SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 16TH FEBRUARY 2008
EAST COWES VICTORIA 1 VERWOOD TOWN 1

The swim took its toll. Goodall looked a bit limp and no one recognised Arnold because the water had washed off his tan.

Pete King came in at sweeper spot despite a 'dicky' ankle and Mark Beverley found his way to midfield berth.

The pitch was a bit lumpy and a few early passes bobbled a bit giving a queasy feeling at the back. Lynch, never one to worry about passing on the floor made the decision to by-pass mid field and we saw an unusual VTFC 'route one' approach.

We're not used to it. Goodall was 'goosed' in the first ten minutes chasing a ball in the channel. That plus the swim had him rasping for breath but an offer of mouth to mouth by Nigel Reeves was quickly turned down.

We had the edge but the odd flurry from Vics kept Lynch and King busy. Willis had the odd save to make but nothing of significance had us worried.

Elysee and Reeves did well on the right and Vics were prised open to allow a Dyer shot that troubled the keeper but didn't find the net.

Three quarters of the half had elapsed when pressure had Vics scrambling a bit and a goalmouth ping pong saw the ball spin out to Goodall who slammed the ball back into the net. 1-0.

It was a relief to get the goal we thought we deserved but now was the testing time to see if we could prevent a Vics retaliatory strike.

Homer and Lynch cut out two attacks in the box and then Willis had to make a good catch to keep us ahead.

The half finished 1-0.

Vics came out of the traps like greyhounds. What was in their tea should be worth a fortune.

Arnold dropped back to line up alongside Lynch as the ball flew over the middle of the park. Beverley decided to wait in the middle though to see if it might change again.

Homer turned defence into attack with ten minutes gone and a good run on the left made the home side defenders spread out. The ball whistled in but Elysee hit the volley high and wide.

Goodall moved out wide to draw the central defenders but they stuck firm and made it difficult for us to break them down.

By this time Reeves had pulled a hamstring, Pete King was limping again and Charlie Elysee had thoughts only on his forthcoming night out to get ratted.

Lynch headed clear, King cleared our box with the highest of the day and Willis had to make another good save to keep Vics from equalising.

Half way through the half though Vics broke us down and a cross was headed on to an unmarked defender who slotted the ball low past Willis into the bottom corner. 1-1.

We couldn't react as quickly as would have liked. The need to play over the middle wasn't for us. Nevertheless we worked hard and felt we were having a larger percentage of the ball than Vics.

Dyer dummied his way past the full back, a low cross….no one was there. Elysee picked up the loose ball and a chip back into the middle found Goodall. A turn, a low shot but the ball went straight to the keeper.

Vics moved the ball off the flanks in the latter stages in an attempt to break us down but both Yerby and Homer were solid and there was no openings offered to the home team.

We finished the game 1-1 and a little disappointed we hadn't won.