SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 22ND AUGUST 2009
VERWOOD TOWN 1 UNITED SERVICES PORTSMOUTH 3

Twice in the first couple of minutes Fawcett had to race from his line to gather through balls intended for USP runners. A long clearance from the second attack and Dyer cut through the middle of the park. Going to the right his delivery into the box was immaculate. Homer, judged it to perfection and a left foot volley whipped past the keeper to put us one head.

11 minutes and we lived dangerously as we half tried to clear a corner. Finally Charlie Elysee did the business and cleared the area with an 'Up n' under'.

15 minutes and Newbery crossed from the right. Truan slid in but the ball went wide.

US Portsmouth had a defensive wall every time we tried to break into their box. As they broke though everyone went forward like a tidal wave. We stood and watched a couple. They almost scored from one run into the box but fortunately Fawcett was our saviour flinging himself to his right to palm the ball away.

38 minutes and another break down the right had Fawcett racing from goal. He slipped on the tackle and the ball was hammered low goalwards. Evans had read the problem and was on the line to clear.

40 minutes and Homer sent a cross into the box. Truan gathered, turned inside the full back and tried a low shot but the keeper was left with nothing to do as the ball went wide.

A minute later, Dyer dribbled round three players but had his shot blocked.

A minute left and Lanahan cut inside the area but fired his effort wide.

The half finished 1-0.

Two minutes gone and we watched as USP threaded their way through the mid field and then one player took over to walk round a couple of half hearted tackles and slip the ball past the advancing Fawcett. Casual as you please but an excellent answer to our lead.

In an effort to keep the squad intact and without winter illnesses the committee had dug deep to have everyone inoculated against swine flu. A check on the strain injected indicated the anti virus was in fact one for amnesia. A mild dose of amnesia was applied It worked. We forgot why we had turned up and of course what we had to do. The side effect of colour blindness was evident as we passed uncontrollably to USP.

USP with 12 minutes gone slipped through our defence again and went two up.

USP were sharper, they wanted the ball and fought for it. We let them have it. Hardly any resistance and a very laid back attitude.

69 minutes and we were treated to one of the better goals seen this season. A break down the right and a shot from just inside the area flew past Fawcett hit the underside of the bar and finished up in the roof of the net. 1-3.

We were ragged, lost discipline and went worse as the minutes ticked by. We lost the ability to work the ball out of defence and saw constant long balls hit straight to the opposition and then only for it to be hammered back into our half BUT the difference being the ball usually finished at the feet of a USP player.

All credit to the opposition today, they worked hard....we didn't ...and they thoroughly deserved the three points.

Typical of the day was in the last couple of minutes of the debacle Russ Dyer wormed his way through only to hit the ball wide.

We lost 1-3.........Amesbury Wednesday night at Potterne ??????