Alresford Town 2 Blackfield & Langley 5: THE MAGPIES showed plenty of spirit and flair in this game – in fact they won the last hour 2-1 – but were already four down by then.

This defeat at the hands of a highly capable Blackfield side means that Alresford are bound to finish in the bottom two of the Wessex Premier League and can expect to be relegated as a consequence.

With a host of senior players absent, Alresford boss Martin Beck gave debuts to keeper Will Barnett and central defender Joe Selby. Both youngsters started confidently, and although the Magpies conceded four goals in the first half hour both made enough encouraging contributions to provide some hope for the future.

After a fairly even start with both sides intent on open, passing football Blackfield took the lead in the 15th minute. Rico Wilson – who has proved himself a real handful for plenty of experienced Wessex League defenders, let alone a youngster on debut – didn’t make the best contact with a right-wing cross. But his touch went straight into the bottom corner.

Three minutes later the Watersiders made it 2-0 from a right-wing corner, Joe Byrne heading the ball back across the box for Sam Poole to nod in at the far post.

Wilson, brought down by Barnett in full flight, scored the third from the penalty spot on 25 minutes. The young keeper more than made up for that episode with a string of good saves, but could do nothing about Blackfield’s fourth goal, Byrne’s 30th-minute header looping over the keeper and in at the far post.

With the pressure off Alresford started to express themselves, and pulled it back to 4-1 five minutes before the break. Tom Donaldson, who had a fine game on the left, got round the back and crossed low for John Howard to stroke home from close range.

The Magpies continued their revival after the break. On 53 minutes the tireless Donaldson made it 4-2 when visiting keeper Lloyd Thomas failed to cling on to a right-wing cross. The loose ball fell invitingly for the Alresford man to tuck away.

Fleetingly, a major upset seemed a possibility. But on 62 minutes an untidy goal from a goalmouth scramble – Byrne claimed the last touch in a bout of goal-area pinball – took Blackfield’s tally to five and completed the afternoon’s scoring.

An entertaining game continued to its inevitable conclusion; Alresford can reflect that if they can reproduce this commitment regularly then the future may not be so bleak after all.