Carberry aiming to shed their ‘bridesmaids’ tag this season by winning a cup

The Mid Solent League club have been beaten finalists in either the Purcell Cup or Len Day Cup in each of the past three campaigns.

Carberry remain in both of those competitions and also reached the last 16 of the Hampshire Plate with a thumping 5-1 win over Hythe Aztecs at the weekend.

Clarke is eager for his troops to go one better in 2019/20.

‘For the last three seasons we’ve been in the final of one of those competitions,’ said Clarke.

‘But we keep on getting beat in the final.

‘We always seems to be the bridesmaids and never the brides.'

Prolific marksmen Dave Bridger and Ash Wheatley stole the show in Carberry's Hampshire Plate triumph.

Bridger bagged a hat-trick while Wheatley grabbed two.

A late penalty prevented Carberry from keeping a clean sheet.

Clarke, whose side sit fifth in the Mid Solent League, is hoping Plate progress can keep his team moving in the right direction.

'We had a bit of a difficult start in the league,' he added.

‘We’ve played a couple of the best teams early in the season.

‘The league is split into three sections really.

'There are three teams at the top who are probably better than anyone else.

'But we’re finding our way a bit now.'

Portchester Rovers are also through to the last 16 of the Plate after crushing Overton United Reserves 9-3 with goals from Butler (2), O’Donnell (2), Duncan (2), Church, Peters and Lyons.

Horndean United will join them if they can beat Niton, the tie being postponed last weekend.

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Mid Solent League leaders Harvest Home are through to the last 16 of the Hampshire Vase.

Top scorer Nathan Newer hit a hat-trick in a 5-2 win at Bournemouth Electric Reserves.

League rivals FC Strawberry are also through after a Barnes goal was enough to see off visiting Seaview.

Burrfields were beaten 1-0 at home by Adgestone, while Wymering’s trip to the Isle of Wight to face Newchurch was postponed due to an unfit pitch.