7^th October 2007 

Hampshire Cup – Intermediate 1st rnd - Pop Inn 3 Barton Stacey 1

After the previous weeks success against Tidworth, Barton Stacey were hoping that form would not be affected by the vagaries of travel, Pop Inn based in the far East of the county at Havant, south of Deer Slaughter Plain, west of Gibbet road and if you get to Lynch Hill you’ve gone too far; a blood-thirsty encounter seemed on the cards. Despite the size of Barry Purdue’s squad, Barton could only muster 12 for the game. Another week, another defensive line up, Mickey Dewey filling in at centre back alongside Rhys Betteridge, Chris Dewey and Chris Oliver. Five minutes into the game pressure by Barton’s centre forward Dan de Haeume bought about the opening goal, The Pop Inn defender lobbing his own keeper. Barton Stacey held their own for twenty minutes, before a well-struck cross/shot by the Pop Inn full back beat keeper James Oliver.

All square at halftime, Barton Stacey had few options but for more of the same. A misunderstanding between Mickey Dewey and James Oliver early in the second half enabled Pop Inn to take the lead, Barton Stacey responded magnificently. After a soporific first half Luke Tiller started to look lively on the right, Alex Iddles and Martyn Doolin both had chances from the edge of the box, Jon Marc Spatcher beat every man in and around the box, unable to get a shot himself off himself squared the ball to de Heaume who fired over from 6 yards out. Visibly rattled Pop Inn dug deep, a little too deep for the diminutive ref who repeatedly flashed his card to various players. This incensed the watching “saga crew” One elderly spectator, replete in his beige staypress action slacks and high on Wurther’s Originals, delivered a foul mouthed verbal volley towards the ref. The ref had no option but to ask the voluble Grandad and his bitches to leave the field, which reluctantly they did, shuffling off for a nap before terrorising some other part of Pompey. Shortly before the close, and as Barton Stacey’s legs faded, Pop Inn extended their lead, to lend a slightly distorted look to the final result. A battling performance from Barton Stacey a long way from home.