BEMERTON Heath Harlequins’ crack ‘SAS’ strike force of Jack Slade and Joe Sanger may not be firing on all cylinders this season.

The prolific partnership, which produced 50 Sydenhams Premier Division goals last term, is under threat because Sanger has fallen out of love with Wessex football.

“Joe was the first to re-sign for us and will be a Bemerton player, but he will play when he wants to,” confirmed manager Ian Chalk, who has led the Harlequins to runners-up spot for the last two seasons.

“He’s a keen fisherman and has had a little bit of a change of focus over the summer and decided he doesn’t want to play so often.

“Joe has become fed up with the Wessex League for various reasons. He doesn’t like the league, the teams or the officials and wants a bit of time out.

“He’ll be registered with us and will play if he wants to, but he won’t be playing half as much as he has in the past.

“Missing a player of Joe’s quality is always difficult, but these things happen in football and we’ll survive.”

Chalk, meanwhile, has scotched rumours that skipper Slade has been the subject of an approach from Southern Premier side Frome Town.

“The only approach we’ve had for Jack was from Salisbury City earlier in the summer. They were chasing anyone they could at the time, but ended up signing Jamie White and the lad Chris McPhee from Torquay United,” said Chalk.

With ex-Eastleigh goalkeeper Freddie Toomer off to work in Hong Kong, Bemerton have welcomed Grant Porter back to Western Way from AFC Totton .

Porter previously played for the Harlequins following his release from Salisbury and was part of their 2009/10 Sydenhams Wessex League Cup-winning side before moving to Gosport Borough.

Ex-Andover and Blackfield & Langley utility man Lee Burch has also joined from Romsey Town, who are Bemerton's opening day visitors on Saturday.