SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 13TH FEBRUARY 2010
VERWOOD TOWN 1 SHAFTESBURY 0

Lynch Faulkner Goodall and Evans were all missing so in came Jack Mills and Ben Giles. Kris Anderton collected the balance of splinters from the bench.

We forced a corner with a couple of minutes gone. Baguley's header was stopped on the line. A half clearance was lashed back in. Again someone's leg blocked the ball from going over the line. Up stepped Jamison and the ball flew into the roof of the net. Celebrations were short lived as the referee judged an infringement.

The football wasn't pretty as we blundered forward. Homer had a great shot palmed away and then Arnold hit a 20 yard volley against the bar.

Shaftesbury moved the ball through the centre of the park and a cross shot was well collected by Fawcett.

Matt Newbery's running created a couple of gaps but we couldn't crack the defensive shield thrown up by the Shaftesbury's back four.

22 minutes gone and our pressure paid off. A corner won on our left was fired across the box and there was Arnold to plant a header past the keeper. 1-0.

Shaftesbury's retaliation was a couple of breaks down their right but Fawcett's handling kept the score sheet in our favour.

Elysee and Murray were allowed space to go forward so Shaftesbury's full backs had a lot to do.

Jamison and Martin Newbery were solid as a central pairing and we stayed on top for the rest of the first half.

Towards the end of the half we hit the post and made the keeper produce exceptional saves.

Half time 1-0

A more determined Shaftesbury came out in the second half and in the first few minutes had us back pedalling.

Fawcett made a good save diving to his right and Jamison's strong tackling was needed as we defended in numbers.

Shaftesbury's right side of mid field became inventive and threaded balls crept through our mid field. Elysee and Murray covered well and we weathered the storm.

Elysee overlapped on the right and a deep cross found Baguley. Back wide again and in came hard low cross. Baguley's header had the keeper beaten but went wide.

We peppered the area but the keepers handling was exceptional and a very determined centre half won a series of headers.

We enjoyed a period of possession during which Homer and Dyer went close with good efforts. Arnold hit the post and Ben Kelly's header from a corner was a whisker wide of the angle.

Shaftesbury dug in,,,,,,,,we went off the boil and the game meandered into grim viewing. Passes went astray and both teams struggled to put a good move together.

Shaftesbury came closest to putting the ball into the net but luckily we had a resolute back four and kept the ball out of the net.

Jack Mills came on for Matt Newbery and Kris Anderton rolled off the bench to replace Ben Kelly.

The fresh legs didn't help but equally nor did the Shaftesbury substitutions. Both Mangers were frustrated with lack of finish but it was one of those days when we could have played on for another week but neither side would have scored.

Result 1-0