Havant overcome Borough with Boxing Day stuffing
By Connor Steel
GOSPORT BOROUGH suffered a first home league defeat since late-October as they entertained local side Havant & Waterlooville on Boxing Day (December 26); eventually falling to the empathic four-nil loss following a feisty derby that featured a red card, two penalties and a hat trick in front of a huge crowd of over 1500 supporters at a dry AEI Stadium.
The visitors adapted quickly to the very chilly conditions and had Mitchell Aston’s attempt drift over in the eighth minute of play; whilst Trevor Caborn and Harry Thorpe were booked after a late foul from the former. Another foul made things worse for Gosport on twelve minutes when Joe Morrison was given red for tugging down Ryan Seager for the last man.
Borough made a double substitution in response and this gave them a slight impetus as Ethan Taylor saw his low drive cleared, before a header from Benny Read went over as a fine pass caught him by surprise. But it was actually Havant who took this lead through Brendan Wilson, who rose highest at a corner and simply guided a header into this top right.
It was soon two-nil in the thirty-sixth minute when a cross was spilled by Henry Blackledge and Aston was fouled in the goalmouth scramble in the aftermath; this spot-kick being converted from Seager inside the bottom left corner. And this was how it stayed at the interval despite a brilliant save denying Thorpe’s low header at the near post in stoppage time.
Away dominance continued upon this restart and Blackledge found himself back in demand on forty-eight minutes; the keeper somehow tipping Seager’s drive wide from Olly Pendlebury’s cross. Harvey Laidlaw placed wide from an angle seconds later and fiery tensions came on fifty-four minutes as Kaya Tshaka was rightly booked for his heavy challenge.
Glenn Howes made another 2 rapid Borough substitutions, and it almost paid off when away keeper Lorenz Ferdinand was forced to save Bradley Tarbuck’s drive at point-blank range, whilst Luke Cook drove just across goal past a sliding Dan Wooden. Down the other end Seager slammed home a flowing move but saw the celebration halted by an offside.
Havant confirmed their success as they were awarded a second spot-kick with fourteen minutes left; Seager firing into the goal after he was fouled by a desperate Blackledge tackle inside the box. The striker also ran through on goal with minutes left and netted calmly for a hat-trick making it four; the Hawks earning a clean sheet despite a late home flurry.
Two successive defeats without scoring means that Gosport will likely exit the ‘play-off’ places this Saturday, which will see a range of sides around them contest their latest fixtures with the points on offer. Borough will now feature in 2026 when they travel to play table toppers Walton & Hersham on January 3, before visiting Plymouth Parkway a week later.
PICTURED BY CLIFF PLEDGE: Havant & Waterlooville open this scoring against ten man Gosport in the early stages.
