Basingstoke & District League Match Reports from Saturday 6th April, By Peter Raynbird.

Basingstoke B Cup Semi Final

Overton United B reached their second cup final after beating Twentyten Reserves 5-0 in the Semi-final of the Basingstoke B Cup 5-0 and will now meet North Warnborough in the Final at Barlow’s Park Tadley on 4th May. Kick off 6.30 p.m. They were beaten 5-0 by Twentyten first team in the Final of the Peter Raynbird Cup last month, .but found the reserve team a much easier proposition and helped by a hat trick from Andy Tottman, cruised through at Berrydown. The opener came after 15 minutes when Andy Bullock laid on the chance for Tottman’s first and in the 30th Tottman played through for Andy Bullock to net. Luke Higgins did hit the bar for Twentyten, but this was their closest as Tottman made it 3-0 a minute into the second half with a fine volley from the cross from Bailey Roffey. Twentyten fell apart as Overton dominated and Tottman scored his third from another Bullock assist .By the 60th. minute Twentyten were dead and buried as Bullock netted a cross from Steve Caswell.

Basingstoke Saturday League

Division One

AFC Berg moves to the top of the Division One table after beating bottom of the table Overton United A 9-1. The goals came from a hat trick by Louis Vickery, two apiece for Ashley Elward and Kieran Alleyne, with singles for Reece Chapman and Lee Neal. The consolation for Overton was scored by Gavin Alexander, who also missed a penalty for them.

Silchester Village are three points adrift of the leaders with two matches left to play, one this Saturday against rivals for the title Twentyten and the other against bottom club Overton United A. They had a tough one against Tadley Calleva A but emerged 5-3 winners after trailing 2-0 in the opening twelve minutes. It was Ewan Young with both, a header and then after being put through by Charlie Neville. In the 14th Kye Theodore reduced the arrears and they drew level in the 26th with a header from Lee Champion. A minute from the break Jason Graham gave Silchester the lead after inter passing by Peter White and Nicky Black. Three minutes into the second half Champion headed his second, but in the 77th Tadley were awarded a penalty and Young completed his hat trick to make it 4-3. It was a second from Graham, a neat chip that sealed the points to keep Silchester in the hunt.

Herriard Sports have been forced to concede three of their last five matches due to unavailability of players, but they all turned up for their final game of the season against AFC Aldermaston Reserves and the 3-3 draw takes them off the bottom of the table. They went into a two-goal lead by the 8th minute with an angled shot from Chris Dobbie and Darren Minton, with an assist from Chris Smith. Aldermaston came back with a goal from Martin King, a free header from a Chris Allen corner. In the 54th they drew level from a penalty, taken by Lee Wheeler after Allen had been fouled. The Aldermaston Manager Matt Desay, when called upon to play, is usually in goal, played up front in this one from the start and in the 77th minute he twisted and turned and then found the net with a sweet volley to put his side 3-2 ahead. Although the visitors hit the bar twice, it was Herriard who had the last say in this contest when with two minutes left to play Connor Lovell scored following a corner taken by Nick Saunders.

Division Two

The shock of the day was in Division Two where Renegades, already assured of promotion, but not the title, lost 4-1 to AFC Aldermaston A. They found themselves trailing after just ten minutes when Alex Reed scored, and Reed would have scored again in the 25th but for fine save from the keeper. In the 40th however the keeper had no chance with effort by Vinney Kennedy for a two-goal advantage. In the 50th they increased the lead from a penalty, taken by Liam Belcher after he had been fouled. No response from the leaders, who then went 4-0 down when Harrison Edwards took a cross from Kennedy to net the fourth. It was the 85th when Renegades scored their lone reply. Danny Costen put Matty Baker through, he took on the men and slotted home, but much too late.

In the opening game of the season, North Warnborough lost 1-0 to Basingstoke Athletic, but the youngsters Manager Craig has put together are much improved and leapfrog over their opponents to fourth after this decisive 5-1 win. .They took the lead when a clearance by Bradley Coates was picked up by Banica –Marian Oprea and from his cross John Scott-Elliott netted. They were then awarded a penalty when Khalil Bentaleb was fouled and Oprea converted. Bailey Craig with a pass, found Scott- Elliott and his shot was deflected in off the referee for three goal lead. A 25-yard free kick taken by Paul Taylor made it 3-1, but Borough scored their fourth through Oprea for a 4-1 interval lead. In the second half a long clearance by Coates was picked by Oprea for this hat trick.