Ringwood Town ended Bemerton Heath Harlequins unbeaten start to the league campaign in a thrilling 5-4 encounter at Long Lane.
Ringwood Town were without several key players as they beat league leaders Bemerton Heath Harlequins 5-4 in a thrilling Wessex League encounter under the lights at Long Lane on Tuesday night.
Second half goals from Harry Smith, Harrison Fay and Josh Taylor had put the home side in front before Bemerton came racing back to level the tie at 4-4 deep into stoppage time before Charlie Hitchings secured all three points when he fired home from a corner in the dying moments of the game.
Taylor had put the home side up in the opening quarter of an hour with a fine finish at the back post as Ringwood frustrated the league leaders, reducing the visitors to shots from distance in the first half.
Defenders Tommy Hughes and Joe Manley were absent for the home side, along with Sammy Brown, Ryan Hamm, Conrad Chruchill and first choice goalkeeper Sam Reilly.
Joel Hirdle deputised in goal for Reilly whilst under-23 teammate Nick Magee filled in at right-back. there was also a debut for rising star Chris Whalen, who was promoted from the development team, playing the full 90 minutes.
Bemerton came into the game unbeaten and atop the table with 11 wins out of 12 with one draw and boasted the league’s second top scorer in Justin Bennett who had scored 17 goals in 12 appearances for Harlequins before kick-off.
Bemerton started on the front foot forcing a good save from Hirdle in the opening couple of minutes. Harlequins then had an effort from 18 yards after Hirdle got his fingers to the ball, tipping the ball onto the bar and out for a corner.
Ringwood took the lead after 14 minutes on the clock. Some brilliant passing down the left involving Joe Petty and Jack Knight ended in captain Ben Harris cutting back onto his right foot, the skipper floating a cross to the back post where Josh Taylor came rushing in with a cushioned first time finish.
Bemerton’s captain Steve Walker almost levelled the tie minutes later when his header came flying back off the bar but Hirdle gathered the loose ball. Hirdle pulled off another great save from distance, tipping the ball over the bar as Bemerton pushed for an equaliser.
Harry Smith spurned a glorious opportunity just before the half hour mark as he ran through on goal but was unable to get his shot on target with Taylor screaming for the pull-back.
As the final 10 minutes of the half approached, Ringwood had limited the visitors to shots from distance as they frustrated the league leaders and looked good for their 1-0 lead going into the break.
10 minutes into the second half and Bemerton found their equaliser, after a Bennett free kick from 20 yards was parried by Hirdlle leaving Harry Beckley quickest to react to tap in for 1-1.
Hirdle produced another save as Bennett ran through one-on-one, smothering the striker's shot to put the ball out for a corner.
Ringwood were then awarded a penalty with 65 minutes gone as Harrison Clarke had his shirt pulled by Walker who was booked. Smith stepped up to grab his 12th goal of the season, blasting his penalty low and hard to restore Ringwood’s one goal advantage.
With 20 minutes to go, Smith was through on goal and was fouled on the edge of the box. From the resulting free kick Clarke headed the ball back towards goal, but the keeper was only able to parry the ball into Taylor’s path, who volleyed home for his second of the game, putting Ringwood 3-1 up with 15 to go.
Bemerton pulled one back through Justin Bennett as the game entered the last 10 minutes but Ringwood went straight up the other end to make it 4-2. The referee played advantage after Clarke was fouled on the edge of the box and Harrison Fay reacted to the loose ball swivelling inside the box to finish low into the far corner.
With the game entering added time, Beckley made it 4-3 to make it a nervy finish for the home side as he finished neatly from close range and Hirdle produced yet another save with seconds left on the clock to keep Ringwood’s noses in front.
Bemerton did clinch an equaliser deep into added time through Ronan Clancy to make it 4-4, but yet again Ringwood came straight back as Charlie Hitchings fired home from 8 yards after the ball dropped loose from a corner to the delight of the home fans.
RIngwood finally clinched the win after almost 10 minutes of extra-time to end Bemerton’s unbeaten start to the league campaign.