SYDENHAMS (WESSEX) LEAGUE DIVISION 1
SATURDAY 23RD OCTOBER 2010
VERWOOD TOWN 1 WHITCHURCH UNITED 3

Steve Moore drifted in at full back as Chris Lynch drifted out ..banned three games. Other changes came thick and fast as brothers Billy and Jack Daniels took on midfield while Chas Elysee swanned his way on an examination of health and Safety issues in several Poole Pubs.

Delaney was the first to defend a high ball into our box and then Murray cut out a left flank raid as Whitchurch piled on the pressure. Fawcett leaped high to claw a dangerous cross in the box and then Moore hoofed another cross up the line for Newbery to chase.

It wasn't pretty but for 13 minutes we scrapped away and then Whitchurch carved out an opening to slot the ball past Dan Fawcett. 0-1.

Billy Daniels moved the ball away from danger just outside the box and then slid a line ball to brother Jack. A quick cross and Newbery stole in to shoot wide.

King fired just wide on the half hour and then we got a penalty two minutes later. Up stepped Matt Newbery to level scores. 1-1.

We thought Whitchurch might have been rocked a bit but they just got stronger and 34 minutes they went ahead with a simple header to make it 1-2.

2 minutes later an open goal and we were fortunate to see the ball sail high and wide.

46 minutes we had pushed too far up and got caught on the break with a 3 on 1..inevitable result 1-3.

We had to sweat for another 2 minutes as the ref's hour glass emptied.

Half Time 1-3.

Out we came for 45 minutes where we hoped we would recover the deficit.

Jack Daniels made headway into the area which excited him, except he was in ours and not theirs. Murray pointed him in the right direction kicking off a mazy run finishing on the half way line with a back pass to Smith who was filling in at centre half.

Moore fired a ball to Dyer, a quick turn and a through ball to King almost brought a goal but the keeper made a good save to keep the score line 1-3.

50 minutes and the keeper got a straight red after dropping King in the box. Up stepped Newbery whose Christmas Spirit came early. Only Farmer Jones a couple of miles up the road saw the ball. To everyone else it was just a blur. On came another match ball as the game continued.

Whitchurch down to 10 men restructured and bottled up the mid field. We didn't have enough maturity in the side to unlock the defensive shield so we saw a game being pushed to the wire and a defeat on the cards.

A shuffle of the pack refreshed ideas and for a time we looked as if we could cut back the Whitchurch scoreline.

King by this time was on oxygen cylinders but still tried hard to move his legs.

Kelly's left peg was still operating and as the game tottered towards the end Kelly's passing ability was a feature as he spring boarded several Whitchurch attacks.

The ref puckered his lips...no one wanted to know so he blew his whistle instead.

Final score 1-3.