SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 6TH MARCH 2010
HORNDEAN 0 VERWOOD TOWN 0

Our last game against Horndean was only a couple of weeks ago. We won a hard fought game 2-1 so we were prepared for an even tougher game away from home.

The pitch slope was quite severe and must give a lot of fun for bob sleigher's. The playing surface today though... very good.

We had a full squad with the Newbery brothers and Kris Anderton sharing the bench.

Horndean's first attack brought a great save from Fawcett and giving rise to concern from Adie and Martin (Feuhrer and Ober Lieutenant) that we had given access to our area much too easily. Another shock with 5 minutes gone was a curling shot from the edge of the box that clipped the upright and went out of play.

Gradually we got ourselves together and 11 minutes gone won a free kick. Dyer found Baguley...the header was partly cleared. Arnold wellied the ball back and saw it blocked on the line. Baguley then headed the missile back towards goal. The keeper clawed it away from under the bar, in came Arnold to head it back....again it was clawed away for a corner. Homers inswinger was missed by everyone in the box and was eventually cleared upfield.

Minutes later Kelly wormed his way through midfield and tried a shot from just outside the box. The hoardings stopped it travelling down the high street.

5 minutes later Murray worked the line with Homer. A cross found Baguley but before he could shoot was pulled down. The free kick drifted into the area and Homer tried a volley. The keeper pulled off a fantastic save.

Horndean then had a long spell of possession but neither team could convert attacks into goals.

Half time 0-0

The first few minutes of the restart was a backs to the wall period for us as Horndean pushed forward and played some very good possession football.

Tackling from both sides got feisty, with Horndean still having their noses in front in terms of possession and shots. Fawcett pulled off two great saves and Murray blocked a swerving effort from creeping into the bottom corner.

Hard graft got us back into the game and a Dyer Arnold combination opened up Horndean on the right allowing a low cross to Baguley be volleyed goalward. Again the keeper brought off a terrific save.

57 minutes the Horndean No.5 picked up a second yellow...off he trudged. The dismissal seemed to lift Horndean and for a few minutes they looked dangerous pushing forward.

We countered through Dyer and his cross shot brought off a fine save from the keeper. We could have benefited from the keeper being red carded and the No.5 back on.

Dean Evans had worked hard in the middle of the park and eventually made way for Matt Newbery with 18 minutes left.

Horndean then broke through on their right, a deep cross and a volley had Fawcett diving to his right to deflect the ball for a corner. In it came and a Fawcett fist cleared the danger.

Kelly chipped the ball to Homer, a pass inside to Dyer a cross ball to Newbery and we made ground to the edge of the box. A low cross from Newbery and in stormed Homer to hit a cross shot that had the keeper beaten but the ball whipped past the post.

It was hammer and tongs for the closing couple of minutes and all credit to Horndean for their attacking flair despite having ten men for most of the second half.

The whistle blew on a hard fought 0-0 scorline.