Stags March On With Professional FA Cup Victory
Midhurst & Easebourne 2-0 Larkfield & New Hythe
Emirates FA Cup, Extra Preliminary Round · Saturday 8 August 2026 · the Rotherfield
Midhurst & Easebourne booked their place in the next round of the Emirates FA Cup with a composed 2-0 victory over Larkfield & New Hythe at the Rotherfield.
On an afternoon carrying genuine significance for the club, Connor Hoare’s new-look Stags delivered the result the home support wanted: two goals, a clean sheet and safe passage through the Extra Preliminary Round.
Larkfield arrived from Kent as credible opposition rather than ceremonial visitors. The Larks won their first FA Cup tie in 2024 and progressed as far as a First Qualifying Round replay during their debut campaign in the competition. Midhurst therefore knew that reputation, summer recruitment and home advantage would count for little once the whistle sounded.
What followed was a disciplined cup performance. Midhurst respected the danger posed by the visitors but never allowed the occasion to become frantic. They competed for second balls, protected the central areas and used the Rotherfield’s distinctive slope intelligently, gradually forcing the game onto their terms.
The breakthrough rewarded that controlled approach and changed the mood around the ground. Larkfield were forced to take greater risks, leaving Midhurst with more space to attack and opportunities to turn defensive recoveries into forward momentum. The Stags remained patient rather than chasing the tie recklessly, and the second goal gave them the breathing room their performance deserved.
The atmosphere grew with each Midhurst attack. Supporters packed close to the touchline understood that cup football exits can turn quickly, and noise helped the Stags maintain intensity when Larkfield attempted to respond.
Just as important as the goals was the clean sheet. Larkfield continued to work and carried enough threat to keep the home defence alert, but Midhurst’s organisation held firm. The visitors were denied the goal that might have transformed the closing stages into the sort of nervous finish for which early FA Cup ties are notorious.
For Hoare, this was an important early marker. Chairman Tom Merritt-Smith has overseen an ambitious summer, with former Football League striker Brett Pitman joined by experienced recruits including Dan Wishart and a collection of new faces assembled to push the club forward. A cup win does not prove the rebuild is complete, but it provides evidence that the squad can handle expectation.
It also represented Midhurst’s first FA Cup victory since their 2-1 success at Holmesdale in August 2023. After exits against Balham and Knaphill in the following two seasons, the Stags are back in the Preliminary Round and have another opportunity to place the club on the wider non-league map.
The result belonged to more than the players. Volunteers, officials and supporters helped turn the Rotherfield into a proper cup venue, while Dugout Diaries carried the afternoon live to an online audience. The setting may have been far removed from Wembley, but this is where every FA Cup story begins.
Midhurst did not require a miracle or a romantic upset. They were simply the better side when it mattered, completed the job professionally and earned the right to continue dreaming.
First published in Dugout News, Issue 001, August 2026. Republished here in full.
