SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION THREE
SATURDAY 28TH JANUARY 2006
VERWOOD TOWN 2 HAMBLE CLUB 0

It was a bitterly cold day and one that took its toll on Chris Lynch's hamstring. A test before kick-off led Adie Arnold and Nigel Reeves to drop Chris to the bench and juggle the team. Ben Giles took over as central defender and Mark Beverley moved to the centre of mid field.

We pushed forward straight from the kick off and Dyer's cross was almost in the net within 30 seconds of the whistle as Reeves went close with a side foot shot.

Five minutes and Goodall raced through the middle, cut into the box at an angle and unleashed a shot that went across the keeper and whistled into the net. 1-0.

We forced the pace and Arnold/Reeves grip on the mid field kept us well on top. The problem was our scrappy approach in front of goal. Time ands time again we found ourselves with opportunities to score but squandered chances galore.

Hamble took 28 minutes to make us defend and the shot from the left sailed well over Kevin Bennett and into the trees.

We eased back and although knocked the ball around reasonably well we let Hamble have time to settle. In the last ten minutes of the half we could have seen the ball in our net as Hamble strung some good moves together. Giles looked calm and collected and Burners reading of the game at the back kept Hamble outside the area, reducing their chances of scoring.

In the last couple of minutes, we pushed forward again and Luke Homer's drive and determination almost clinched another goal as a powerful left foot shot beat the keeper but went a fraction wide of the post.

Mark Beverley got on the end of two chances; one went over the bar and the other stung the keepers hands.

We went in at half time a goal in front but with management frustrated.

Half Time 1-0

We looked more determined when we kicked off again and Luke Homer's overlapping on the left gave a couple of openings, but Hamble was a more difficult proposition as they got extra bodies behind the ball and closed down the chances.

Dean Evans was a revelation on the right and the growing understanding with Russell Dyer forced Hamble to give more attention to their flank. This opened up the central area and Goodall had two cracking shots saved by the keeper in the opening spell.

Reeves was enjoying the tussle and although we couldn't crack Hamble's defensive wall we had the larger share of possession.

Fifteen minutes into the half and we eased off a bit. Hamble took the opportunity of letting us know they were still very much in the game and launched a series of attacks.

Bennett was on form and safe hands took a couple of efforts cleanly but the save keeping us in front came from a topped shot just inside the area and Bennett's dive to the right stopped the ball looping into the net.

Paul Arnold's collision in the centre of the park resulted in Paul limping off with a twisted ankle. On came Chris Thompson.

Burner and Giles combined well to stop a shot from the edge of the box and then Evans cut out an attack on the left. Homer continued foraging on the right and Goodall constantly posed a threat.

It wasn't a great game for spectators and towards the last quarter of an hour, passes went astray with frightening regularity

Two minutes left. Luke Homer forced his way down the left and seeing 3oodall free slipped the ball inside and raced on for the return. Goodall obliged and Homer chipped the ball over the defender for Thompson to try lis contortionist act of throwing his leg over the opposite shoulder and licked the ball with his toe past the keeper into the net. 2-0.

We won, but it wasn't one of our better performances.

Full Time 2-0