PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
TUESDAY 22ND JULY 2008
LAVERSTOCK & FORD 2 VERWOOD TOWN 1

We scrambled to raise a team for this classic encounter. Holidays and injuries robbed us of the nucleus of the team but nevertheless we had a good turn out.

Fawcett Elysee Cox Moore Murray Finlay Cousins Arnold Homer (L) Keighley Goodall Homer (J) Giles.

A bright start gave Goodall a chance of a shot but it went wide. Tackles were brisk and a midfield battle began with Arnold and Cousins just having the edge. Luke Homer benefitted from a strong Arnold tackle that won the ball and a pass wide allowed Homer to cut in and try a cross shot. The keeper did well to hold it.

L&F pushed us back. They found their feet and our Cox Moore combination in defence had their work cut out keeping the home side at the edge of the box.

It was inevitable we would crack and 15 minutes gone Fawcett was busy dealing with crosses and then a flying save capped his single display keeping the score sheet blank.

20 minutes and Homer collected a Cousins through ball, raced through and a low shot across the keeper found the net. 1-0.

L&F hit back. Finlay and Murray did well to cut out a couple of attacks on their flank and then Fawcett produced another cracking save to tip the ball on to the bar to keep us in front.

35 minutes and the scores were level as a cross was back headed into the box and another header found the roof of the net.

We saw then a bit of tiredness creeping in. The game was being played at a quick pace despite the temperature.

The whistle went at half time with the score level….1-1.

Ben Giles and John Homer came on but unfortunately John suffered a ham string pull with only ten minutes gone so here we were with no subs left to give players a few minutes rest and a home side increasing the pace of the game.

15 minutes into the second half and a mirror image of L&F first goal saw them go ahead 1-2.

Our resilience on the night was outstanding. No heads dropped and Steve Moore's vocal initiatives brought one or two odd Referee glances but the side was spurred on and for the next ten minutes we enjoyed some good possession.

Cox was covering L&F central attacks with Moore picking off any odd intrusions.

Giles robbed his opposite number of the ball and a cross to Finlay opened up L&F. A through ball to Goodall and Goodall powered his way past two defenders to fire the ball just over the bar. Finlay then buckled at the knee from an innocuous tackle and had to come off.

A re shuffle of the pack yet again and for a short time it looked as if L&F would kill us off.

Fawcett was superb. Cousins working like a Trojan and Elysee as always full of running were the stars of a resilient Verwood.

Arnold and Cousins battled on. Arnold almost had the ball in the net with a good cross shot but L&F had the edge.

The last five minutes of the game saw Fawcett again making classic saves and we moved to a new formation…a back eleven.

We stuck to our stubborn defensive pattern and L&F couldn't break through.

We finished at 1-2. A tired team trooped off for a hot and well deserved shower with the thought hovering of another game in two days against Wimborne !!! .