports and Hamworthy Recreation are also bidding to win elevation into next season’s Wessex Division 1.

There will be at least three spaces at step 6 level if clubs decide to accept promotion to the Wessex top flight. US Portsmouth, Alton and Hythe & Dibden are the FA’s first three choices based on results over the course of the last two seasons, though Andover New Street and Bemerton will also be considered if any of the other three decide to stay put.

It will be up to the FA to decide whether a fourth space - to replace Pewsey Vale, who withdrew from Wessex 1 in December 2019 - is made available as well.

The governing body has today released the criteria all clubs must meet before results are taken into consideration.

An FA statement read: ‘Leagues will be advised on the number of provisional remaining spaces in their Divisions for their Committees to consider, based on the allocation of the remaining Step 6 clubs and those that have not taken the invitation to apply for Step 5.

‘The Leagues must consider the applicant Clubs in the following order of priority:

1. Clubs who meet the required H grade and have floodlights;

2. Clubs whose ground meet the required H grade except for floodlights but have proof of planning and funding for lights to be installed by 31st September 2021;

3. Clubs whose ground will meet the H grade on completion of works with evidence of funding and contracts, with the work completed by 31st May 2021;

4. Clubs who do not meet the H grade with no evidence or assurance of doing so by 31st May 2021.

‘All Clubs must have the appropriate Security of Tenure evidenced. In respect of any groundshare, these must have been in situ for the 2020-21 season and the League need to be comfortable with that approach. NB: the tenure must be free from any break clauses and would be in the form of Freehold, Lease, Licence or Ground Share as per Standardised Rule 2.3.2.

‘Where a club has an ATP (all weather pitch), the League should be satisfied that the Club holds copies of an up to date and successful test certificate for the surface.

‘All clubs will have had to provide their latest set of accounts by the application deadline of December 31st 2020.

‘Where Clubs are ranked equally following the above, the League may, at its discretion, look at previous sporting performance. Clubs must be treated equally where this method is being used i.e. both clubs’ seasons must have been curtailed or completed in 2020-21, otherwise the 2019-20 season should be considered.

‘The League may choose more than one club from any Feeder League (such as the Hampshire Premier League). Where this is proposed and there are other clubs/leagues that have provided suitable applicants, the League must provide written reasoning to the Committee for their proposal.’

The FA will announce which clubs have been successful in the week beginning Monday, May 17.

In the Hampshire Premier, all four clubs seeking promotion meet the required ground recommendations. While Fleetlands and Stockbridge have their own facilities, Infinity groundshare at Hythe & Dibden and Bush Hill likewise at Test Park, owned by Solent University and the former home ground of Wessex Leaguers Team Solent.

All four have floodlights, though Fleetlands’ have never been used for a competitive 1st XI fixture since being installed last year.

Almost certainly, unless all four clubs are promoted, the decision on who goes up will come down to on-field performances.

Infinity, who haven’t lost in 37 league matches, have the best points-per-game record over the last two seasons (2.51). Then come Bush (2.5), Fleetlands (2.08) and Stockbridge (1.52).

If only 2020/21 is considered, Bush (2.42) lead from Fleetlands (2.25), Infinity (2.23) and Stockbridge (1.53).

Dorchester Sports also groundshare, at Southern Premier League club Dorchester Town.

Hamworthy don’t currently have floodlights, but the local council recently passed an application which allows them to be installed.

Recreation certainly boast the best playing record in recent seasons of those wishing to advance into the Wessex – they have scored over 100 goals in eight of the last nine completed Dorset Premier seasons, and netted 95 in the other. They have won the county title eight times since 2000/01.