BASHLEY’S hard-working ground staff had laboured all week to get their pitch fit for play on Saturday – and how the players rewarded them!

Paul  Morris's New Forest outfit were 4-0 up come half-time against Sydenhams Premier high-fliers Alresford Town, eventually running out 4-2 winners.

Bashley’s opener was a cracker – winger Harry McGrath attacking down the right and the ball breaking to the excellent Harrison White. His high pass was trapped and controlled by the knee of Conor Whiteley who turned and skilfully volleyed home from the edge of the box.

Lewis Ross made it 2-0 from the penalty spot following a foul on Dan Munday, who himself scored number three.

Munday, having his best game since returning from long-term injury, latched onto a defence-splitting pass and muscled past his marker before fizzing a shot past diving keeper Dan Kempson.

Munday soon skipped his way through again, this time setting up the advancing Ross for his second of the game.

Ross, still nursing an injury, made way for Rhys Owen at the start of a more even second half, which saw Alresford come into it.

The visitors pulled one back on 61 minutes when Sam Burt bounced off the bench to score a breakaway goal for 4-1.

With 90 minutes on the clock, Bashley goalkeeper Mike Edgar made a fantastic triple save before, from the resulting corner, another Magpies sub Lukas McCartney headed home.

The one blight on Bashley’s afternoon was having man-of-the-match White helped off at the end with a hamstring injury.

Alresford coach Luke Pothecary rued: “After back to back wins, we managed to undo all our good work and lose the game by half-time.

"Frustrating when you win the second half 0-2 by doing the right things, but the damage was already done. Punished by a decent forward line.”

Bashley are due to host Blackfield & Langley tomorrow (Tuesday, 7.45pm).

Five other Sydenhams Premier games - at Team Solent, Sholing, Shaftesbury, Portland and Bournemouth - all succumbed to the weather on Saturday.

*FAREHAM Town teenager Matt Simm punished Brockenhurst for failing to make the most of their first-half chances at Grigg Lane on Saturday.

Simm, who started out with Town’s youth set-up at the age of nine, struck early in the second half to clinch Fareham a 1-0 Sydenhams Premier Division victory.

Brock hadn’t played since January 13, but they started brightly with Matt Sheedy, Will Tickle and Jude Nwachukwu all having chances before Aaron Dunne – on as a 15th-minute replacement for skipper Matt Burt – sent a free header wide.

But with their goalkeeper Del Harding proving hard to beat, Fareham gradually came into the game and made the breakthrough with 55 minutes gone.

Gary Austin – playing his first game back since returning to the Fareham ranks from Moneyfields – had an effort cleared off the line by Tommy Barnes. The ball ran loose and fell to young Simm who calmly slotted it in from five yards.

Brock keeper Ed Kitcher made a couple of smart saves from Josh Holmes to prevent a second Town goal.

Then, with the final whistle fast approaching, Austin managed to round Kitcher but that man Barnes got back again to block.

The result leaves Brockenhurst without a win in ten league games, dropping them to 18th in the table ahead of tomorrow's home fixture against Team Solent (7.45pm)

Manager Pat McManus tweeted: "Didn't take our opportunities whilst in the ascendancy during 1st half then not really in it in the 2nd half. @farehamtownfc deserved winners in the end. Lots to do in remaining 15 games!"

*BAFFINS Milton Rovers have undergone a change at the top.

Long-serving manager Louis Bell has left the Sydenhams Premier Division outfit and been replaced by Steve Leigh and Steve Weston at the Kendall Stadium helm.

The new joint bosses made an ideal start as Baffins – without a win in four – got back on track with a 5-0 home hammering of Cowes Sports.

Jordan Neal led the way with a hat-trick, backed by one apiece from Chaz Gardner and sub Max Davis.

Baffins tomorrow (Tuesday, 7.45pm) make the short trip to Horndean who were held 2-2 by Amesbury Town at Five Heads Park.

Miles Everett netted twice for the Deans on a heavy pitch, but Amesbury hit back each time through Gareth Horner and Kieran Stephens.

Bottom-of-the-table Petersfield Town led 1-0 at half-time at AFC Portchester thanks to Ed Plackett.

But the Royals eased up a gear in the second half as Dale Mason’s brace and another by substitute Bobby Scott clinched a 3-1 victory.

Portchester are on home territory again tomorrow (Tuesday, 7.45pm) when Bournemouth Poppies visit the Blanchard Wells Stadium.