Recently appointed Havant & Waterlooville manager, Aaron Martin, has helped rejuvenate a struggling Hawks side. Only last week beating playoff pushing Wimborne Town 4-0.

Gosport had been in impeccable form until visiting Farnham last week, where Gosport were beaten 2-0 despite playing pretty well in the game. They would have been looking to get back to winning ways against local rivals HWFC.

In today’s Boxing Day game, the first milestone of the match came on twelve minutes when Gosport were reduced to ten men. Ryan Seager looking to break into the Gosport penalty area was adjudged to have been brought down by Joe Morrison just outside the box. In a very contentious decision, the referee reached straight for a red card. With the resulting free-kick, former Gosport-man Harvey Laidlaw taking, and smashing a shot straight into Henry Blackledge’s gloves.

Gosport responded well to going down to ten and nullified the opposition’s threat for nearly twenty minutes. The deadlock however was broken by the Hawks from a set-piece. A corner taken by Pendlebury, dropped to Wilson at the back stick. The towering defender steered his header home to give his side the lead.

The lead was doubled in a matter of minutes later. The referee needed to make another important decision when Aston was acclaimed to have been clipped inside the Gosport box, and the referee indicated for a penalty. Prolific striker Ryan Seager stood up and rifled a low-hard shot into the bottom left corner. Blackledge dived the correct way but the ball managed to squeeze into the bottom corner.

Leon Maloney made a great darting run down the left channel just before the break before whipping in a cross into the centre of the six yard box. The cross connected well with the run of Thorpe who glanced a headed effort at goal. Blackledge was there to make a crucial save to deny the third.

Half-Time: Gosport Borough 0-2 Havant and Waterlooville.

Gosport made two changes near the start of the second half. Luke Cook and Dan Wooden were both chosen to come on. This double change nearly resulted with a goal, after Cook charged down the right before cutting inside and working his way into the Hawks penalty area. The striker drove a low-hit shot towards the back post which Dan Wooden was running onto. Unfortunately Wooden just couldn’t get onto the end of the shot to glance in at the back post.

The visitors’ did have the ball in the back of the net on sixty-seven minutes when Seager volleyed in an effort from close range. The goalscorer was flagged for offside.

Although that goal didn’t count, he managed to get his second ten minutes later. Inside the Gosport box, a goal area scramble resulted with Ryan Seager going down claiming Blackledge wiped him out when collecting the loose ball. The referee once again agreed with the visitors’ and pointed for another spot kick. Ryan Seager stepped up again, burying the ball into the bottom left corner. The Gosport Nu1 went the right way again but the shot just evaded the keeper’s hand.

The game was very much killed off with four minutes left on the clock. Rooney played in Seager behind the Gosport defence, sending the striker one-on-one with Blackledge. Seager kept his composure and slotted a shot past the keeper to get his hat-trick with his 19th goal of the season.

Full-Time: Gosport Borough 0-4 Havant and Waterlooville.

There is no denying that the visitors took their opportunities well, but I’m sure a lot of the decisions made by the referee could be argued. Up next Gosport travel to Walton & Hersham, the league leaders, in our first game of 2026, so we’ll see you then. Have a great new year and as always, UP THE BORO!!!

Gosport: Blackledge, Read, Morrison, Williams, Greenwood, Tarbuck, Tomasso, Ramos, Caborn, Fernandes, Taylor
Subs: Tshaka, Wooden, Walsh-Smith, Jones, Cook

Attendance 1,552 - Thank You