PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
TUESDAY 3RD AUGUST 2010
HAMWORTHY REC 2 VERWOOD TOWN 3

This was the last friendly before the season started. We knew it would be a good game and also a top test as to our progress.

Cliff Platt (Referee Extrordinaire) should have been in the middle but earlier in the day had damaged the back of his left leg where a muscle should have been. Cliff used his wallet as a small barbell in his fitness routine and unfortunately the excess weight was too much. He was welcomed though into the Verwood dugout where we had recovery equipment on hand.

Five minutes into the game and all of us in the dugout needed recovery. Cliff was kicked out.

Hamworthy trounced us particularly on their left hand side. We should have been three down but luckily they were well off target with their shooting and Tong stopped several efforts.

We staggered back into the game but Hamworthy's passing was crisp and we struggled to compete. A couple of flashes of good football from Smith and Haskell gave rise for optimism but we didn't seem to get our game together.

Another flurry of attacks and with Delaney and Lynch winning last ditch tackles meant we were under the cosh yet again.

Freeman gradually won his battle with a tricky winger and with Elysee wearing the No.7 shirt, money flew into bet365 that we would get equal possession of the ball.

18 minutes and Stevens steered the ball to Smith. A pass inside a defender gave space and Arnold's 20 yarder flew into the top corner.

Then Elysee smashed an unstoppable goal into the roof of the net.

Against the run of play?.....who cares?

3 minutes later Hamworthy scored with a good effort and then Haskell reacted with a volley making it 3-1 at half time.

The second half started in a similar fashion to the first with Hamworthy pushing the pace.

Tong made a great save at the foot of the post and then Murray body blocked a fierce drive from the edge of the box.

At the other end, Haskell slammed a ball into the side netting and Smith landed a ball on the roof of the net.

Newbery and Mills were coming more and more into game but then on 75 minutes Hamworthy had a volley deflected past Tong to close the gap.

Handbags flourished at one point but it was a quick kiss and make up.

Elysee dropped to right back giving Freeman a chance to catch his breath. It was Elysee's sliding tackle that stopped a volley directed at goal.

Stevens was having more influence in the middle of the park and it appeared as if we had a bit more stamina to finish the game. Stevens sent away Williams who had come on for Smith and Williams run on goal finished with a great shot but with the side netting being recipient.

Haskell and Arnold moved the ball through the middle. A ball then wide found Williams and the cross was turned towards the net by Haskell. The keeper took it clean and powered the kick into our area. Delaney was underneath and the ball found its way back into Hamworthy's box. It was like watching heading tennis for a few minutes but exchanges fizzled out.

We expected a few minutes injury time but the ref must have had an hour glass as the teams meandered on to the final whistle that seemed an eternity to blow.

It was a 3-2 score line and a good game to prime us for the season's start on Saturday