FA VASE - 2ND QUALIFYING ROUND
SATURDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2009
CULLOMPTON RANGERS 1 VERWOOD TOWN 2 (AFTER EXTRA TIME)

This was our first excursion in this competition. Cullompton had been through the hoop several times and were very experienced. Maybe it accounted for a few nerves amongst the squad.

We finally landed in Cullompton in good time to prepare. The pitch and reception were very good.

A couple of changes had to be made from the last two games against Hamble and Farnborough. Lovell couldn't make the game and Homer still suffered from his sprained ankle. The back four though remained as was with Anderton and Arnold holding the middle of the park. Lima took the 7 shirt and Dyer number 11. Newbery and Truan led the line.

We settled to watch a thrilling game. !!!!!!!!

In the first five minutes we never found one of our players with the ball. We had no sense of direction and the quality of football we had experienced against Hamble and Farnborough seemed lost forever. It wasn't helped with a Cullompton side using route 1+. We gave them the ball and they thumped it up the park for a very quick runner to try and control and score. Lynch and Jamison got themselves under every missile heading into our area and it slowly developed into trajectory launches and an artillery style reaction.

Our defences were breached a couple of times bringing Fawcett into the limelight. Saves in instances of one on ones were Fawcett's forte on the day.

The upwards barrage continued. The balls were flying higher into the stratosphere...NASA must have been on red alert. The time taken for the ball to land was getting longer. A couple of spectators took time away from the game to visit the Cullompton Rangers kitchen where the smell of chips and sausages permeated the atmosphere. The cooking seemed to be excellent as they emerged with a bucket of chips peas and sausages...in fact just in time to see the ball plummet to earth. Lynch bombed it back.

29 minutes and an unusual event. We moved the ball along the deck and Anderton crossed deep into enemy territory. Newbery judged the ball to perfection and side footed the ball past the keeper. 1-0.

Half time 1-0.

We were second best to most of the tackles as Rangers got stuck in. Any ball had their name written on it. Only our back four challenged properly and the game for Verwood spectators took a turn for the worse.

Rangers pushed forward with more of the mid field and forwards waiting around the box for the ball to land. Fawcett was busy and we were lucky on three occasions where a clear shot at goal was gifted but the ball went wide of the post. We could have been three down rather than in front.

Frustration was evident with Adie Arnold, Nigel Reeves and Nick Lanahan slowly becoming hoarse as they tried to cajole, threaten and occasionally promise beatings to get us into the game.

Murray was having the game of his life. Heading clearances, hammering the ball away from the area when it dropped on his side and then a mini disaster as his Primark copy football boots shed a complete heel on the sole. It didn't stop him though and we thought he played even better with a lopsided approach.

A ray of sunshine, we saw some football played on the deck. A move down the right from Rangers was halted by Elysee. A ball inside found Jamison on it went to Dyer and a break into the box saw a Dyer effort well held.

61 minutes and Anderton made way for Faulkner. Faulkner tried hard to revert to the earlier style of passing to the opposition but had the stamina to chase the ball down and retrieve it.

Truan went close with a cross shot and then Newbery followed.

Rangers hunted the ball down, very terrier like and got on top. Good approach work saw two shot go over the bar and then another one on one was won by Fawcett.

Arnold hit a thirty yarder but the keeper made a good catch.

A free kick was fired in and we were judged to have handled.....Penalty...1-1.

A nail biter.....then extra time....Adie Arnold shoved another battery into his pacemaker........115minutes....Lanahan hit a screamer....handled....penalty ..up stepped Newbery...2-1. A cracking finish and we got through to the next round.

Final score 2-1.