It was the first round of the Basingstoke A and B Cups and it was not a mixed day for Premier Division Clubs drawn against Division One opponents.

I went to Sherborne to see their tough game against well placed DJS Telecoms from the lower division and a late strike from Carlos Gonzales that saw them 3-2 winners. Sherborne should have won this tie easily the amount of chances they wasted and they took the lead in the first minute through Alex Izzo following a one two with fellow striker Declan Shuttleworth. DJS hit the bar through Gonzales and then Ashley Elward beat keeper Dave Poynton with a near post shot to level the score on 34 minutes. In the second half Sherborne were on top and after Shuttleworth missed a great chance by hitting the bar, but Izzo centre scored again for the lead. DJS equalized against the run of play in the 65th from a 30 yard free kick taken by Elward and it was to another long range free kick, this time in the 82nd minute struck by Gonzales that proved the winner. Division One Twentyten traveled to Barlow’s Park to face Tadley Calleva A and returned winners after a 6-5 penalty shootout. The visitors took the lead after 25 minutes when Franklin Spacagna took a pass from Adam Elesgood and in this good spell Joe Osbourne hit he bar for them. It was in the 65th minute when Ashley Saunders headed the equalizer. In the penalty shootout after successful spot kicks taken by Joe Hill, Elesgood,Alan Spacagna, Jake Tanner, Olly Lacey and after both keepers saved one, it went to sudden death. Dave Baker converted the sixth for Twentyten while keeper Harvey Woods saved the sixth from Tadley. As no extra time was played, an enquiry is being made by the committee. There was no slip from Rising Sun DC, one of the favourites to lift the cup, as they defeated Hampshire Irons 6-2. Iron could only field ten men and were four down at the break and six without response. There was a hat trick for Jon Nicholls, with singles from Gordon Birch, Ben Vine and Lorne Howard. The two late goals for Irons came with Tom Chant scoring from a David Galvin cross and then James Arnold set up Galvin for their second... Bramley United came home from North Warnborough with a 6-3 win after going behind in the 10th minute from a Ryan Thorpe penalty. Sam Cato headed home a corner from Aaron Burt to level and then goals from Stuart Leddy and Cato saw United 3-1 up. Borough came back with another before half time through a George Mapp free kick. The come back did not last as Burt played a one two with Ben Squibb to net the fourth for the visitors and Cato completed his hat trick to put United 5-2 ahead. Lex Burns scored a third for Borough, but Cato was in good form and netted his fourth, a header from the Adam Barton cross. Overton United are top of Division One, but at Preston Candover against Premier Division Basingstoke Royals they made their exit beaten 1-0. It was Royals with the chances with Nick Willcox through twice with only the keeper to beat and shot wide on both occasions. The lone goal that proved enough to see them through into the next round where they look to have an easy looking home tie against Hook Reserves, came in the 70th minute. A long ball out of defence from Stuart Urquhart was picked up by James Gilham who let fly with left footed shot that proved too good for the keeper. The closest after this was from James McIntosh, who volleyed inches wide for Royals.

There were only three matches in the Basingstoke B Cup to bring it down to eight and no real surprises. Winklebury Wizards are emerging the team to watch, for the newcomers are yet to be beaten and disposed of Labour Club with a convincing 6-2 win. Ben Clarke and Josh Dickens combined to provide the opener for Matt Lowe in the 18th minute. Terry Kimber pulled back a good ball for Scotty Winterbourne to net the second with a first time shot. Labour held out until the 52nd when Clarke headed home a Kimber corner kick and it became 4-0 when Nathan Read put through his own goal. Read made amends by pulling a goal back with a spectacular overhead kick, but back came Wizards with a second for Winterbourne. Cameron George scored again for Labour, but Greg Adams was on target with the sixth late in the tie. Preston Candover won through after beating Overton United B away 4-1 and will relish taking on Sherborne St John Reserves in the Quarter Finals. Richard Spiers headed the first from a Clayton Deacon corner and the Preston second came from a penalty, taken by Jimmy Buckland after he had been brought down by Joe Savage. On top after this, Buckland played Rob Stait through for a 3-0 interval lead. In the 50th Mike Burry scored for Overton to give them hope, but Preston were always likely to score again and it came from Joe Tomlinson after the former Rangers striker Paul Oliver, laid it on. Bounty United won 3-1 at home to AFC Berg, but they will face a tougher test in the Quarter Finals when they are away to Basingstoke Athletic. Jordon Willis, the Bounty Player/Manager this season, opening the scoring in the 21st minute when after beating three men, his first effort was parried by keeper Simon Edwards, but he followed up to net. It was not until the 67th when they went two goals ahead. Phil Case was the scorer after a corner by Steve Bucksey went in off his shoulder. Berg pressed and in the 75th minute they were rewarded when a cross from Simon Charlton caused problems in the Bounty defence and Kieran Allayne made it 2-1. It was not until the 90th minute when Bounty made sure they went through. Willis was again the match winner when after a 30 yard run came into the box and finishing well.