SIX OF THE BEST - BUT HARD WORK AGAIN FOR THE BRICKIES

AS the old saying goes… it’s tough at the top - and the Brickies, runaway leaders of Wessex League Division One, certainly know that after coming from behind to win for the second successive nail-biting game. Jamie Kay’s men beat neighbours Romsey 2-1 at the GD Print Stadium in what was, technically, an “away game” because Romsey were unable to stage it. However, Romsey scored first and stayed in the game right to the end even after New Milton had recovered to edge ahead. Romsey clearly felt “right at home” from the start and took only six minutes to take the lead, James Martin somehow allowed to run through from midfield and send his effort out of Lloyd Thomas’s reach. . At least, unlike Saturday’s anxious climax against Amesbury, New Milton had plenty of time to recover - and it did not take long for them to find their stride. On 14 minutes, In-form Niall Dixon (pictured) got his head to a corner but sent it just too high. It took him only two more minutes to put that right - a terrific cross from Callum McHale and Dixon did the rest, bulging that smart yellow and blue netting. Another ten minutes and there was Dixon again, right place, right moment. Hector Rayner set things in motion, Luca Lane carried it on, and Dixon did the rest with a fizzing finish into the corner. And breathe… No more scoring - but Niall cemented his place as man of the match by starring in several near misses in the second half. First he sent in a rocket which the keeper could only half save, but Luca Lane’s follow-up was wide. Then Dixon and Lane combined to set up Callum McHale but he, too, missed the target. Elliott Pearce-Eavis saw his shot parried, and run along the goal-line before being hacked clear as The Brickies saw it out - despite a last-minute scare when Romsey rattled the crossbar! With eight days off before facing Lymo at the GDP next Wednesday, The Brickies are now the only unbeaten team in the division sitting two points clear at the top from Fawley, and with a game in hand. The glory run now reads six games, six wins, but there is now a target on New Milton’s back - theirs is the big scalp the rest are all going to be looking for.