IT HAS been a while since Cherries managed to stick one in the back of the Southampton net with Eddie Howe’s team failing to do so in two attempts at St Mary’s.

Unsurprisingly then, AFC Bournemouth follower Mark Pudney has taken great delight in achieving the feat twice in two games for non-league Ringwood Town this season.

The Wessex One outfit spruced up its Long Lane headquarters over the summer and also took delivery of the red and white box goal nets used by Saints at St Mary’s last season.

And while Pudney is enjoying following in the boot steps of Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana, the scoring exploits of some high-profile visitors to Saints are giving him more satisfaction.

“As a Cherries supporter, I prefer to think about all the away players who have scored in those nets!” joked Pudney, a plasterer by trade.

“Lambert and Lallana are both good goalscorers and it is great knowing Premier League players have scored in those nets. But I would rather think about Aguero, Gerrard and Torres!”

Ringwood acquired the goal nets after club officials struck up a working relationship with Ian Lucas, who is on the groundstaff at St Mary’s.

Pudney, who has hit six goals in four games since signing for Town this season, added: “It is a nice feeling to score into nets which world-class players have done so, even if you don’t think about it when you are playing.

“One of our lads Sammy Chilman always turns up to training wearing his Saints shirt and I’m sure he would like to put a few in there.

“The people who work on the ground have done a really good job. It is a nice, flat surface and a big pitch. We enjoy playing on it and the nets give it something extra.”

Ringwood suffered more than most local football clubs during the winter storms with their dugouts blown away by the wind and their clubhouse sustaining structural damage.

Club secretary Aubrey Hodder said: “The location of the club outside of the town doesn’t help and we are trying to improve everything to get a respectable playing arena to attract more people.

“Pete Alvis, our groundsman, basically does everything on the pitch and has worked tirelessly getting it in great shape.

“We met Ian Lucas a couple of years ago and he comes in to help and advise us on our pitch and playing facilities. In doing so, we were able to secure these very nice goal nets which we thankful to him and Southampton Football Club.”

  • Ringwood maintained their impressive start to the season by soaring to the Wessex One summit following a 6-1 drubbing of struggling East Cowes Vics on Saturday.

Pudney and Brad Aspin both bagged doubles as the visitors to Beatrice Avenue stormed into a commanding 4-0 lead inside the opening 30 minutes.

Although Vics reduced the arrears on the stroke of half-time, Pudney completed his hat-trick within three minutes of the restart before 16-year-old Chilman celebrated his first Wessex League goal to put the finishing touches to a comprehensive victory.

Ringwood: Iles, Gritt, Leadbetter, Cummings, Johnston (Pierson, 84), Barber, Taylor, Pudney, Edwards, Chilman (Harrison, 65), Aspin.