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A case study for how not to run a football club, Celtic are in such a mess right now, but can Martin O’Neill work his magic again?

From a relative position of strength at the end of last season, having secured a fourth successive Premiership title, the Parkhead hierarchy have made error after error, from failing to strengthen prior to Champions League qualifying, to hiring Paul Tisdale, to appointing Wilfried Nancy.

The only saving grace from that latter decision is that the Hoops have at least had the sense to nip things in the bud, bringing to an end a remarkable car-crash tenure that yielded six defeats in eight games.

The Frenchman might feel hard done by considering the litany of missed chances that he was forced to witness amid that losing run, although such results simply aren’t acceptable in Glasgow.

Nancy is gone then, with O’Neill back to pick up the pieces for the short-term – but what lies beyond for the Scottish champions?

Celtic's long-term managerial target after O'Neill

From seven wins in eight under O’Neill, to the misery of Nancy’s short-lived tenure, Celtic are in some ways back where they started, no doubt thankful that the gap to Hearts remains at just six points.

If the 73-year-old can recapture the magic of his prior interim stint, then this rollercoaster campaign could still end in glory, with the season not a write-off just yet.

Having seen the Nancy gamble backfire, O’Neill was undoubtedly the logical choice, although with such a move merely proving a stopgap rather than a long-term solution.

Manager Focus

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With a permanent successor needing to be named in the summer, TEAMtalk reported that Motherwell’s Jens Berthel Askou is now a top target, having earned admirers following his fine recent work in the Premiership.

Indeed, the 43-year-old has steered the Silkmen to fourth in the table, just two points behind Celtic, having only taken charge back in June after a string of jobs largely back in Scandinavia.

As per the report, the Dane’s ‘tactical acumen and attractive style align with the club’s vision’, ensuring he is now a ‘strong candidate’ for the post.

Why Askou could be another Brendan Rodgers for Celtic

It would be fair to say that Brendan Rodgers was a symptom, rather than necessarily a cause of the chaos at Parkhead, with the Northern Irishman’s resignation coming after a dismal summer of recruitment that ended without a genuine, proven replacement for Adam Idah and Kyogo Furuhashi arriving.

Rodgers, of course, certainly wasn’t blameless, not least for failing to steer his side past Kazakh minnows Qairat in Champions League qualifying, yet it is hard to doubt his proven record as a Celtic manager.

Indeed, across two spells, the ex-Liverpool and Leicester City man won four league titles, including that remarkable ‘Invincible’ 2016/17 campaign, arguably rivalling O’Neill and Ange Postecoglou for the club’s best modern manager.

Can Askou be the next man on that list? Well, in the view of Tawanda Maswanhise – who worked under Rodgers at Leicester – the in-demand coach is “similar” to both the ex-Celtic boss and current free agent Enzo Maresca.

Maswanhise is currently part of the surprise Motherwell story at Fir Park, with ‘Well only recently securing a 2-0 win over Nancy and co, following another error-strewn display from the visitors.

Jens Berthel Askou – Manager record

Club

Games

PPG

Motherwell

28

1.93

IFK Goteborg

35

1.43

AC Horsens

90

1.39

HB Torshavn

33

2.45

Vendyssel

43

1.21

Stats via Transfermarkt

Askou’s 4-2-3-1 set-up and exciting, attack-minded brand of football has proven a revelation in Scottish football this season, having already won 15 of his 28 games in charge in all competitions.

Subscribe to the newsletter for Celtic managerial insights Subscribing to the newsletter provides in-depth analysis of Celtic’s managerial search, candidate profiles (like Jens Berthel Askou), tactical fit and long-term implications – essential reading for followers tracking the club’s next move.

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It is even more remarkable that he has been defeated on just four occasions too so far in 2025/26, having spent recent seasons as an assistant coach at both Copenhagen and Slavia Prague.

Like Rodgers before him, who had worked at the likes of Reading, Watford, Swansea City and Liverpool before arriving at Celtic at the age of 43, Askou has racked up a fair chunk of experience in Denmark and Sweden.

That ensures the Hoops would be landing a young, hungry coach on the up, but with a proven track record behind him.

Of course, it remains to be seen just how well Motherwell do in the remainder of the campaign, although Celtic would be wise to have their man lined up, ahead of O’Neill’s exit this summer.

Related Celtic sack Wilfried Nancy, Paul Tisdale and three first-team coaches

They’re cleaning house at Parkhead.

Posts 4 ByBen Goodwin

While West Ham United and Nottingham Forest continue to be sucked further into the Premier League relegation zone, Leeds United are aiming to look up the division.

It’s been an unbelievable change of fortunes at Elland Road in such a short space of time, with November standing out as an extremely bleak month when Daniel Farke’s men lost four league games consecutively, leaving the German worrying about his job security.

Now, however, he looks to be just the right man who will guide Leeds to safety, with a draw at Liverpool to start the New Year pushing the Whites further away from their relegation rivals at the foot of the competitive division.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been key to Leeds’ recent uptick in form, with a stunning eight Premier League strikes next to his name.

Still, Farke could look to the January transfer window as a chance to add even more goals to his team’s reinvigorated ranks, as several strikers are now tipped to make the switch to West Yorkshire…

Leeds looking to sign new striker

The ex-Norwich City manager won’t want his team to be over-reliant on the free-flowing number nine as the fixtures continue to come thick and fast.

Recent reports have suggested that the Premier League newcomers have PSV Eindhoven centre-forward Ricardo Pepi on their shopping list in this regard, with a whopping £35m price tag allegedly above the 22-year-old’s head.

Alongside Pepi being chased, Leeds also have AS Roma marksman Artem Dovbyk in mind this January, with a new report from TuttoMercatoWeb stating that a loan departure from the Italian capital looks to be likely, as both the Whites and Sunderland remain interested. If he were to move permanently, then a fee of around £21m may well be needed.

With both Everton and West Ham United also previously noted as being onlookers, this might well be a transfer tussle to keep an eye on as the hectic month develops, with Farke no doubt keen to bring in the Ukrainian as the Serie A attacker’s goalscoring exploits in Italy and beyond make him a very exciting rival for Calvert-Lewin’s concrete starting spot.

Why Dovbyk is good enough to rival Calvert-Lewin

The instinctive centre-forward would surely be licking his lips at the prospect of being a deadly second-in-command to the former Everton marksman, having fired home 19 goals for Gian Piero Gasperini’s men to date.

There is also an arguable hole to be filled, with Lukas Nmecha unfortunately falling victim to some worrying injuries since joining the Elland Road ranks in the summer as another striker option.

Dovbyk’s career numbers vs DCL’s

Stat

Dovbyk

DCL

Games played

286

344

Goals scored

133

97

Assists

33

25

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Of course, even as he was dropped for the Liverpool away clash owing to the congested fixture list, Calvert-Lewin will remain Leeds’ star-man for the foreseeable future, with the Sheffield-born menace now up to 65 Premier League goals off the back of a red-hot streak in West Yorkshire, which has seen him power home eight league strikes.

But the table above backs up the notion that Dovbyk is more than good enough as a lethal finisher in his own right to push the revitalised Englishman all the way, with a standout 43 career goals plying his trade in both Serie A and La Liga.

Farke wouldn’t feel too perturbed by the prospect of a 40-time Ukraine international having to come into the side as his main marksman either, with his insane form for former employers Girona seeing him put away a stunning 24 goals from just 36 La Liga clashes during the 2023/24 campaign, as Dovbyk was even hailed as a “sensational” focal point up top by ex-boss Michel Sanchez.

Subscribe to the newsletter for Leeds transfer insight Curious how Leeds’ January targets could reshape their attack? Subscribe to the newsletter for detailed transfer analysis, rumor tracking, and expert context on Dovbyk, Pepi and other Premier League moves.

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It hasn’t gone Dovbyk’s way entirely at the Stadio Olimpico, with only three Serie A starts coming his way this season so far.

Yet, he knows, when an opportunity comes his way, that he can fire home a chance at a moment’s notice, with a sublime three goal contributions next to his name for Roma this campaign, even as he is primarily utilised as a reserve option.

Leeds will no doubt see how impressive Dovbyk has been during his cameos in Italy as a major reason why they want to secure his loan services, with an added injection of attacking quality in some crucial games to come, making survival feel even easier to clinch.

Calvert-Lewin would be kept on his toes by the Roma number nine, leaving Italy behind for West Yorkshire, as Farke goes about using the full squad available to him, to ensure his troops don’t fall victim to rusty displays.

Related Farke can sign "incredibly prolific" £35m star to end Nmecha's Leeds career

Leeds United could already move on from Lukas Nmecha by swooping to sign this reported transfer target.

Posts ByDan Emery

Tottenham Hotspur have a lot of up-and-coming quality, but it’s up to Thomas Frank to put it into practice after an opening half to the 2025/26 campaign that has left plenty to be desired.

Chelsea are the only team in the Premier League to have a younger average age than their north London neighbours, but ENIC Group appear set on strengthening with further rising stars to create a lasting period of success.

Premier League 2025/26 – Youngest Average Ages

Club

Squad size

Av. Age

Chelsea

31

23.4

Tottenham

29

24.8

Sunderland

34

24.8

Man City

26

24.9

Brighton

26

24.9

Data via Transfermarkt

The likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Mathys Tel have big futures ahead of them, but Spurs are eyeing another rising talent who could surpass them all, and it comes as Brennan Johnson inches toward the exit.

Spurs lining up Brennan Johnson replacement

Crystal Palace have agreed with Tottenham a £35m fee for the transfer of Welsh winger Johnson, who has slumped considerably in Frank’s system.

The 24-year-old is a talented player who scored the winning goal against Manchester United in the Europa League final last season. Last year, he posted 18 strikes in all competitions for Ange Postecoglou, but he hardly looks like matching that this year, and probably needs to move after falling to the fringes.

While Johnson has fallen flat after that hefty £47.5m arrival from Nottingham Forest in 2023, it’s clear that Tottenham cannot sell themselves short throughout the business months of the campaign, and a replacement is needed, with RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande earmarked.

As per TEAMtalk, the 19-year-old winger is open to a Premier League move this winter, and though Spurs are circling, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United have all registered interest of their own.

Previous reports suggest that it would cost suitors a staggering £87m sum to prise him away from his German club – but then, he is that good.

How Diomande could improve Spurs

Diomande only joined Leipzig from La Liga side Leganes last summer, but he’s taken to life in the Bundesliga with ease, scoring seven goals and supplying four assists across 16 appearances.

He’s already showing more of a clinical edge than Johnson, and offering more besides.

Hailed as a “generational talent” by journalist Bence Bocsak, the Ivory Coast international ranks among the top 3% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, the top 11% for tackles and the top 1% for ball recoveries per 90, as per FBref.

He plays with an intensity and aggression that can only serve him well down the line, establishing him as one of the biggest and most coveted names on the global stage.

Subscribe to our newsletter for Spurs transfer insight Curious for deeper coverage of Tottenham’s transfer moves and rising stars? Subscribe to the newsletter for detailed analysis of targets, youth prospects and squad strategy, with expert takes on Spurs’ player plans.

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Spurs already know a thing or two about plucking an up-and-coming sensation from the German scene, with Tel arriving from Bayern Munich last year.

The versatile forward is still working toward superstardom in the Premier League, but his potential is indisputable, and in Diomande, Spurs could not only repeat the trick but sign an even bigger talent.

Not long ago, coach Harry Brook asserted that he will “be worth £100m plus” down the line. Already, Diomande is nearly there, and Tottenham need to put everything into signing him before things get silly.

After all, they would land an instant Johnson upgrade and another Bundesliga prodigy to rival Tel as the Frenchman cuts his teeth down N17.

Related Big Johnson upgrade: Spurs in talks for "the most direct winger in Europe"

Tottenham have already upped the pace ahead of the imminent January transfer window.

Posts 3 ByAngus Sinclair

Scorecard

	Salma Khatun, the 17-year old Bangladesh captain, top-scored with 90 but her knock went in vain © TigerCricket.com

Karu Jain and Jhulan Goswami, India’s stand-in captain, stitched together a 53-run fifth-wicket stand to help their side overcome Bangladesh in Dambulla and record a fourth-successive win in the Women’s Asia Cup.Chasing 161, India collapsed to 58 for 3, with Anagha Deshpande, Asha Rawat and Thirush Kamini falling on 18. Deshpande was bowled by Panna Ghosh while the other two were run-out. Priyanka Roy and Rumeli Dhar briefly steadied the innings by adding 30, before Roy became the third run-out victim. Dhar, however, could not build on her 39-ball 31 when she was caught by Ghosh off Shathira Jhatir. Jain and Goswami then stood firm to take India to safety, with Jain being the main aggressor, striking five boundaries.Earlier, Salma Khatun, the 17-year old Bangladesh captain, played a lone hand of 90 before her team folded for 160. Khatun’s knock, which took 140 balls and featured 20 fours, took her to third-spot in the run-getter’s list. Her decision to bat first, though, went awry as Bangladesh collapsed to 14 for 3, with legspinner Kamini claiming two of those wickets. Khatun then partnered Ghosh in a 64-run stand to get their innings back on track, but a Roy double-strike hampered their progress. Khatun kept up the fight and made the most of the little support she got before falling in the 48th over.
Scorecard
A fine all-round performance by Eshani Kaushalya, who top-scored with 44 before taking 3 for 25, took Sri Lanka to a 45-run win over Pakistan in Karunegala.Pakistan lost their openers early chasing 195, but captain Urooj Mumtaz, who scored a 106-ball 57, added runs with Sajjida Shah (27) to keep them in the hunt. They fell in quick succession – Shah was run-out while Mumtaz was dismissed by Kaushalya – and Pakistan then lost their last six wickets for 40, with Chamari Polgampola taking career-best figures of 4 for 26.Sri Lanka fell to 57 for 3 after being put in to bat, before captain Shashikala Siriwardene scored an attacking 34, which included seven fours, to keep them afloat. But Pakistan’s bowlers maintained a tight lease on the game, forcing Sri Lanka to 118 for 6. Kaushalya then changed the course of the innings with 44, and when she was eventually run-out in the 42nd over, Sri Lanka had progressed to 161. Mumtaz was the best bowler on view from Pakistan, taking four wickets with her legspin.

Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	N/R	Pts	Net RR	For	Against
India Women	4	4	0	0	0	18	+2.185	913/191.0	519/200.0
Sri Lanka Women	4	3	1	0	0	15	+1.206	712/169.3	599/200.0
Bangladesh Women	4	1	3	0	0	4	-1.645	458/195.3	640/160.3
Pakistan Women	4	0	4	0	0	0	-1.721	505/200.0	830/195.3

Mitchell Johnson is keen to work on the skills he developed during training at the World Cup © Getty Images

Mitchell Johnson will use a trip to India’s pace foundation to prepare for Australia’s seven-match one-day series in the country starting in September. Dennis Lillee, a part-time coach at the facility in Chennai, and Troy Cooley, the Australian bowling mentor, will monitor Johnson’s progress as he plans a return to the starting XI after not being called on during the World Cup or Ashes.A bowling vacancy has been created by Glenn McGrath’s retirement, but with Brett Lee recovering from an ankle problem Johnson must move ahead of Shaun Tait, Stuart Clark or Nathan Bracken to play. “Learning to bowl in those conditions is pretty timely with the matches coming up in India, which hopefully I will be involved in,” Johnson, who left on Tuesday, told AAP.”I did a lot of bowling at the World Cup in the nets and I am keen to develop the knowledge that I got there a bit further. It’s obviously great to be working with ‘DK’ again and to have Troy there as well. The knowledge that will be at my fingertips will be exceptional.”Johnson will spend a week in Chennai and will be joined by the Queensland bowler Grant Sullivan and local fast men. “I have only just started gym work,” he said. “I’ve had a fair break so this will be the first time I will be really getting into bowling again since the World Cup.”

ScorecardPakistan A drew their Top End Series match against Australia A after a sporting declaration by the hosts set up an interesting climax. Set to chase 245 at just over a run a ball, Pakistan responded to the challenge strongly till Australia applied the brakes in the final session. The captains called off the match ten overs before the scheduled close of play.Earlier, Shane Watson continued with his good form with the bat, with his half-century taking his side to a position from which they could force a result. Resuming on 2 for 57, Australia added only seven runs to their overnight score before Travis Burt fell to left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman. Mohammad Khalil’s double strike in one over then sent back Phil Jaques and Brad Haddin with the score on 86. Watson continued playing positively as he and Brad Hodge took the score to 165 when Haddin made a surprise declaration.Allotted 40 overs, Pakistan changed their strategy, sending in Rafatullah Mohmand to open with Shahid Yousuf instead of Mohammad Hafeez, the first-innings centurion. The openers added a quickfire 53 in six overs and the signs looked ominous for Australia. However, the bowlers pulled it back, with Mitchell Johnson dismissing Misbah-ul-Haq immediately after tea. Pakistan were still in the reckoning, sticking to the required rate as long as Mohmand was around. However, the run-rate slackened after he was bowled by Watson in the 15th over, after which a draw was the only possibility. In contrast to the first innings, Hafeez chose to play out time, scoring 6 off 48 balls, while Hasan Raza helped himself to an unbeaten half-century. The match was called off with Pakistan requiring a massive 100 off the last ten overs.The action in the Top End Series moves to Cairns where Pakistan A play their next match, against New Zealand A from July 17 while Australia A take on India A in another four-day encounter, starting the next day.

ESPN-Star Sports (ESS) has put forth a fresh proposal to the Board of Control for Cricket in India, saying that if they were awarded the right to broadcast the four-Test India-Australia series, they would pass on all profits (after costs) from advertising, and payments from Doordarshan, to the BCCI. However, this is unlikely to have any impact till the Supreme Court gives its ruling on the whole matter on September 28. There is an urgent need to resolve the impasse before Australia’s tour of India, which begins with a tour match against Mumbai, the Ranji Trophy champions, on September 30.The Supreme Court is expected to rule tomorrow and determine whether Zee’s original bid for the rights was valid. If the court rules in favour of Zee, ESS could go to court once more, contending that Zee are not eligible in the first place. If the court rules against Zee, then the question of who will produce or broadcast the series comes into play.In a letter to Jagmohan Dalmiya, the BCCI president, ESS offered their solution. The BCCI received the letter early on Monday, September 27. The letter, sent by Rik Dovey, the managing director of ESS, reiterated the ESS claim that Zee Networks was ineligible to be one of the contestants for the telecast rights. “As you know, it was our contention before the Bombay High Court that Zee was hopelessly ineligible in terms of your tender, in that, as admitted by Zee’s counsel, Zee had not done a single day’s production of a clean feed for an international cricketing event,” says the letter. “Equally, it was our contention that not only had it not produced a cricketing event, it had not telecast a single cricket event either live or delayed.”The letter goes on to explain the rationale behind taking the matter to court and then withdrawing the petition. “We were confident of success in our petition but since it was expressed on your behalf that the Australia tour might be jeopardised in view of the ongoing litigation and since your counsel made a statement that there was no concluded contract and that the tender would be cancelled, in the larger interest of cricket, we agreed to and did in fact withdraw our petition.”Then the letter explains, in three points, the fresh proposal ESS have tabled before the BCCI:”1.ESS will undertake the production and telecast of the India-Australia series on our networks. As you are aware, we have our own production unit and in-house production capability and leading commentators. (As you are aware Zee has neither in place).”2.We have an agreement in place with Prasar Bharati to carry the signal on Doordarshan. (As you are aware Zee has claimed only to have an “in principle” agreement, which has so far not been disclosed.)”3.We will give the BCCI all the net advertising revenues earned on our channel and our net share of the DD revenues net of costs.”The BCCI has so far not reacted to ESS’s latest offer. The marketing committee of the board is set to meet tomorrow, and sources indicate that the board could produce the pictures themselves, if the court’s ruling opens a door to such a possibility, through World Sports Group. If this happens the series will be telecast on Doordarshan in India and sold to interested parties worldwide.

England 319 and 99 for 3 (Butcher 46*) beat West Indies 208 and 209 by 7 wickets and lead the series 2-0
Scorecard

Mark Butcher and Graham Thorpe lead England off© Getty Images

It didn’t take long: inside half-an-hour England had knocked off the 28 runs they needed to secure victory, a 2-0 series lead, and retention of the Wisden Trophy. The last rites came with stunning speed, as Mark Butcher cracked consecutive fours off Adam Sanford, one through the covers, and the winning one straight down the ground.England will have had one eye on the skies when they woke up this morning, after the umpires controversially took the players off last night. But it dawned fine in Port-of-Spain, meaning it was only a matter of time.Nonetheless England, so assured in the gloaming last night, made a hesitant start in the bright sunshine. Nasser Hussain survived a close leg-before shout off Sanford’s first ball of the day, then nicked his second and was caught behind for 5 (71 for 3). It could have been worse. Before he’d scored, Graham Thorpe edged Sanford, but this time Ridley Jacobs tried to take the regulation chance one-handed, and floored it.Thorpe wasn’t in the mood to hang about, cracking three fours in Sanford’s next over, and Butcher was as busy as he had been last night. Brian Lara’s trial on the field was mercifully short. But the recriminations around the Caribbean aren’t over yet. Already Ricky Skerritt, West Indies’ manager, is throwing in the towel. Lara might not be far behind.Andy Ganteaume – famous for scoring a century in his only Test innings, in 1947-48 – gave the Man of the Match award to Stephen Harmison, for the vital first-innings spell that wrenched back the initiative England’s way after Chris Gayle and Devon Smith had kicked the match off with a century partnership.Steven Lynch is editor of Wisden Cricinfo.

England resume their VB Series campaign against Australia at Hobart tonight with the mental boost of their comprehensive victory in the final Test of the Ashes series earlier this week.After twice beating Sri Lanka in the first leg of the series before Christmas, Monday’s Test win has set the seal on a revival from England’s nightmare start Down Under.It is an added bonus for the tourists knowing that a below-strength Australia have just suffered their first defeat of the tournament, at the hands of Sri Lanka yesterday.While Australia will be without Shane Warne and Jason Gillespie for tonight’s game in Hobart, Glenn McGrath is expected to return after the side injury that ruled him out of the Sydney Test and yesterday’s game against Sri Lanka.”If the reaction I feel is the same as it has been in the past two or three sessions I am confident I will play,” McGrath said after a run-out in the nets today. “I am 90%-plus in fitness terms and feeling pretty good.”England’s opening batsman Marcus Trescothick is in no doubt about the psychological boost of the Sydney win on the England camp.”Winning this game isn’t about getting a hold over them, it’s more for us that we gain confidence and know that we can beat them,” said Trescothick.”Beating them in the last Test was a big improvement and a big psychological boost for the whole team, even those not down the ground, watching us on TV, knowing we can play better than them.”You could see the difference when you took 800 Test wickets out of that side. The guys coming in are still pretty useful cricketers but they are not of the calibre of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie.”Trescothick is confident that he will eventually emerge from the first lean spell of his international career, in which he managed just one half century in the Ashes series.”This is a chance for all of us, although I am not viewing the potential absence of those three players for a chance to get runs. Whether they are playing or not, I have got to be scoring runs and I back myself to do it sooner or later,” he insisted.Michael Vaughan, made man of the Ashes series for his magnificent batting displays, is in doubt for tonight’s match with knee and shoulder injuries, while Durham fast bowler Steve Harmison has shin splints.Nonetheless Trescothick believes England are in good shape for the run-up to the World Cup, of which the current series is the last stage.”It is hard to judge how you are doing when you are playing a side of Australia’s calibre every week – it is not a true reflection of how good you are,” Trescothick said.”I am pretty sure if we were playing most other countries at the moment we could give them a good run for their money. But we still have to compete with Australia because in six or seven weeks we play against them in the World Cup and we have to learn how to beat them.”Meanwhile Australia’s captain Ricky Ponting has not minced his words about yesterday’s 79-run loss, in which his bowlers were carted all over the park by Sri Lanka.”It was not really an Australian team that took to the field, I think,” he said. “Our performance was not up to the high expectations we have of the team and we have spoken about that and we will speak of it again before tomorrow.”Ponting will be leading Australia on his local ground, the Bellerive Oval, for the first time.

Lymington have received scant reward for their Southern Electric Contracting Cup win over BAT Sports in midweek.They have been drawn away to Rowledge, near Farnham, in the semi-finals on either July 10 or 12.Andover face Havant, the Premier League champions and cup favourites, in the other semi-final at London Road.The final is on the Hampshire Rose Bowl Nursery ground on August 1.