06/09/2026
Reserve team Match report
Historic Opener Ends in Thrilling 3-3 Draw at the TJH arena. Regis Reserves kick-started their journey with a dramatic 3-3 draw against Stalbridge in their first-ever competitive fixture. Manager Gareth Hopton watched his newly formed side show immense character at the TJH Arena, coming from behind twice in a match that truly had everything.
The game got off to a tough start for the hosts, falling 1-0 down early on from a poorly defended set-play. However, the lads responded brilliantly, and Aaron Alloway leveled the scoring with a wonderfully taken goal to make it 1-1. Stalbridge regained the lead via another corner to make it 2-1, but the turning point of the match came shortly after. Bere Regis conceded a penalty, but goalkeeper Leo Hodges produced a spectacular save to keep his side in the game. Energised by the save, George Goulding found the back of the net to make it 2-2 following a brilliant assist from Nick Collins. The comeback looked complete when Jamie Rawlings rose highest to power home a header from an expert long throw from the evergreen Jamie Minett, putting Bere Regis 3-2 up. Victory was agonizingly close, but Stalbridge managed to sn**ch an equalizer with just two minutes left on the clock, leaving the final score locked at 3-3.
While a draw was ultimately a fair result, Bere Regis just about shaded the overall play. The lineup featured a brilliant mixture of youth and experience, highly boosted by the return of club veterans Jason Gover and Jake Muscato, who brought vital leadership to the pitch. Jake Muscato did brilliantly brushing off the cobwebs to put in a fantastic shift, while Jason Gover rolled back the years to pull off a majestic, last-ditch tackle that kept Stalbridge at bay. Goalkeeper Leo Hodges rightfully earned the Man of the Match honors, because beyond his crucial penalty save, he put in a commanding performance from start to finish. There is a clear need to work on set-pieces moving forward after conceding from dead-ball situations, but the immense team spirit on display provides a fantastic foundation to build on.
Following the final whistle, manager Gareth Hopton expressed how incredibly proud he was of how both the younger and older lads came together for their very first game. He noted that the squad showed real fight, and you can already feel that the lads are buying into and believing in the Bere Regis way as they look forward to the rest of the season.
