SYDENHAMS (WESSSEX) LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
MONDAY 3RD JANUARY 2011
VERWOOD TOWN 2 ANDOVER NEW STREET 3

Adam Tong returned from his injury for our first league game of 2011. Also we had the pleasure of Mark Jamison joining us from the Young Offenders Institute in Oxford. Although on temporary release he helped swell the bench to good quality. The early kick off meant he could comply with his curfew conditions.................

8 minutes and Dyer hit a left foot shot intended for the net but the ball was deflected for a corner. The keeper spilled his catch and Haskell pounced to hit a low shot that was cleared off the line.

Andover's response was a good move down the left and a high cross cleared Lynch. Fortunately Tong was quickly off his line to gather.

18 minutes gone and we still edged the game. Saxby went wide right to collect a Smith pass and a squared ball left the keeper stranded. Haskell raced in and from 18 inches hit the bar!!!! His next job surely should be with NASA. Not even their people could get a projectile into the air with such a vertical lift.

Andover gradually got themselves together recognising we couldn't score. A blaster from 20 yards brought out a great save from Tong. Seconds later it was Lynch making a diving header to clear danger.

38 minutes an excellent move on the left by Andover left three Verwood defenders for dead and a low shot this time beat Tong to give Andover the lead.

Wrixton took Lanahan's through ball past the centre half but his shot was comfortably held by the keeper.

We looked vulnerable at the back and was lucky to survive a couple of attacks until the 44th minute when again we left gaps on our right hand side giving enough space for another well worked goal.

The whistle went on a half time score line of .

Adie's first rollicking of 2011 had an effect. We looked sharper and the ball was moved more accurately.

Saxby, Haskell and Dyer worked the ball forward. Saxby went wide right to receive the ball and Wrixton following up swept through to the edge of the box. The ball was inch perfect but the keeper wasn't tested.

52 minutes and we got a reward for pressure. Smith and Lanahan moved the ball quickly forward. Haskell followed in and the final ball gave him time to place a right foot low shot past the keeper. 1-2,

5 minutes later Dyer sparked a move on the left. Haskell went wide for the pass. A cut back found Saxby and the result was the ball in the back of the net. 2-2.

Andover dug in and defended well as we gathered pace. There was a danger of being hit on the break as we pushed on.

64 minutes we won a corner. Lynch joined the heavily populated area but it was Haskell rising above everybody that put the ball wide of the post.

Back came Andover and a shot from the edge of the box arrowed towards the top corner but Tong was more than equal to the task and brought off a fine save.

Morrison pulled up short minutes later and a hamstring pull meant Jamison warming up for his first run out in 2011.

A fighting performance from Andover kept us at bay and although we made several openings we couldn't finish.

Then came a spell for Andover and it was our turn to defend and with hope to catch them on the break.

71 minutes and Andover broke on the right. Lynch raced across and made a great tackle taking the ball cleanly. The referee gave a penalty. It was one of the worst decisions ever made on the ground. Nonetheless the penalty was tucked away and the game finished with a score line of 2-3.

Whilst we can complain of the poor decision we have only ourselves to blame for losing the points as we should have stitched it up in the first half.

Result 2-3.