SYDENHAMS (WESSSEX) LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 19TH FEBRUARY 2011
WHITCHURCH UNITED 4 VERWOOD TOWN 3

Whitchurch hadn't woken up when the whistle blew. We seemed to have the run of the park. Only 30 seconds had gone when Dyer crossed and Aspin touched the ball over the line 1-0? No...the linesman said Aspin was offside.

We pressed forward. Lanahan and Webb combined to release Saxby and a low cross found Haskell. A shot on the turn had the keeper scrambling but keeping the ball out of the net. We had complete run of play without much challenge.

5min 30 secs Dyer went down the line a cross found Aspin. A shot was palmed out by the keeper. In came Saxby to finish off the move slotting the ball into the net. 1-0.

It was a wakeup call for the home team and retaliation came in the form of a raid down the left but the cross went high and wide.

We stayed on top though and 15 minutes into the half a corner was headed over the bar by Lynch.

2 min later Saxby Elysee Saxby again the Aspin moved down the right. Aspin crossed to the far post. Lanahan strode in and hit a low shot. It was deflected by the full back. Dyer caught the re bound but hit the side netting.

Lynch then became the heroic defender stopping a central move from Whitchurch. It was Delaney though catching the eye with a superb display of sweeping at the back.

21 min and Whitchurch drew level with a simple goal well taken. We then had a 'think tank' period and while trying to think watched Whitchurch take the lead. 1-2.

A minute later Haskell slammed the equaliser. 2-2.

5 minutes later a long clearance from Whitchurch keeper and we watched in admiration as the runner slipped the ball past the advancing Tong. 2-3

43 min 30 secs and Haskell's ball to Aspin was turned past the keeper. 3-3.

Half Time 3-3

Half time chat seemed as though it had had an effect when within the first minute of the re start Dyer cleared the way for Aspin to shoot from just inside the box. The ball was a mere dot in the sky as it continued to rise.

A minute later Webb hit a left foot shot over the bar and then Haskell hit the side netting.

Whitchurch moved the ball well down the right and a tremendous interception by Delaney stopped us from going behind.

Lynch stormed his way through and released Saxby. Saxby's cross found Aspin but a good tackle just inside the box kept the score level.

Delaney then delivered a good ball into the area. Saxby chipped over the defence and Webb slid the ball to Aspin. Aspin's shot was on target but the ball was cleared off the line.

Then we lost the middle of the park again. The Titanic could have sunk in the gap and no one would have noticed. At one point we had attacked and the ball cleared. We had no one to collect so Whitchurch had the run of space to the outside of the box.

Tong was suddenly confronted with six Whitchurch players bearing down on him with the intent to score. It would have been wishes come true for Jordan but a worrying spectacle for Tong. Elysee and Delaney intervened with enough pressure to force the ball wide and eventually out of play.

The ball was being pushed forward from our defence but going straight to Whitchurch feet. It needed change so instructions were passed for a few positional moves. Intelligence was needed.............

Nuff said when we suddenly found ten on the bench!!!!!

We'd lost it. Whitchurch took the opportunity to show us how it was done and did so in the 64th minute when we were again AWOL in the middle and a good move finished the scoring. The home side nicked a three point reward for resilience and perseverance.

The only thing we took away was a gastronomic delight from Mo's Kitchen.

Result 3-4