SYDENHAMS (WESSSEX) LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 16TH APRIL 2011
VERWOOD TOWN 0 UNITED SERVICES PORTSMOUTH 1

Was it because Manager Adie Arnold Asst Manager Mark Beverley and Director of everything Nigel Reeves were away that the dressing room had an air of calm and purpose?

Richard Stainer and football icon Dan Saxby gave the rousing speech and it was noticeable that every expletive was understood.

Half an hour before we kicked off Mike Haskell phoned to say he couldn’t get to the game because of work so a quick shuffle and Murray stepped into the No. 9 shirt.

We looked a bit ragged at the start and USP took advantage to attack quickly on their right. A cross shot went wide of the post but Fawcett had it covered.

The game was fast mainly because of a mix of long ball and scrappy passing. It was much too fast for the ref who stopped play with 20 minutes gone and limped to the line complaining of a hamstring pull. Both physios raced to help but a tourniquet round the neck didn’t cure the problem and No. 1 linesman took the whistle. Dan Scott (Verwood Physio) took the flag.

USP stepped up the pace and with 22 minutes gone pinned us back to desperately defend our area. Delaney cleared one shot and then Lynch dived low to head clear near the penalty spot.

Dear finally eased pressure with a clever piece of play and released Saxby for a counter attack. Saxby raced away and slipped the ball to Gajic who tried a 20 yard effort that grazed the bar.

34 minutes and it was Saxby again who went clear and unselfishly slipped the ball back to Gajic but it was intercepted and cleared.

A couple of attacks from both teams towards the end kept interest alive but the half finished.............

0-0.

We needed to get sharper and more accurate with our passing. The half time eloquence of Stainer and Saxby seemed to have an effect as we mounted an attack down our left. Dyer went clear of the full back and a deep cross was just missed by Murray.

Saxby and Webb produced a good central move but got blocked on the edge of the box. A long clearance from USP sailed over Delaney but Lynch had read it well and was quickly across to make a great tackle on USP’s centre forward.

Fawcett had to make a tremendous save as USP cracked us open with 55 minutes gone but Fawcett dived low right to palm the ball away from danger.

64 minutes gone and Elysee battled for the ball in mid field, won the tussle and chipped the ball over defenders for Dyer to go wide. Dyer cut the ball back from the bye line finding Saxby but the left foot shot hit pigeons.

70 minutes gone and a well worked move from USP down their right resulted in a low hard cross into the box. The ball was swept past Fawcett for a classic goal. 0-1.

We hit back and got better. Saxby’s angled shot went wide then Elysee slammed a volley just past the upright. Gajic worked hard and had a couple of headers wide.

We couldn’t score. Dyer tried and then Delaney belted a right foot shot from 20 yards just skimming the bar. Gajic hit a screamer but yet again the bar took the brunt of the force and the ball cannoned back into play and was cleared.

Fawcett then was forced to make a brilliant save as we pushed forward letting USP in for a few shots.

Webb and Freeman came off for Scott and Morrison then Matt Dear made way for Ben Richards. It didn’t matter, we couldn’t get the ball in the net.

Full Time 0-1.