SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER 2008
FAWLEY AFC 3 VERWOOD TOWN 1

Luckily we suffer from amnesia. We seemed to have banished any thoughts of the last two games and the dressing room was a bustle and lively. A few laughs as well as Moore was found to have forgotten his thong from the night before but even more so when Keighley was found to be wearing it!!

Our hike to Fawley's pitch left us knackered. Goodall's night in the Monmouth was telling and it was revival kit as he staggered to the centre circle. This was Carl Chivers first game for the Club and he looked comfortable in the Company of so many dropouts.

The first minute caused amazement to management. Goodall raced wide. A terrific cross across the box and Elysee was inches away from notching a first goal.

6 minutes and Homer raced down the left and then smashed a rising shot just over the bar. It was a shade of our usual style coming back.

Lynch rose high to head a ball down to Cousins. A crossfield ball found Dyer and a shot made the keeper pull out all the stops to make a cracking save.

16 minutes and we were still on the attack. Cousins was felled unceremoniously, Chivers turning shot swerved into the top corner of the net and we went 1-0 ahead.

10 minutes to go of the half and Fawley were well on top. A break and shot from 12 yards whipped past Willis 1-1.

We defended desperately and with five minutes left Willis saved blushes with a double save.

Half Time 1-1

The trudge to the dressing rooms didn't do us any favours. Goodall's red veined eye balls Homers furred tongue and Moore's efforts in gathering pace faster than using callipers was the hallmark of a team hardly ready for 45 minutes of hard work.

Dyer worked the ball left, and Elysee following up tried a cross shot that whistled wide.

Cousins jinked his way past two tackles and a neat through ball to Goodall split Fawley's defence. The keeper made a tremendous save.

Stephens' and Yerby's pace allowed for overlaps and another defence splitting pass from Cousins had the keeper making another remarkable save from Homer. It was all good stuff. Then………the malaise.

20 minutes and we watched as Fawley cut a swathe through our mid field with a resulting shot that finished up in the back of the net. 1-2.

It was a bad blow, but matters got worse as we became lack lustre, allowing our opposition freedom of the pitch.

On came Keighley as injuries became rife.

75 minutes a Cousins free kick was hooked over the bar by Homer. 2 minutes later Homer smashed a ground shot straight at the keeper. We developed our arrogant streak assuming no one would dare try to score. Fawley didn't know about it and scored! 1-3.

Stephens was earmarked by a talent scout and had since left us to become a model in Tussauds.

Static defending made Willis produce a string of saves towards the end of the game. Two further injuries in the last few minutes mean a very depleted squad but we don't have a game next week and have a chance of getting ourselves sorted out.