DORSET SENIOR CUP - ROUND 1
SATURDAY 1ST OCTOBER 2011
BLANDFORD UNITED 1 VERWOOD TOWN 2

A steaming hot 29 degrees and not much breeze. Dyer and again Gajic proved to be our stamina heroes.

Gajic was in action from the whistle closing down an attempted attack through the middle. A quick pass to Saxby split Blandford's defence but the keeper beat Saxby to the ball.

Blandford worked the flank well and a good move left them clean on goal. The shot luckily was wayward.

Another long ball cleared our defence but this time Lynch was off his line to safely gather.

Freeman stopped an attack and racing forward set up Homer for a shot on goal. The keeper took a clean catch.

Evans Kelly Delaney and Freeman made a solid back four. Delaney's chat yet again helped immensely in giving direction and creating discipline.

Haskell had been well policed but wriggled free of his marker half way through the half. A half volley clipped the post but fell the wrong side of it.

Blandford whipped the ball wide but Evans was across quickly to divert the threat. Kelly picked up the pieces and a ball wide to Saxby split the home sides defence. A shot heading for the top corner looked good for a goal but yet again the keeper made a tremendous save.

Dyer took a free kick that found Gajic. A god header this time bet the keeper but was cleared off the line by the full back.

We got the breakthrough on 40 minutes. Dyer crossed into the box. A mad scramble followed but Gajic won the tussle and hooked the ball into the net. 1-0.

Half Time 1-0

Evans made a good run forward straight from the kick off. A deep cross but yet again the keeper made a good catch under pressure.

Homer and Dyer worked through the middle and a shot from Dyer went just wide.

Blandford perked up and put together some good football. Constant effort to push us back paid off with 11 minutes gone. A chip over our defence was partly headed on by Delaney but the ball fell kindly for a runner and the ball was lobbed over the advancing Lynch to level the score. 1-1.

Freeman damaged an ankle with 67 minutes on the clock and Murray came on at left back. Blandford tried to pressure on the flank but Murray was equal to the task and good defending put us back on the attack with Homer testing the keeper with a rising shot from the edge of the area. The ball sailed wide.

Blandford then got on top for a spell. Lynch did well to palm away a shot for the top corner then made a good catch as the ball dropped on the penalty spot.

Dyer and Saxby worked the right flank and a cross gave room for Haskell to try a shot. The keeper frustrated yet again. 69 minutes and Dyer dropped a cross onto the edge of the box. Homer chipped it on. The keeper this time had to palm the ball off the line. Haskell stooped low to head into the net. 2-1.

The last ten minutes of the game saw a couple of drained sides as the heat took its toll. On balance we survived slightly better than the home side.

Saxby and Dyer had attempts hoofed out of the area and Barnet who had come on for Gajic had a good shot turned off the line by the keeper.

Dyer closed the game with a rising volley that sailed over the bar.

Full Time 2-1