SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
WEDNESDAY 27TH JANUARY 2010
VERWOOD TOWN 0 WHITCHURCH UNITED 0

Matt Newbery Paul Arnold James Murray all missing and Dan Goodall injured in the warm up.!!!! Not a bad start for a crucial game on a damp and cold Wednesday night.

2 minutes into the game Jamison intercepted a through ball, a chip to Dyer a cross to Baguley who stepped over for Homer to slam a shot inches wide of the post.

The dead ball kick went wide right. Faulkner timed his tackle accurately and produced a line ball freeing up Homer. A low centre and Dyer cruised in to try a shot for the top corner but the keeper made a good catch under the bar.

It was good end to end stuff but oddly both teams found difficulty in making the last pass an accurate one. Too many 'giveaways' splattered the game. Equally there was a poor performance generally in front of goal.

Homer again was the architect of a move bringing in Dyer on the right. Dyer's break into the box threatened Whitchurch blank goals against record but the keeper again produced a good save.

20 minutes and another Dyer cross was cleared. The ball fell to Elysee. A low cross and Lovell moved in to dink the ball over a stretched leg but hit the foot of the post instead of the back of the net.

Whitchurch breaks were incisive but became blunt in front of the sticks. Both teams must have had the same coach. Chances went begging. Both keepers were on form and as the game progressed it seemed obvious to the spectators that a 0-0 was on the cards.

Dyer hit a rising shot with a minute of the half left and the ball grazed the wrong side of the bar.

Half Time 0-0

Faulkner's timing of a tackle with 10 minutes gone was critical. The Whitchurch attack was clinical and had cut through on their right. Before the ball could be crossed Faulkner had blocked the ball and cleared down the line.

Evans pace then was key as he cut out a central ball preventing a shot on goal.

Whitchurch were playing good football and Lynch and Jamison were keeping a tight grip on our central area.

Aggressive Lynch was yellow carded for a strong tackle with 62 minutes gone and a mini flurry of red mist came and went a few minutes later.

Jamison was excellent in his reading of a threat when stepping between attackers and coolly slipping the ball to Kelly. A quick turn and Kelly's ball went wide to Homer. A run down the line, a deep cross and Baguley was inches short of connecting only a foot of the line.

Lovell then went close with a header as we hit back. Baguley hit a rising shot the keeper tipped over the bar. Lynch joined in for the corner and climbed high to put a header over the bar.

Dyer hit a shot that an aborigine would have been proud of as it circled back.

A flurry again but no goals.

Whitchurch almost caught us pushing up too far and it was a Jamison leg that averted the danger.

Elysee and Evans combined well with ten minutes left. The resulting pass to Baguley split Whitchurch wide open. Baguly lined up his shot and the keeper lined up the ball. Good catch ...no goal.

The ref puckered lips and the game finished 0-0.