BRICKIES TESTED BUT ANOTHER THREE POINTS IN THE BAG

THE scoreline says 1-0… the points tally has had three added… and the Brickies stay firmly at the top of the Wessex Division One table after getting back to winning ways against one of their top five rivals. That’s the good news in a nutshell from a game between two good sides which had the edge taken off it by a strong, gusting wind and a pitch bumpy in places. Over the 90 minutes the Brickies deserved the win - which was the first away defeat of the season for Sandhurst, and the first time this season 'The Fizzers' failed to score - but it was an often-scruffy game that will not last long in the memory. The Brickies had much the better of the chances, especially in the opening stages when it looked as though Sandhurst might be in for a tough afternoon. The visitors started off playing Russian roulette with the Lino regarding offside from through balls, which the Brickies were teeing up well. There were a couple flagged which maybe didn’t look it and others not flagged which might have done. But the 50-50 odds worked in the Brickies’ favour. Louis Whetton had already gone close after running clear on a through ball, and it was only the 11th minute when Luca Lane again broke in behind the back line. This time the chance was set up by Jack Broad’s excellent probing pass and Luca timed his run to perfection, nodding the bouncing ball over the advancing keeper and rolling it into the net. That could have heralded the start of a rout but keeper Joe Hybert saved from Louis Whetton and other promising moves fizzled out at the crucial moment. Sandhurst - parading four new signings - came into it more after the break. The Brickies could have given themselves some breathing room when Luca Lane went clear again, but the effort was saved by keeper Joe Hybert, who also kept out Callum McHale’s follow-up. The keeper was also on hand to prevent Callum Clarke from getting on the scoresheet after a mazy run down the left, and with ten to go Louis Whetton also saw one saved. Sandhurst were far from out of it, however, and as the clock ticked down they threw more resources up front. And with five to go, the Brickies almost paid the price for not putting away their chances. There was a monumental scramble around Lloyd Thomas’s goal in which at least three shots were frantically charged down before the ball was blocked out for a fruitless corner. Jangling nerves were restored and the Brickies saw it out. NEW MILTON: Thomas, Smith, Franklin (Rayner 70), Broad, McHale (Coat 75), Husher, Carswell (Lowes 75), Burns, Whetton (Scott 93), Clarke, Lane (Duell-Merritt 83). Attendance 231, Man of the Match, Cam Smith. It’s time to hit the road now, with the next two league games away, firstly at Alresford on Saturday with a Tuesday night trip to the island to play Newport on the 29th.