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Tuesday 4th August 2015 ko 18.45

Hampshire Premier League- Senior Division

BAFFINS MILTON ROVERS 3 (Gardner 42 76 Prew 89)

LIPHOOK UNITED 0

Att 27

Entry FREE

No Programme

Hopper mentality being what it is, the tendency is for the hobby to descend on any club that moves grounds as soon as possible. Its an odd one when you think about it, its far more important to dive for those grounds that are about to disappear isn’t it?

Baffins Milton Rovers (Baffins is a nearby pub) play at the Langstone Harbour Sports Ground in the northern suburbs of Portsmouth. Last season that meant a pitch that encroached on to the cricket ground, but there’s ambition at the club, so they’ve moved around 100 yards to the other side of the cricket pitch, and are constructing a ground to allow them to progress to the Wessex League.

It is a work in progress, this was only the second game here, with hard standing already on two sides and a base waiting for the delivery of an “Arena” stand. Portakabins have been delivered to form the changing rooms and clubhouse, but since the utilities have yet to be installed the players still use the cricket club’s changing rooms and walk across. When all that’s completed, the floodlights and rail will follow.

It all reflects well on both club and league that there is so much ambition. AFC Stoneham were promoted last season, and with improvements also happening at Hamble Club, I can see either them or Baffins playing Wessex League football next season.

This game was a step in that direction for them, even if they were made to work for it on a dusty pitch. In the end Baffins moved the ball a little too well for Liphook, and deserved their win. That said, I did leave thinking I may have visited a little too soon, I suspect this time next year the ground will be almost entirely different.