BOURNEMOUTH PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 14TH MARCH 2009
VERWOOD TOWN 3 SWAY 1

Team
1. Ben Daniels
2. John Homer
3. Will Cobley
4. Graham Cole
5. Pete Eyre
6. Kris Rex
7. Paul Stephens
8. Andy Munson
9. Carl Smalley
10. Matt Newbury
11. Luke Homer
12. Ben Britnall (Sub for Carl Smalley 55 mins)
13. Matt McGilchrist (Sub for Andy Munson 65 mins)

Report

It was important that we followed up with last week's victory with another to prove to everyone that we are fighting to beat relegation.

We started brightly with a run up the right wing by the speedy Kris Rex who crossed for Paul Stephens to strike a right footed volley that Sway's keeper did brilliantly to tip over. We then forced a couple of corners and had them on the back foot. However 5 minutes later the game changed when a mishit pass by Paul Stephens put their Centre forward clean through and he rounded young Ben in goal to nestle the ball in the back of our net. As through balls go, it was superb by Paul just unfortunately at the wrong end of the pitch!

We struggled to come to terms with this and Sway put us under pressure. Our passing was not accurate and we were losing out on all the challenges, but with the solid back four we held them at bay. Luke and Matt Newbury up front were causing them problems and this gave us heart and slowly we came back into the game. Minutes before half time Kris battled for the ball just in their half, passed it infield where the central midfield duo of Andy Munson and Paul Stephens then worked the ball back out to Kris who roasted his fullback and sent in an early cross which was met by Matt who guided the ball into the corner of their net.

We had been out muscled in the first half and it was left to Galer to ram this home to the players in the half time interval. A somewhat passionate spiel that rates up there with "we will fight them on the beaches……..".

It certainly worked for the second half was totally dominated by us and we fully deserved to take the lead when on the hour we were awarded a free kick to the left of their penalty area. Matt Newbury went to take it and bent his shot/cross around the wall. Luke then jumped over it and the encroaching Paul Stephens also dummied it with the ball eventually going into the corner of their net with the goalkeeper rooted to the spot.

We continued to take the game to them, suddenly we were winning all the challenges, playing high tempo football which they were having difficult combating. Our speed was also causing them problems and ten minutes later John Homer overlapped Kris and put in a low hard cross which their fullback in trying to block handled in the area. Somewhat harsh but a penalty was awarded, which Matt duly converted to secure his hat-trick.

We then sent on young fresh legs in the shape of Ben Britnall and Matt McGilchrist who both immediately got in the game and the last quarter of an hour we played with a maturity to close out the game. We afforded them one chance which struck our post otherwise it was comfortable.

A real achievement especially as our team had 4 under 18's (with 2 more on the bench but unused)!

Report submitted by Neville Munson