Saturday 18th January 2025
Venue: Bonnymead Park
Attendance: 80
New Milton Town extended their club record unbeaten run in the league to 18 games in Wiltshire with a 5-1 victory at Bonnymead Park on another bitter-cold afternoon.
Despite the heavy scoreline, the first half was a close contest and it looked as though it would be goalless at half time before Dan Bartlett's second goal for the club right on half time calmed any nerves that the travelling support may have been feeling.
Matt Maybury said:
“The first half was exactly what we said it’d be, really scrappy, and you could tell that Amesbury were up for it. The goal right before half time was vital and I felt it was deserved considering we had hit the woodwork twice.
At half time we spoke about going at them early and we scored two in four minutes which killed the game, from then on we were dominant.
Every player worked their socks off. The workrate of this team is incredible and full credit to them, the standards that they demand of eachother. All in all it was a very good win and we’ve got to take that into the Ringwood game next week”
Amesbury Town created the first two openings, trying to test Callum McHale—playing left back for the day—but they failed to control the final pass when they looked to be through on goal. The Brickmakers, on the other hand, forced their way through with Harry McGrath for their first opening, but his left-footed effort came back down off the crossbar.
Minutes later, the woodwork was struck again by Dan Bartlett's curling free kick. The rebound was nodded into the net, but the linesmen's flag had been raised for offside.
The goal eventually came in first-half stoppage time, and the half-time whistle would be blown during the goal celebrations, Dan Bartlett rifling the ball into the top corner after it fell his way. The cheers from the bench could be heard around the ground.
Goals were not hard to come by in the second period, and Matt Maybury's team came out with all guns blazing. Harry McGrath doubled the lead almost immediately after the restart with a strong strike before Billy Maybury arrowed a left-footed half-volley from a tight angle across the goalkeeper and into the side netting.
It was a terrific strike that again had the away dugout off their feet.
Brad Snelling kept his goalscoring run going as he netted his 14th goal in 7 games just after the hour mark. Amesbury fluffed their lines at the back, leaving the ball to bobble into New Milton Town's club captain, who easily found the open net in front of him.
The home side pulled a goal back through Ben Morris - a neat low finish from just inside the area - but Barney Stone's insistence to get in on the act saw him score the game's final goal.
After several attempts and frustration growing, he finally had the relief of celebrating his own goal with a low right-foot shot into the bottom corner following a jiggling run.
The win keeps New Milton Town five points clear at the top of the Wessex League Division One and will make the short trip to Ringwood Town next Saturday at 3 pm.
New Milton Town: Ollie Bull, Elliott Pearce-Eavis, Cam Smith, Billy Maybury, Toby Colmer, Jack Broad, Dan Bartlett, Callum McHale, Barney Stone, Harry McGrath and Brad Snelling
Substitutes Used: Heath Thornton, Ollie Mayo, Toby Bailey, Jack Foden and Ben Beard
Goals: Bartlett 45, McGrath 48, Maybury 51, Snelling 63, Stone 90
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