Havant & Waterlooville 0
Portsmouth 5

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Jul 132016
 
Friendly
Havant & Waterlooville 0 – 5 Portsmouth

 

Blues ease to friendly victory

Carl Baker bagged a brace as Pompey hit five unanswered goals past non-league neighbours Havant & Waterlooville at Westleigh Park.

The midfielder struck either side of the interval to give the Blues a commanding lead after Gary Roberts had opened the scoring.

Trialist Noel Hunt and Curtis Main then both came off the bench to cap a comfortable victory for Paul Cook’s side.

There was good news for the hosts before kick-off, as they announced the return of former Pompey midfielder Wes Fogden on a two-year deal.

But it was the visitors who had most of the joy once the action belatedly got underway, following a 15-minute delay to allow all the fans to get into the ground.

Danny Rose and Conor Chaplin went close in the opening stages, with the pair both narrowly failing to find the target.

In between was the Hawks’ only decent chance of the evening, with a crisp effort from ex-Fratton youngster Bradley Tarbuck superbly tipped around the post by Michael Crowe.

And Pompey broke the deadlock on 12 minutes when Milan Lalkovic slid a fine pass through to ROBERTS, who neatly lifted the ball over keeper Ryan Young and into the net.

The Blues continued to dominate and Baker had a hat-trick of efforts – the first clearing the ground, the second fizzing narrowly over and the third hit straight at Young.

Rose was next to go close midway through the first half, firing into the side netting following good build-up play from Michael Doyle and Lalkovic.

Baker was not afraid to try his luck from distance and another attempt from the summer signing had to be pushed to safety by Young.

And his persistence paid off just before the break with a strike that was most definitely worth the wait.

BAKER picked up the ball 30 yards from goal and hit a stunning shot that flew in off the underside of the crossbar, leaving Young rooted to the spot.

Half Time: Hawks 0 Pompey 2

HIGHLIGHTS

Second Half

Pompey picked up where they left off after the restart and Young had to come charging from his line to stop Chaplin racing onto Lalkovic’s pass.

The Hawks keeper then kept out Lalkovic’s stinging drive, but was unable to stop the Blues from grabbing a third goal.

He could only parry the ball as far as Roberts, who cut it back for BAKER to tap home from just a couple of yards out.

The usual pre-season flurry of substitutions meant that chances began to dry up and the pace started to slow.

But two of those late arrivals managed to find the net and give the scoreline an added gloss for the visitors.

First trialist HUNT slid in to convert Enda Stevens’ low cross from wide on the left after the full-back had picked up Doyle’s raking pass.

Then, after Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain had stolen possession and seen his shot parried by Young, MAIN followed-up to poke home.

He almost scored again late on, but a thunderous effort from 30-yards hit the inside of the post and flew clear.

There was a bit of needle between Main and Ben Swallow late on that would normally have received a harsher punishment than the ticking off dished out by referee Dean Treleaven.

But that was a rare moment of petulance in a good-natured contest that saw the Blues continue their preparations for the 2016/17 campaign in fine style.

Hawks (4-4-2): Young (Searle 65); Strugnell (Miller 89), Woodford (Molyneaux 54), Robinson, Williams (Medway 65); Swallow, Lewis (Ridge 65), Stock (c) (Whittingham 84), Tarbuck (Barker 54); Prior (Hayter 65), Paterson (Rutherford 54)

Pompey (4-2-3-1): Crowe; Talbot (Sessegnon 74), Whatmough (Bradbury 85), Burgess (Barton 78), Stevens (Haunstrup 76); Rose (Widdrington 74), Doyle (c) (Bedford 74); Baker (Oxlade-Chamberlain 71), Roberts (Main 69), Lalkovic (Tollitt 60); Chaplin (Hunt 57)
Goals: Roberts 12, Baker 45, 56, Hunt 69, Main 73

Referee: Dean Treleaven

Attendance: 2,300

Portsmouth FC

Wes Fogden signs for Havant

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Jul 132016
 

The Hawks have bolstered their squad by signing former Pompey midfielder Wes Fogden.

It is Fogden’s second spell at Westleigh Park having joined them previously from Dorchester Town in February 2009.

Fogden, who was released by Yeovil Town at the end of last season, was a firm favourite with Hawks fans and scored 29 goals in 105 league appearances.

AFC Bournemouth signed him for £25,000 in October 2011 before he moved to Fratton Park in 2014.

Fogden returns to Westleigh Park on a two-year deal as the Hawks look to win promotion from the Rynan League premier division back to National League South at the first attempt.

Havant & Waterlooville relegated

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Apr 302016
 

The Hawks were relegated after they failed to deliver the win they needed against Weston-super-Mare this afternoon.

Victory would have saved the Hawks as relegation rivals Margate lost, but in a disappointing second half they surrendered a first-half lead to the Seagulls as the game ended 1-1.

From being pre-season favourites they now face life in the Southern Premier League, if Lee Bradbury and Shaun Gale keep their jobs I for one will be very surprised

Havant & Waterlooville win Hampshire Senior Cup

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Apr 132016
 

The Hawks held their nerve to win the Hampshire Senior Cup for the first time tonight, after beating gutsy Winchester City on penalties at Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium.

Lee Bradbury’s side recovered from going a goal behind at the break to former Gosport man Andy Forbes’ effort as they avoided an upset thanks to Dan Strugnell’s late leveller.

With no extra-time to be played, it was straight to a shoot-out, where ruthless Hawks converted all five spot-kicks, with Ryan Young saving the first City penalty from Jamie Barron to give them victory.

Andy Robinson netted the decisive effort as the favourites triumphed 5-3 on penalties, with substitutes James Hayter and George Barker joining Scott Donnelly and Matt Paterson in converting from 12 yards.

Boss Bradbury, who led the Hawks to a first Hampshire Senior Cup triumph in four attempts, said: ‘It feels good to finally win the cup.

‘I felt we bossed the game only to find ourselves a goal down and chasing the game.

‘They made it hard for us and although we had a lot of possession we never really hurt them enough

‘We did that well and made better decisions in the second half and were a lot better higher up the pitch.

‘When we sent James Hayter and Ben Swallow on it turned the game.

‘Once it went to penalties we were great.

‘It is great for our confidence going into our massive league game at St Albans on Saturday.’

The Hawks had an early escape when Robinson got back to clear off the line after Adam Roberts rounded goalkeeper Young.

In response, Nic Ciardini skipped through the City defence before firing wide of the far post.

Donnelly then flashed a 30-yard free-kick narrowly past the post and did the same with another effort from the edge of the area.

But on 29 minutes the Southern League side took a shock lead, following a poor mistake by Theo Lewis in midfield.

Warren Bentley intercepted his crossfield pass and burst into the area.

Young kept his low shot out with his foot but Forbes reacted quickest to slide the loose ball into the net.

Ten minutes into the second period, Shamir Mullings volleyed wide at the far post after being picked out by a terrific Paterson cross.

With 20 minutes remaining, City goalkeeper Brendan Norris did well to keep out a fierce drive from substitute Hayter at the near post, with the veteran striker an instant threat.

The Hawks were piling the pressure on their visibly tiring opponents and it finally paid off seven minutes from time.

A lofted ball dropped to Strugnell inside the area and the defender drove the ball in from eight yards.

The full-time whistle signalled a penalty shootout with Bradbury’s men netting all five of their spot-kicks to claim trophy glory after Young had earlier saved from Barron.

Hawks: Young, Strugnell, Haran, Lewis, Robinson, Hill, Ciardini, Donnelly, Mullings, Paterson, Mitchell. Subs: Molyneaux, Swallow, Hayter, Barker, Cummings

Romuald Boco signs for Portsmouth

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Sep 152015
 

Pompey have completed the signing of Romuald ‘Rommy’ Boco until the end of the season.

But the 30-year-old utility man – who is a Benin international – has gone straight out on loan to Havant & Waterlooville for a month.

He was most recently at Indian side Bharat, but has been training with the Blues for the past few weeks.

Boco has previously played under Blues boss Paul Cook at Sligo, Accrington and Chesterfield and he made 19 appearances for the latter last term.

Portsmouth FC

Havant & Waterlooville 1 Portsmouth 1

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Jul 112015
 

Havant & Waterlooville 1 – 1 Portsmouth

Doyle on target at Westleigh Park

Michael Doyle netted on his debut as Pompey drew 1-1 with Havant & Waterlooville in their opening friendly at a sunny Westleigh Park.

The visitors had to fight from behind after Adrian Clifton had emphatically headed home before the break.

The Blues looked more dangerous in the second half and Doyle’s finish ensured a share of the spoils.

Boss Paul Cook used 22 players to give most of his first-team squad a work-out against the National League South opposition.

New signings Adam Barton (groin) and Adam McGurk (thigh) were left out as a precaution, while triallists Connor Randall, Gareth Evans, Ben Davies and Theo Robinson were all given a chance to impress.

It was the Blues who were first to threaten with Evans whipping in a cross that Hawks keeper Ryan Young did well to claim.

Randall then found Tubbs in the box, with the striker’s deft flicked header flying inches past the post.

And Christian Burgess was almost an unlikely goal hero, waltzing past a couple of challenges before scuffing a shot straight at Young.

But it was hosts who broke the deadlock midway through the half when Clifton converted Ben Swallow’s free-kick with a bullet header that left Michael Poke helpless.

Pompey were trying to build patiently from the back and enjoyed plenty of possession, but they were not really troubling the Hawks defence.

Jayden Stockley and Tubbs did combine well on 35 minutes, only for the latter to scuff his shot wide.

The striker did do better just before the interval, but his snap-shot was beaten away to safety by Young.

Half Time: Hawks 1 Pompey 0

Cook made 10 changes at the break, with Burgess the only player to remerge after the interval.

And – after surviving an early scare when Matt Paterson fired narrowly wide – the new-boys soon began to take control.

It took a brilliant save from Young to deny Gary Roberts, with the keeper managing to divert his shot over the crossbar.

But DOYLE did level the scores on 48 minutes, driving home from the edge of the box after Kyle Bennett had diverted a corner into his path.

The midfielder almost grabbed another moments later, just failing to find the target following a neat pass from Conor Chaplin.

It was Bennett who was next to go close on 59 minutes, but his header was expertly tipped onto the bar by Young.

The Hawks were struggling to remain on level terms, although they were almost gifted a goal when Adam Webster hit a free-kick back to Paul Jones and the ball bobbled just wide.

But Roberts then almost netted at the right end and Roberts really should have found the target following a mazy run from Theo Robinson.

The action started to wind down after such a frenetic opening, although it was still the visitors looking most likely to add to the scoring.

But they were unable to find another goal as the game petered towards its conclusion.

Hawks: Young (c); Strugnell (Medway 77), Molyneaux (Saunders 46), Harris (Dutton 46), Cummings (Blanchett 46); Swallow (Mullings 46), Donnelly (Kimber 77), Stock (Ridge 86), Ciardini (Gale 46); Clifton (Paterson 46), Morgan (Hayter 46)
Goals: Clifton 21

Pompey: Poke (Jones 46); Randall (Davies 46), P.Robinson (c) (Webster 46), Burgess (Nilsen 77), Haunstrup (Stevens 46), Evans (Chaplin 46 (Tollett 86)), Atangana (Doyle 46), Hollands (Close 46), Naismith (Bennett 46); Stockley (Roberts 46), Tubbs (T.Robinson 46 (Hassan 86))
Goals: Doyle 48

Portsmouth FC