SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 9TH AUGUST 2008
VERWOOD TOWN 3 – ANDOVER NEW STREET 2

Andover made the first forage. Lynch sped across the area to clear the ball away to Homer. A line ball gave Dyer a run but he was bundled off the ball just outside the area.

Moore picked up a through ball and sent Arnold on his way. A cross to Elysee a back heel to Goodall and Goodall forced a corner. The ball dropped into the six yard box. Lynch forced his way through a bundle of defenders and powered a header into the roof of the net. 1-0.

5 minutes later Goodall again was Andover's threat as he won a tussle and slipped past his defender to hit a left foot shot just over the bar. We were well on top and making chances. Putting those chances into the net though was proving difficult.

18 minutes gone and we blundered in defence. A quick thinking Andover lad chipped the ball over Willis and made the score 1-1.

21 minutes a move between Elysee King and Goodall resulted in a King cross but no one had followed in giving Andover's defence an easy task of clearing the danger.

We blundered again on 25 minutes and a pass back slowed up. Willis raced to the ball and made a terrific save as he faced a one on one.

Andover took control. We lost the ability to find our men and for the next fifteen minutes scrambled our way through the half.

Moore and Lynch were superb during this spell and Willis' handling was first class.

Only the last minute of the half saw any real retaliation and a Cousin/Dyer/Homer move left Arnold clear to try a volley. The shot would have been worth three points on the rugby pitch.

Out we came for the second half. Adie and Nigel had exhausted their Anglo Saxon verbiage.

20 seconds and Goodall raced free to chip the Keeper. The stretch of the keeper was fantastic and the ball was finger tipped away for a corner. Arnold met the ball and a volley was blocked on the line. A half clearance and Homer smashed a shot for the bottom corner but the full back slid across and gave away another corner. The ball was half cleared and in raced Moore only to be felled on the edge of the area before he could try the shot. The free kick sailed over the bar giving Andover respite.

We maintained pressure but with 54 minutes on the clock got caught too far up the pitch and in swept Andover to smash a 25 yarder into the top corner. 1-2.

We lost rhythm and our passing gave Andover more possession than they had enjoyed in several seasons. We were second best to the ball and looked as if we were going to suffer defeat.

All credit to the team they gathered themselves together and although we got into the area several times couldn't convert the all important goal.

Goodall went close with a chip over the keeper and then saw the ball creep by the foot of the post.

Homer kept pressing forward and his crosses deserved more than close calls.

71 minutes ands Goodall made that all important contribution of racing clear and hitting a rising shot from just outside the area into the roof of the net 2-2.

We kept pushing forward and 77 minutes gone forced a couple of corners. The second corner caused havoc in Andover's box before Dyer slammed the ball jnto the net. 3-2.

95 minutes played and the whistle blew on a good win 3-2.