Havant and Waterlooville are looking to book their place into a third consecutive Portsmouth Senior Cup final on Valentines evening as newly-known Hawks bromance try and seal a date at what we now believe to be at Fratton Park in May.
Following the royal dethroning of Baffins Milton Rovers 9-0 in a repeat of the final in the last round, the Hawks will face stiff opposition in the shape and form of AFC Portchester, managed by ex Arsenal man Graham Rix. The former gunner will be gunning for the upset at Westleigh Park on Tuesday evening, especially knowing the fact that the senior sides in the area use the competition as an opportunity to use the expanding squads in which they bolster.
But Lee Bradbury has been defiant speaking to the press pre-match saying that he wants both the Portsmouth Senior Cup and the Ryman League trophy in his cabinet at the end of the season. He said that he will be ‘fielding a strong side and the lads that have been on the bench recently having the chance to play, the likes of James Hayter, Matty Paterson, George Barker, Wes Fogden all getting starts, it will give them the opportunity to show me why I should include them next Saturday.’
The use of this forever expansive squad will serve him well as the run in towards the finish in what is a compelling Ryman League title race will serve him good along with the competiveness in which AFC Portchester will provide, looking to gun for a final berth. But Lee Bradbury, as expected has this game somewhat on the backburner stating that ‘we really want to try and win this competition but mine and the clubs focus is on winning the league’.
Two teams at the top of their game and two managers that have experienced the highest Escalon’s of the game look to book a Fratton final against either Moneyfields or Petersfield Town who play their semi-final next Tuesday.
Henry Deacon
Henry Deacon Media 