Match report: New Milton Town seal 4-0 victory over Cove FC to extend lead at the top of the Wessex League Division One table
New Milton Town emphatically began 2025 with a commanding 4-0 victory over Cove, pulling five points clear at the top of the Wessex League Division One table on Saturday.
While much of the league faced postponements due to adverse weather, the Brickmakers seized the opportunity to solidify their position as league leaders against an 11th-placed Cove side searching for form, writes Jamie Tarrant.
New Milton Town manager Matt Maybury said the following on yesterday’s victory: “Fair play to Cove. They had a right to go at us, and I thought they were a really good side. They’ll probably feel hard done by with the score line, but we took our chances when it mattered and managed to keep another clean sheet.
“When you’ve got the firepower we have, if we’re solid defensively, we always fancy ourselves to score goals.
“It was a good win for us, especially with all the postponements in the league, and we go again on the training ground in the week and prepare for a tough test at second-placed Frimley next week.”
Under fortuitous circumstances, the game’s opening goal came just eight minutes in. Barney Stone’s speculative cross-turned-shot took a deflection off Cove defender Josh Southwood, leaving goalkeeper Dease Kerrison wrong-footed as the ball bobbled over the line. Initially marked as an own goal, the goal was later credited to Stone.
New Milton maintained control throughout the first half, consistently threatening the Cove defence. Stone came close on two more occasions, while Kerrison saved Harry McGrath’s low effort well. Brad Snelling also grazed the crossbar with a header following a deep free-kick sent into the box by Billy Maybury.
Cove, however, were not without their moments. Their strategy of exploiting space behind New Milton’s defence occasionally bore fruit but lacked the cutting edge.
Their best chance came when Luke Dennison, returning to the team for the first time since August, made a crucial save, turning a tight-angle shot onto the post. Much to Cove’s frustration, a goal kick was awarded rather than a corner.
The second half began with both teams searching for a decisive second goal. Cove had a golden chance to equalise, but New Milton capitalised when Harry McGrath doubled the lead. McGrath’s close-range finish came after excellent work from Noel McCarthy-Gardiner, who placed a low cross perfectly.
Louis Moore, making his final appearance for the New Milton Town before travelling abroad, made an immediate impact after replacing Ben Beard. Just six minutes after coming on, Moore delivered a pinpoint left-footed free kick that found Snelling, who headed home to extend his remarkable scoring streak to five games with nine goals in that span.
The final blow came from substitute Heath Thornton, who took advantage of a mistake by goalkeeper Kerrison to walk the ball into an empty net just two minutes after coming on.
The crucial win sets up a tantalising clash next Saturday as New Milton Town faces second-placed opposition Frimley Green in what promises to be the season’s biggest game. With momentum firmly on their side, New Milton Town will look to cement their place at the Wessex League Division One summit.
New Milton Town: L. Dennison, J. Kinge-Phillips, E. Pearce-Eavis, B. Maybury, B. Beard, T. Colmer, J. Broad, N. McCarthy-Gardiner, B. Stone, H. McGrath, B. Snelling. Subs: C. Smith, L. Moore, H. Thornton, J. Foden.
