Crunch time approaching for Fareham – and Havant’s search for first point of 2021/22 goes on

They pay a visit to fellow strugglers Cheltenham on Sunday and the following week have a showdown with Chichester at Henry Cort.

Fareham do at least have five points on the board after following up a much needed 3-0 win over Plymouth Marjon with a goalless draw with Clifton Robinson.

But Cheltenham have lost all five games so far, including a 2-1 loss at Chichester, who have won their last two games.

Fareham were left reflecting on what might have been after wasting their chances against overnight joint leaders Clifton, whom they really should have beaten.

‘We were the better team overall and should have won,’ rued coach George Harris.

‘I was very pleased how we controlled them throughout and kept them to sporadic attacks by disrupting their rhythm.

‘We made them play where we wanted them which was also encouraging.”

Sparked by young Dylan Coleman, who is beginning to catch the eye, Fareham ought to have scored in their first attack.

They had several more half-chances in the opening 35 minutes.

It was more of the same in the third and fourth quarters, with chances falling to Chris Davey and the energetic Sam Ratliffe, Fareham’s best chance hitting the Clifton upright.

Harris continued: ‘After the maulings we took at Bristol Uni and Isca, the objective of this block of three fixtures was to get key wins against the teams around us, notably Marjons and Cheltenham.

‘We set the Clifton game up as very much a free hit, albeit we knew that we had the quality to win it.

‘We need work on our finishing which again let us down. However, it’s reassuring that we have been so good defensively in the last couple of games that that hasn’t hurt us to the degree it could have.

‘Chris (Davey) just needs a lucky break at the moment in front of goal. Last season he played a very tightly defined striking roll with the onus being on the rest of the team to get him the ball and his striking and assist stats were outstanding.

‘This season he’s felt the need to get involved in buildup a bit more which means we don’t always have that focal point.

‘Ratty (Ratliffe) has been good of late. He is very productive at the top end of the pitch in terms of winning us corners and gives us good effort and intensity whenever he’s on.

‘Dylan has been outstanding in the last couple of games and plays with a physicality that belies his age.

‘He is enormously skilful at recovering the ball high up the pitch and with Niall Stott struggling somewhat with a back injury he would have covered at full-back if required, which is a mark of his all-round quality. We hold him in very high regard.’

*Havant’s search for a first Division 1 South point of 2021/22 goes on.

They suffered a fifth successive loss when they were beaten 3-1 at home by Bath Buccaneers.

Bath took a 27th minute lead when Rob Wilson dribbled his way through the Havant defence and into the circle. He was pushed wide of the goal but created enough of an angle to send a reverse stick shot across Leo Micklem.

The visitors extended their lead two minutes into the second half when a penalty flick was awarded after the ball hit a Havant defender on the line. Ben Stone flicked his shot low to Micklem's right.

Havant pressed forward but gave away the ball far too often. John Jackson, Bath’s captain and Ireland international, marshalled his defence extremely well and was responsible for breaking up attacks and distributing well.

Havant, though, did pull a goal back in the 58th minute when Jamie Rawlings scored from their second penalty corner.

Five minutes later, having worked themselves back into the game, Havant conceded a third - Edward Whitworth on target.