HASLEMERE 2, WIMBORNE WAYFARERS 3
HASLEMERE were coming off the back of two straights wins in Hants/Surrey 1 when they entertained fourth-placed Wimborne at Woolmer Hill on Saturday.
And with the two sides boasting the division’s top goal-scorers – Nic Cope for the Blues (10) and Sam Butterfield for the Wayfarers (8) – it was set up to be a lively affair.
It was certainly that and a five-goal thriller went in favour of the visitors, thanks to a Butterfield hat-trick.
Wimborne made the stronger start and the home side were soon on the back foot as Butterfield capitalised on a defensive error and slotted past keeper Nick Short. It was his ninth goal in seven games.
Haslemere soon got themselves into the game and pushed hard for the equaliser. Ever-present striker Andy Powell came close after a mazy run down the baseline, his final shot hitting the inside of the post with the keeper beaten.
Short corners went begging for Haslemere, but two minutes before half-time they were finally rewarded. A short-corner move broke down, but Graham Stopher executed a fancy finish in the goalmouth and netted his fourth goal of the campaign. One-one at half-time and it was anyone’s game.
The second half was a very different affair, with Haslemere piling on the pressure as Wimborne resorted to long passes to their lone striker.
However, with the game in the balance, Wimborne were handed a lifeline when the Blues went down to 10 men and conceded a short corner in the process.
Butterfield stepped up and coolly dispatched the ball to give Wimborne the lead once more.
And it soon went from bad to worse for Haslemere as another defensive blunder resulted in a two-on-one in front of goal and Butterfield again finished clinically to give his side a two-goal cushion.
Haslemere promptly raised their game and poured forward to salvage something from the game.
The Wimborne keeper made brilliant saves from Powell and Cope. It needed something special to beat him and it finally came when midfielders Rob Grech and Campbell Hancock combined superbly at the top of the circle and a shot from Grech nipped into the corner of the goal.
Chances kept coming, but that coveted third goal eluded the Blues and Wimborne celebrated their fourth win in seven games.
Haslemere now sit eighth in the table with seven points and face trips to Barnes and Epsom over the next two Saturdays.
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