LYMINGTON & NEW MILTON F.C.


Match Report 2000/2001

Linnets survive storm to reach semis

Thursday 1st February 2001 : Hants Senior Cup Quarter Final

Lymington & New Milton 4, Newport (IoW) 0



Although the result may appear decisive, both sides might yet experience the wrath of the Hampshire F.A. in the wake of an ill-tempered match at Fawcett's Field. Six players were booked and one dismissed during the match while off the field, a confrontation took place at half-time involving Linnets' boss Derek Binns, assistant Alan Farrar and a member of the Newport coaching staff in full view of watching officials from the Hants F.A.

As the players were leaving the field, the three men became involved in an altercation during which it appeared that punches were thrown, before players from both sides came running back from the dressing rooms to calm the situation. This argument appeared to result from an attempt by the Newport representative to remonstrate with the referee over an incident during the first-half when Newport's Leigh Cole had been stretchered off the field and taken to hospital, following a clash of heads with Linnets' player Mark Smith.

Four Lymington & New Milton players were booked, Jason Stride, Matt Hussey, Mark Smith and Steve Strong and they were joined in the referee's notebook by Gary Sperry and Steve Leigh of Newport, while Newport's goalkeeper Colin Matthews was sent off with twenty minutes to play after aiming a kick at Linnets' striker Leigh Phillips right under the referee's nose. Matthews reacted aggresively to an apparent taunt from Phillips following the third goal and was immediately shown the red card. Sperry could count himself lucky not to have beaten his team-mate to an early bath, following a nasty tackle on Paul Morris.

All of this madness cast a shadow over what had been a superb performance from the home side who triumphed through goals from Stuart Hussey (2), Leigh Phillips and Matt Town, while Steve Leigh missed a penalty for the Islanders. After the match the referee declined to comment on precisely what would appear in his official report while the Hants F.A. were keeping their options open by not issuing any statement until they had scrutinised the referee's submission.

Lymington & New Milton : Kearn, Stride, Gazzard, Kemp, Morris, B. Phillips, Miles (Strong), Smith, L. Phillips (Keeping), S. Hussey (Town), M. Hussey.


Match reports on this site are based on those appearing in the New Milton Advertiser & Lymington Times (except where separately credited) with additional material from my own resources where relevant.