Saturday 1st February 2025
Venue: M.A. Hart Stadium
Attendance: 152
The Brickmakers battled back to take all three points at the M.A. Hart Stadium after trailing Folland Sports at the break, with substitute Brad Snelling netting the all-decisive goal.
In Matt Maybury's absence, assistant manager Andrew Hardiman said:
"Today showed the belief and mentality of this squad. Despite being 1-0 down against a difficult opponent, everybody stayed calm, and in the end, our quality came through.
Credit to Folland Sports because they’ve gotten a lot stronger since we last played them and had a difficult system to break down. We had to tweak a few bits at halftime, which the lads executed brilliantly.
In the second half, I thought we dictated the tempo a lot better than we did in the first half. We stayed much calmer and created plenty of chances to extend the lead.
Delighted with another 3 points, we go again with two difficult games next week."
Forward Marlon Mason stunned the home crowd on ten minutes as he raced onto a long ball over the top of the New Milton Town defence before lobbing the ball over the onrushing Luke Dennison and into the net.
It was one of very few chances for the away side as the Brickmakers then dominated possession and threatened mainly with Callum McHale, whose tricky runs constantly terrorised the Folland Sports right-back.
His mazy run on 17 minutes ended with a good save at the near post, while his whipped effort after cutting onto his right foot narrowly missed the far post on 39 minutes.
Cam Smith had the ball in the net in first-half stoppage time, but the referee had already blown for a free kick.
It had been a frustrating first 45 minutes for the home side. They had controlled the game but went into the break behind, struggling to carve out chances. Dan Greenwood's men were stubborn in allowing space at the back.
Brad Snelling was brought on in place of Ben Beard as New Milton reshuffled for the second half, and it took only 26 seconds of the restart for the Brickmakers to level.
A low drilled cross from the right-hand side found the feet of Dan Bartlett, whose effort took a slight deflection before rippling the back of the net.
It kept up Bartlett's run of scoring in each game since joining last month.
Brad Snelling saw a header cleared off the line just before the hour mark, but he made no mistake moments afterwards when he stooped low to nod the ball into the net via a free kick on the edge of the box. It was a deserved lead.
It was the 8th consecutive league game that Snelling has scored in.
Folland Sports created a rare second-half chance on 70 minutes, but the low right-foot shot across the goal went wide of the target. Barney Stone struck the post in stoppage time after a thrilling run down the right wing before referee Martin Underway blew for full-time.
The win keeps New Milton Town five points clear at the top of the Wessex League Division One. They will face Whitchurch United away from home next Saturday at 3 p.m.
New Milton Town: Luke Dennison, Elliott Pearce-Eavis, Cam Smith, Billy Maybury, Ben Beard, Toby Colmer, Jack Broad, Barney Stone, Dan Bartlett, Callum McHale and Harry McGrath
Substitutes Used: Brad Snelling, Noel McCarthy-Gardiner
Goals: Bartlett 46, Snelling 65
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