SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
MONDAY 31ST AUGUST 2009
DOWNTON 4 VERWOOD TOWN 0

Working practices robbed us of four players so we finished up with a team we thought cold do the job of picking up three points but with only one sub.

A recently permed referee led the teams on to the pitch for the now traditional handshake before kick off.

It opened briskly but with more of a long ball than football on the deck. Not many attacks broke through into the goal areas as both defences held a tight line.

It was 14 minutes gone before we threatened Downton's area and the danger man was Homer. A terrific piece of play involving Martin Newbery and Truan split Downton at the back. Homer raced in to hammer a low shot goalwards but unfortunately too near the keeper.

Downton tried a couple of long range shots and then one breakthrough had Fawcett scrambling to save on the line.'

29 minutes and a long clearance from Downton bounced in our half. Lynch and Evans went for the ball but the bounce carried it high. A scramble followed as players scrambled to control the ball. Evans and Downton's centre forward clashed and Evans was judged to have pulled the player back. The red card flashed and off went Evans.

Ben Truan dropped back to right back and Sean Jones moved to support Lynch.

38 minutes and a chip over our defence allowed a run on goal and there was no mistake with a shot into the bottom corner. 0-1.

We strung a good move together with three minutes to go and Martin Newbery saw his pass move onwards via brother Matt, Lanahan and Dyer. The cross wanted a touch. No one managed the task.

A minute to go and a distasteful incident as the ball dropped in our area and a foot as high as Fawcett's chest deflected the ball from Fawcett's hands. It fell loose bounced high and a head prodded the ball into the net. It should have been a free kick instead it proved to be Downton's second.

Half Time 0-2.

We were determined to get back into the reckoning and produced some good football.

Only a minute and a half gone and Jones raced from defence to hammer a right foot shot past the keeper but disappointingly saw the angle of bar and post stop the ball finishing in the back of the net.

Truan was using the overlap to keep Downton pegged at the back and a couple of openings should have resulted in a goal.

Dyer joined the shot brigade and the keeper was made to produce a save almost as good as Fawcett's minutes later as Downton sprung a surprise attack.

63 minutes and hands up. This time a great piece of football opened us up at the back and a shot flew past Fawcett from 25 yards. 0-3.

We looked a bit tired now as Saturday's game 10 men and today's heat took its toll.

Martin Newbery paced himself very well indeed and continued his 90 minute task with a great display.

Luke Homer was jaded after a night in a tent and no sleep but still threatened the Downton goal. A typical bit of Homer magic left everyone frustrated as the ball skipped back into play off the post when it should have nestled in the back of the net.

On we pressed but gaps started to appear at the back. Lynch was superb throughout. He couldn't do anything about the balls now being pumped over the backs and it needed an alert Fawcett to keep coming off his line to clear.

Downton also now looked tired and the game seemed to be concentrating efforts in the middle of the park, Neither side looked capable of scoring any more in the game.

40 minutes and Homer looked like the lone ranger as he struggled to produce a solo goal. Four red and white shirts blocked his progress but he fought on.

With only 2 minutes left a break out of Downton defence and a runner was free to lob Fawcett. The ball dropped just under the bar.

The game finished with Downton having a resounding 0-4 result.