IN-FORM Petersfield under-eight Hurricanes got another win under their belts by edging a compelling five-goal thriller against a useful Haslemere Town Blue side in the North East Hampshire Youth League on Saturday.

Playing their final away game of the season in a chilly wind in Haslemere, the Hurricanes warmed to the task early and threatened to overrun their hosts in the first quarter.

Leading scorer Alex Garlant got the ball rolling when his attempted cross from the left found a big gap vacated by the wandering home goalkeeper, Albert Wheeler doubled the lead by scoring in an eighth consecutive game after fine work by Taylor Pearce, and pressure from Wheeler resulted in a Haslemere defender bundling the ball into his own net to stretch the Hurricanes lead to 3-0.

And the rampant Hurricanes threatened more goals in the opening period as Pearce hit the bar after a dazzling run by Harry Timmons, Garlant headed Wheeler’s corner over the bar at the back post, and Pearce again went close after more sterling work by Wheeler.

At the other end, with the visitors in the ascendancy, it looked like being one of Hurricanes goalkeeper James Port’s quieter games, although he was forced to make one sharp save and looked on with a sense of relief as the rebound was sliced wide at the far post.

Luca Baragan and the ever-resilient Oscar Walker made sure the Hurricanes continued to strive for goals, with Benjamin Oru adding some welcome steel with his spirited midfield and defensive tackles alongside Connor Redpath and Finlay Stafferton, who managed to make a couple of decisive touches to keep Haslemere on the back foot.

With the Hurricanes holding firm, but wary of increasing Haslemere breaks, Timmons threatened to increase the visitors’ lead as he sailed down the right, cut inside and forced a save from the home goalkeeper.

Walker also warmed the goalkeeper’s hands with a shot from outside the penalty area.

And the ball was in the Haslemere net moments later following another probing run down the right from Timmons, whose ball in, which just evaded Stafferton in the middle, cannoned off a Haslemere defender into the net. But the referee adjudged that the ball had gone out for a throw earlier in the move.

The let off seemed to galvanise the home side as they pulled a goal back shortly before the break, and they almost scored again but were denied by a post before the relieved Hurricanes could hack the ball to safety.

At the other end, in his last action of the day, Garlant latched onto Wheeler’s through ball, turned and shot against the base of the Haslemere post.

And the Hurricanes came even closer to scoring at the end of the third quarter when the unlucky Pearce had a shot blocked and incredibly saw his firmly hit rebound hit both posts and the crossbar before being cleared.

Buoyed by their narrow escape, Haslemere added a second in the closing minutes to set up a nervy finish but the Hurricanes stood firm.