The week in the Wessex League Premier Division belonged to Horndean, whose results kept hinging on the final minutes. Saturday's home game with Andover New Street looked lost when Malachi Dotse, a former Deans forward, scored in the second minute of added time. Then, in the 95th minute, centre half Henry Searle sent a 30-yard free kick over the wall and into the top corner for a 2-2 draw.
The Deans followed that with a 3-1 win at Bournemouth Poppies on Tuesday. Angus Mackay and Marvin Orepo combined for the opener on 19 minutes, and the home side levelled in the 38th. Early in the second half Sam Bentley's hand kept out a Charlie Luff shot, the Poppies were reduced to ten men, and Luff converted the penalty. Mackay settled it in the 86th minute from close range. The result left Horndean unbeaten in five, up to ninth and three points off the play-off places. They host Downton on Saturday, having lost 3-0 there a month earlier.
The win at Hythe & Dibden in the previous round of fixtures had been Horndean's third in a row, but Bashley beat the same opponents 2-1 on Saturday. The Deans had also gone through a run of league fixtures in consecutive weeks without much rest.
Elsewhere, Brockenhurst drew 2-2 at home on Saturday and later announced the signings of two full-backs. Sam Bradford arrived from Downton, and Henry Mubiru joined on dual registration from Moneyfields. Jamie Burgess, with 102 appearances for the Badgers, moved to Downton, who described him as a player with a wealth of Wessex Premier League experience. Brockenhurst sit fourth in the league and top of the form table, and face New Milton Town in the FA Vase first round on 10 October.
Saturday also brought a 0-0 draw between Sherborne Town and Fleetlands. Fleetlands then drew 2-2 with Petersfield Town on Tuesday, with Kingswell and Snelling scoring for the hosts and Iggy Cake and Kieran Jones for the visitors. Petersfield had drawn 2-2 with Sturminster Newton United the previous Saturday. On the same day, Hamworthy Recreation won 4-1 at Hamble Club, and Christchurch and Baffins Milton Rovers drew 4-4.
In the Wessex League Cup, Bashley beat Ringwood Town 5-2 and Hamworthy Recreation went through by beating Baffins Milton Rovers 3-1. Laverstock & Ford won 2-1 against Amesbury Town.