SYDENHAMS (WESSEX) LEAGUE DIVISION 1
SATURDAY 16TH OCTOBER 2010
AFC PORTCHESTER 2 VERWOOD TOWN 3

This was a tough one. High flyers Portchester have another good side this season and sit in the top set with the intention of going up. Their facilities have come on a ton and it's obvious their committee like ours has put a massive effort in improvements for the future

We had another one of those Saturday's when Adie Arnold had to take overdose of adrenalin and vitamins in case of being called upon to tread the turf. Missing...Elysee Murray Dear Jamison Faulkner Haskell Lovell Webb Tong Stephens. 6 of whom have been regular starters. In the case of Adam Tong though Adam's operation for a punctured lung caused by collision in the Hamworthy game means he will be out for possibly the season. Dan Fawcett's return from short retirement has given us excellent cover in the goalkeeping department.

Sporting a new Blue and White away strip we kicked off in unusual fashion. The first two passes found our players!!!! It was a concern. Was it a blip or was it that the new influx of players are not cast in the Verwood Mould?

We then struggled to find the ball as Portchester commandeered the game. Possession was theirs. Occasionally we touched it until they reached the area then we dug in and we couldn't fault the effort the team gave.

Portchester had most of the play. We made breaks out of the back but they had a good back four and we didn't get much joy from any breaks we made. We got stronger and play was confined to the middle of the park for part of the half.

37 minutes we blocked a raid in the area and a Lynch clearance to King gave space for King to push forward. The keeper raced out but King carefully placed the ball past him to put us 1-0 ahead.

48 minutes and a corner dropped nicely on the edge of the box for a volley to fly past Fawcett to send the teams in at half time 1-1. A couple of the lads were struggling. King was suffering from a trapped nerve and Moore was suffering from a lack of oxygen.

Dyer made the first impact on the game with a shot from the edge of the box and the keeper made a good save

5 minutes later Dyer got a second opportunity and this time the ball nestled snugly in the bottom corner as the keeper was still in motion. 2-1 and a more even share of the game.

57 minutes and we opened up Portchester's left hand side with a sweeping move started by Morrison and finished with a corner being won by Lanahan.

In came the corner....up went Delaney and the ball flew past the keeper to put us 3-1 ahead.

60 minutes saw Lanahan slide a ball into the box for King to slam a volley. The keeper was beaten but the ball skimmed past the post.

King was playing through a pain barrier but kept plugging away. Newbery worked the line and gave help in the defensive area to keep us ahead.

15 minutes to go we cracked. A strong Portchester attack down their left gave room for a low cross and a brilliantly executed volley from the edge of the box made it 3-2. The Portchester goals must rank as a couple of the best we have seen this season.

Could they get a third? Pressure was applied. Moore and Morrison got in the way of shots then Delaney made a diving header clearance leaving soil marks on his pate.

Lynch pulled out the stops with a great defensive contribution as Portchester pushed for their third.

We slugged it out and with a couple of minutes left almost lost two points as we were opened up with a terrific through ball and then a volley from which Fawcett made a fantastic save.

Final Score 3-2