CO-BOSS Danny Bowers believes tonight’s rearranged match at Brading Town could be “the turning point” of third-placed GE Hamble’s season.
If they lose, their chances of reeling in Sydenhams Premier top-two Winchester City and Bemerton will be significantly reduced.
But if they win, it will send out a clear message that this is more than just a two-horse title race.
“No one likes going to Brading and a win tonight would fill us with massive confidence,” said Bowers.
“We’ve got a few players missing though. Rory Williams pulled up with a hamstring injury on Saturday and Scott Gilham, Dougie Rowe, Alex Sheath and Nick O’Donnell are working.
“And several players can’t get time off work at such short notice for a rearranged mid-week game and I think we’ll be lucky if we can name three on the bench.”
Having fallen behind to an early Lee Tigwell goal for lowly Hayling United on Saturday, Hamble had a Jamie Musselwhite penalty saved before Dan Turner made it 1-1 at half-time.
Lloyd Webber (twice) and Musselwhite hit the woodwork in the second half, but the rock-bottom Humbugs held strong until the last five minutes when Musselwhite netted a trademark header and then Turner struck again after Pete Castle’s diving header had been cleared off the line. “It was a really hard game,” Bowers confessed after the 3-1 home win.
Boss Graham Kemp shouldered the blame for Christchurch’s 2-0 defeat at Hamworthy United which ended their 13-match unbeaten league run and cut them eight points adrift of Hamble.
The Hammers – bruised by six straight losses – tore up the form book with a goal in each half from Luke Burbidge.
“I picked the wrong team,” said Kemp. “We had drawn three on the trot and I tried to change things to get the win, but it didn’t come off for us.”
See today's Southern Daily Echo for more non-league news.
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