SOUTHAMPTON UNI 2, ALDERSHOT & FARNHAM 3

MARC Hinton scored his second hat-trick of the season as Aldershot & Farnham beat Southampton University at Wide Lane to lead Hampshire 1 with maximum points from three games.

A&F’s struggle to settle on a slow pitch effectively cost them the first goal. A ball into the box from the right would normally have been dealt with routinely by keeper Hall, but his slide came to nothing on the sticky surface and University snapped up the chance.

The students’ advantage was short-lived, though. Hinton won a short corner with some intricate dribbling. Both of the team’s injectors were on the bench at this critical juncture, but Jamie Strachan took responsibility and although he apparently aimed for Chris Edwards, it was Hinton who placed the ball in the net.

Neither side was content to share the points and went for the win in the second half. Phil Rushmere pounced on a Southampton error and drove forward to win another short corner, but Heaphy’s delivery was sadly wayward.

Moments later, Hinton danced into the box and calmly slotted into the bottom corner on the reverse to put A&F in front.

And it was Hinton who hit the mark again, this time with a shot that was still rising as it crossed the line, to give the visitors a two-goal cushion.

That should have been it, but a soft goal at the other end made it a nervy finish for Aldershot & Farnham who held out to bring three points back from the coast.

A&F squad: Hall, Edwards, Weston, Rickett, Strachan, Rushmere, McCafferty, Heaphy, Whelan, Jervis, Metcalfe, Hinton, Groves, Yelland.