BLACKFIELD & Langley are still leading the local charge in the Evo-Stik Division One South after an eye-opening 2-0 win over Cirencester Town.

Ciren, fresh off the back of a 7-0 FA Cup victory at AFC Stoneham, are widely tipped for a promotion push.

But Blackfield, the newly-promoted Wessex champions, barely gave them a sniff in a game of limited chances – no small feat considering the Centurions boast last season’s joint golden boot winner Ben Whitehead.

Instead, it was the Watersiders who proved lethal with their finishing as late goals from Charlie Urry and Sami Makhloufi kept them second in the league standings.

It was a fitting way to honour the passing of much-loved B&L stalwart Ken Bevis, who had been with Blackfield for more than 50 years.

There was a beautifully observed minute’s silence before kick-off yesterday on an emotional afternoon at Gang Warily.

Assessing Blackfield’s fourth win out of six league games, co-assistant boss Chris Farrell said: “It was a tough, quite physical game of very few chances.

“We’d done our homework and we managed to nullify the threat of Whitehead and (Alan) Griffin.

“Cirencester will be in the mix come the end of the season, I’ve no doubt about it.

“But we stuck to our game plan and deserved to win. #

"We played a high tempo, high pressing game and they were rattled.

“Games like these are why we wanted promotion.”

Blackfield goalkeeper Lewis Noice played his part with a couple of key saves and Griffin clipped the bar for Ciren.

But it was the Watersiders who broke through on 78 minutes when Urry headed in Liam Robinson’s cross.

Makhloufi made sure of the points late on, running Ciren’s right-back ragged before clinically capitalising on a lucky break inside the area.

The visitors then had Ellis Dunton sent off for a second yellow.

Blackfield handed a debut to new strike addition Mitch SpeechleyPrice, signed from Alresford Town.