SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 17th NOVEMBER 2007
VERWOOD TOWN 5 – AMESBURY TOWN 0

Had we shed that lethargic style we recently developed? It seemed so. We immediately attacked down the right, a low cross and Homer sliced a shot wide of the post. 3 minutes and King buried the ball in the side netting. 5 minutes and Homer lobbed the full back. In raced Goodall, a pass across the edge of the box….a step over from King and there was Dyer to place the ball in the bottom corner, 1-0.

We didn't sit back. Reeves and Arnold worked like Trojans in the middle and King aided by Goodall chased down the ball in Amesbury's defence.

A couple of minutes later and Dyer slipped the ball wide of the full back for Yerby to try a 'bender' the keeper did well to hold. The keeper's throw was chased down by Reeves. A pass back to Arnold, wide to Homer and the ball once again whistled across the box. King hooked a shot that bent the bar.

19 minutes and King broke free of defenders shackles. Out came the keeper, a neat chip took the ball wide and from an acute angle King hammered the ball into the net. 2-0.

Lynch almost scored from a corner but his header was well held. The ball was back in Amesbury's box seconds later and Homer's low cross was met solidly by Dyer. The keeper made a tremendous flying save.

Willis had been unemployed. A brief attacking spell from the visitors gave Willis a chance to keep flexed but our tails were up and the bite missing from the last couple of weeks was back.

Homer, Reeves and Yerby combined well and Yerby's shot was blocked on the line.

We had to score again. This time Goodall wrote his name on the scorecard with an angled shot that spun into the net from a despairing full back.

Seven minutes left and Arnold made it four with a cracking header.

30 seconds of the second half, and Amesbury opened us up like a can of sardines. Luckily Elysee was aware of danger and racing back touched the ball off the toes of the centre forward. It was a wake up call.

We forced the pace. Three corners in quick succession. King hit the bar. Lynch had a storming header plucked from under the bar and Homer's volley was inches wide.

Amesbury defended in numbers and we found it more difficult to penetrate the area. Kings scissor kick deserved a goal but yet again we evidenced a keeper on top form.

Midfield became busy. Amesbury's movement was good but today we wanted the ball and chased everything on offer. Arnold and Reeves were exceptional.

The game switched for a while to a long ball and this time it was a powerful Lynch catching the eye.

69 minutes,a corner. The ball whistled into the box and Homer nipped in smartly to glance his header wide of the keeper and into the roof of the net. 5-0.

It should have been six when Homer's shot from the edge of the box clipped the angle of bar and post to fly over.

Our visitors rallied. No heads dropped and Willis was suddenly occupied. Good handling was a major feature.

Adie rang the changes. Martin Newbury / Ben Truan and Mark Beverley were given a run but didn't influence the score line.

Willis was tested with minutes to go but a clean sheet was his personal objective. His ambition was fully realised as the whistle blew on an excellent performance and result.