SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 31ST OCTOBER 2009
HYTHE AND DIBDEN 0 VERWOOD TOWN 1

We had a full squad and needed a win to bolster confidences. Our mixed performances had Adie and Martin bewildered. The chat before the game was very pointed leaving no doubts as to what was expected.

It seemed as though no one had heard the words of wisdom. Fawcett did what he had to as the first shot threatened to creep under the bar. A good pair of hands,, a throw to Elysee , and a line ball put us on the attack. We gave the ball away so ten seconds after Fawcett's save he had to make another!

We displayed scrambled brain. Adie by this time was prostrate beating the floor with fists and feet. Martin just muttered obscenities.

Ten minutes later it was though someone had turned the light on. Baguley chested down a clearance to Arnold. A sweeping ball to Dyer split Hythe and Dibden at the back. A cross found Homer and a volley was beaten out by the keeper.

We kept pushing forward., Our tackling got crisper and we closed down the home team players quickly giving little time for them on the ball.

15 minutes into the half a break on the right got the home side behind our defence. The cross was deep and a volley whipped over the bar.

We hit back straight away with a drive from Arnold scraping the bar. Evans won a strong tackle at the back and slipped the ball wide to Homer. A quick raid on the left and Homer's pace gave him the edge as he approached the box. A measured drive whipped past the keeper into the net. 1-0.

Hythe and Dibden stepped up their game and Jamison cleared the first of a few efforts as pressure piled on. Lynch got under most of the aerial crosses but we went unscathed to the half time whistle.

Half Time 1-0.

2 minutes into the second half and Fawcett had to make a brilliant save from a cracking Hythe and Dibden move. Their movement off the ball was much better than ours and we got stretched. 53 minutes and a volley from the edge of he area was stopped from troubling Fawcett by Kelly flinging himself across the flight of the ball.

It was a rocky period but we got ourselves back into the game and support at last was evident as Baguley was able to lay the ball to players backing him up.

Evans doing a marking job found time to break forward and working the flank with Homer gave the home side a headache. A Baguley header from a Homer cross skimmed the bar and then Dyer tried a shot across the keeper that went wide.

Hythe and Dibden produced some excellent football and the game went end to end for a while. Both keepers were on form and it was obvious that goals were going to be at a premium.

A few thrills and spills in the areas made it good to watch, shots were blocked and cleared.

The mid field was fiercely contested and finished honours even.

The .last tem minutes of the half had a few handbags brandished but nothing really of a serious nature.

We finished with three hard earned points, winning 1-0.