HAMWORTHY Recreation’s rise through the divisions will not end in catastrophe like it did their higher-profile rivals, insists chairman Chris Hayes.
Rec lifted the Wessex League Division One title last week, ensuring a second promotion in three years following their previous domination of the Dorset Premier League.
The club had to wait for many years to get their Canford Magna facilities up to scratch for the elevation to senior football but now look unstoppable after brushing aside their rivals in their first season at Step 6.
Unbeaten with three matches to play, they finally suffered their first defeat of the season – to Steve Claridge’s Fleetlands – in midweek, scoring over 100 league goals in the process.
They have a huge lead over second-placed Millbrook and also have the Dorset Senior Cup final against Shaftesbury to look forward to on April 30.
However, the demise of neighbours Hamworthy United will no doubt weigh heavily in the back of their minds as they look to try to go up again from the Premier Division.
United completed a rise of four divisions by entering the Southern League for 2022-23 but with the closure of their County Ground home for repairs, and a relocation to Weymouth for home matches, it all proved too much for them and they withdrew from Southern League South & West last September.
Hayes insists Recreation – based almost seven miles away from Hamworthy itself, closer to Wimborne – are forewarned as they look upwards with a talented and successful group of players under joint-bosses Kirk Grice and Wayne Smith.
“The difference is they were paying players, we weren’t,” he said of United, who are now using their reserves’ place at Step 7.
Sugar daddies
“All we fork out for is the club’s running costs. Our club here are real
