SYDENHAMS (WESSSEX) LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 12TH MARCH 2011
VERWOOD TOWN 1 AFC PORTCHESTER 1

Several changes were forced on Adie Arnold for this game against second in the table Portchester.

Missing from the line up was Delaney and Tong. Chris Lynch donned the gloves and Martin Smith took on centre half role with Matt Dear moving across to sweep.

Elysee and Murray took the No.2 and 3 shirts respectively and both were called on to stem a quick couple of attacks from Portchester. Portchester’s movement was good off the ball but we had enough about us today to match them around the pitch. It was good opening football.

8 minutes gone and a break on the right was continued by Aspin. Cutting in to the box Aspin’s angled shot evaded the keeper and finished up in the bottom corner. 1-0.

Smith won a couple of headers as Portchester attacked centrally. A snap shot had Lynch gathering comfortably as we settled into rhythm,

Webb and Dyer worked hard in the middle of the park and Webb’s through ball to Saxby split Portchester’s defence allowing Haskell to try a shot from the edge of the box. The keeper covered the shot and a drop kick up field found two runners. Elysee was across quickly and made a great tackle giving away a corner. The corner swung in and Dear connected clearing away the danger.

It was a good half for us and we should have had a couple of goals to show for the effort but our finishing was again poor.

Haskell had a header saved on the line and Saxby hit a cross shot that was steered away from danger by a lunging boot.

Lynch showed good positional sense and only had a flurry of activity to deal with towards the end of the half.

Half Time 1-0

We were pegged back in the opening minutes as Portchester clicked with a much sharper passing quality and Dyer alongside Webb were most affected as Portchester moved the ball through the mid field.

Smith again was very dominant cutting out aerial threats and with Matt Dear superbly sweeping we looked as though we could more than survive a rejuvenated Portchester.

Lynch came out quickly to belt the ball away from danger as a hopeful high ball cleared the middle of the park and dropped into our third.

Haskell gave hope for a second, rounding two defenders and slamming a shot for the top corner. Another find save from the keeper kept the score line at 1-0.

Wrixton added his talent to working down the line and a couple of timely tackles held up Portchester’s attack. Elysee and Murray worked across the line supporting Dear and Smith so we looked quite solid.

Aspin’s pace took him clear of his marker and a cross shot was palmed out by the keeper. Saxby raced in to hammer the ball goalwards but again the keeper turned the ball away.

A counter attack put Dear under pressure and a corner was the result of a hasty clearance. This time we couldn’t clear and a glancing header made it 1-1.

Portchester applied more pressure from the kick off and we looked a little lax at times as we were forced to defend deep into our area.

Webb and Dyer worked tirelessly to stem more attacks and we worked hard to get back on top.

Haskell, Aspin and Wrixton had shots blocked and Saxby’s effort with a couple of minutes to go should have sealed it but good defending in numbers stopped the ball from reaching the goal mouth.

The whistle went on a 1-1 result.