HARTLEY WINTNEY 2, BADSHOT LEA 3

BADSHOT Lea sent shock waves through the Combined Counties League with their midweek defeat of leaders Hartley Wintney.

It was a bitter-sweet night for Baggies manager Ben Dillon who spent four happy years with the Row and helped establish them as a force before leaving last season.

Hartley Wintney had clinched a place in the third round of the FA Vase just the Saturday before, but three days later they suffered their first league defeat of the campaign.

“In the end, it was down to the team who wanted it more,” said Dillon who saw his new side snatch victory with a last-gasp goal by Ryan Stephens after a scrappy, but pulsating local derby.

“It was difficult for me, going back to my old club, but we had a job to do. They are flying and we would have taken a draw when it was two each with 15 minutes to go, but, as I say, we wanted it a bit more.”

The Baggies were ahead after just ten minutes as Hartley failed to clear a Nathan Saunders corner and Stephens poked home the loose ball.

The visitors had a let-off when Steve Duff was bundled to the ground in a one-on-one and Aaron Parfitt’s penalty smacked against the crossbar.

However, Badshot Lea failed to deal with long throw-ins either side of half-time as Hartley Wintney took a 2-1 lead and seemed to have another three points in their sights.

The ever-dangerous Sam Argent scored both goals, the first with a header and the second with a tap-in at the back post as the Baggies defence again failed to pick him up.

Badshot Lea’s response was to score the best goal of the game on 75 minutes. Nathan Saunders, undoubtedly man of the match, broke from his own half and sprinted down the left before cutting inside and arrowing a sweet left-foot shot into the far corner.

A draw looked likely at that stage, but the blossoming Stephens-Saunders partnership delivered the winner with four minutes to go. Nathan Saunders’ delivery sent Stephens clear and he slotted home coolly to send his team-mates into raptures.