RINGWOOD TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB

Ringwood Town fell to a second defeat in five days as the Sandhurst test proved too much for Fran Mathers’ side in a 4-1 loss.

Sandhurst Town led after a fiery first-half as Dean Rule and Jacob Cowler helped the visitors race into a two-goal lead in the opening half-hour. Rule added a third for the visitors with 20 minutes left to play before Jude New wrapped up all three points for the visitors in the 80th minute; Harrison Clarke scored a consolation for Ringwood in the 87th minute.

Felix Bruce was forced into action early on as Sandhurst had a handful of early chances; Bruce got down well to his left to deny Finlay Scott after the midfielder was afforded space in the Ringwood box moments before New headed wide from the edge of Ringwood’s six-yard box.

Ringwood had their chance to apply some pressure of their own when Riley Claxton had a chance to swing in a freekick in the 7th minute, but the midfielder’s cross evaded everyone. The hosts thought they had another chance to take the lead when Ollie Brown was brought down by Conor Alisson as he galloped through on goal, but the referee dismissed Ringwood’s pleas for a penalty.

Sam Danvers blocked Cowler’s cutback before Alex Bourne fizzed a shot over the bar moments later as Sandhurst push for an opener. And it wouldn’t be long before the visitors broke the deadlock as Cowler beat Danvers and Claxton for pace and fizzed a ball across the face of goal and Rule connected, but Bruce saved; however, the goalkeeper didn’t get enough on it as Rule was quick to bundle in the opener 19 minutes in.

Cowler doubled Sandhurst’s lead minutes later when his shot across goal had the better of Bruce after Ted Bignell was caught in possession on the edge of his box. Bruce denied Sandhurst a third 36 minutes in when he tipped Bourne’s effort round the post before the first 45 ended in unpleasant scenes when Brown and Henry Pidgeon clashed off the ball as both players received yellow cards.

The visitors continued the second half in a similar fashion when Cowler sent Bruce scrambling back across goal from a free kick, but the Sandhurst winger’s effort rattled off the crossbar. Rule doubled his personal tally for the day when he added a third in the 67th minute when he fired past Bruce from six yards after a slaloming run down the right-hand side.

New wrapped up the three points for Sandhurst with 80 minutes gone when the midfielder let fly from range to make it 4-0. The visitors wouldn’t leave with a clean sheet, however, as Clarke would head home from close to complete a strong finish three minutes from time.

Written by Pierce Menzies