New Milton 3-0 Fawley

Saturday 22nd March 2025 | Non League Day

Venue: M.A. Hart Stadium

Attendance: 187

Match sponsored by The Fencing Centre

New Milton Town moved back into winning ways at the M.A. Hart Stadium as 187 spectators celebrated Non-League Day and watched on as Toby Bailey returned from suspension and Callum McHale returned from injury, with both leading Matt Maybury's team to a 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Fawley AFC.

Matt Maybury spoke to Ailani Verrall after the game.

"That was us 6 weeks ago, I don't think we've played well for 6 weeks, probably a bit longer than that if I'm being honest. We've scraped results and beat teams by having better individuals but as a team performance that is what we have been missing.

We did our homework on Fawley, we had them watched twice, they are good at what they do. We changed shape, we changed personnel, we really mixed it up today. That's probably fault on my part as we should have done that four to five weeks ago potentially in certain games. But what an improvement, from start to finish."

Midfielder Toby Bailey also spoke to Ailani afterwards.

"It feels good, we lit some fires today. We didn't put any round pegs into square holes and we just take it one game at a time now. I think if we all just stick together, take it one game at a time, the people that came on, like Callum McHale with his cultured left foot, we've got Barney Stone, who can turn a bad ball into a good ball, a good ball into an average ball, and an average ball into a great ball, and yeah, fire them up."

Aside from Toby Bailey's flurry of footballing cliches, it was a first half without a flurry of any chances at goal. Despite New Milton having the better of the ball, it took them until the 43rd minute to make the breakthrough. Billy Maybury's effort from range was fumbled by the Fawley goalkeeper allowing Brad Snelling to slide in the rebound.

It would be our captain's 30th goal of the season in all competitions.

The second half brought more chances for the home side. Dan Bartlett sidefooted over the bar and then hit the side netting from a direct free kick, while at the other end, Fawley's centre-back struck the crossbar from close range following a corner kick that the Brickmakers had failed to clear.

Callum McHale was introduced after the hour mark and lit up the game on the left-hand side. He had previously been missing with a shoulder injury sustained at Barlows Park back in early February. His tenacity to storm his way into the box eventually led to him cutting back inside and teeing the ball up for fellow substitute Luca Lane to double the lead within the last ten minutes.

McHale was not finished there. Just moments later, he found himself on the other side of the box to unleash a dipping left-footed strike across the goal and into the far corner of the net. His celebration that followed showed everyone how glad he was to be back.

The win leaves the Brickmakers with five games remaining and a healthy points lead over 2nd-placed Frimley Green—who they travel to next week—and 3rd-placed Alresford Town, who have games in hand to trim down the advantage Matt Maybury's team currently holds in the Wessex League Division One table.

Only one of our final five games will be back at the M.A. Hart Stadium.

New Milton Town: Ollie Bull, Elliott Pearce-Eavis, Billy Maybury, Cam Smith, Jack Kinge-Phillips, Noel McCarthy-Gardiner, Jack Broad, Toby Bailey, Barney Stone, Dan Bartlett, Brad Snelling

Substitutes Used: Callum McHale, Toby Colmer, Luca Lane, Jack Foden

Goals: Snelling 43, Lane 84, McHale 87