SYDENHAMS (WESSEX) LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 14TH JANUARY 2012
EAST COWES VICTORIA 0 VERWOOD TOWN 6

A minute old and Kelly got himself under a high cross into the box clearing to Haskell. Haskell nodded down to Elysee. A cross on to the penalty spot and Homer's left foot forced a brilliant save from the keeper giving us a corner. A solid header cleared the box and put the home side on the attack. We were asleep in the middle and it was left to Delaney to cut out the danger. A minute later Lynch brought of an incredible save as ECV pushed forward.

Pressure from East Cowes continued and made us work hard. In the 5th minute though, Matt Dear cut out an attack on the left and forced his way down the left. Homer received an inch perfect pass and a pin point cross sped off Gajic's head into the roof of the net. 1-0.

Evans rescued us from an immediate reaction by cutting out a lob into the box and hoofing it clear.

The game see sawed for a while then with 13 minutes gone Kelly Dear and Haskell combined moving the ball wide to Gajic. Homer ran free and Gajic's pass was hammered low past the keeper. 2-0.

We kept up pressure. Haskell received the ball drawing out the keeper. A left foot placed shot beat the keeper but was stopped on the line.

ECV always looked dangerous on the break and our back line was severely tested. Kelly and Delaney kept a rein on ECV's front runners and Lynch was always there to mop up any loose balls.

Haskell beat the keeper with a low shot after 18 minutes but the ball spun off the foot of the post and out of the 6 yard box.

27 minutes and we were rewarded when a corner was half cleared and Webb made no mistake with a superb volley that finished up in the back of the net. 3-0. 29 minutes and a corner was met by Delaneys head. The bar rattled and the ball was cleared from danger.

Evans cut out a retaliatory strike and then Lynch caught a difficult ball just under the bar v The half closed with ECV still pressing to reduce their arrears but we held out to leave the pitch 3-0 ahead.

No complacency in the dressing room as we prepared for the second half. ECV equally had received the same message and moved the ball quickly into our back four. Dear took the ball away and a Dyer Webb combination carried the ball through the middle. Dyer rounded off the move with a good shot on target but the keeper made a great save. 57 minutes Delaney fed Elysee. A chip over the full back and Gajic passed wide to Evans. On to Dyer and a cross was turned away for a corner. Gajic rose high to head the ball to Haskell. A push in the back brought a penalty. Webb nipped between Haskell's legs to steal the ball and place the penalty past the keeper. 4-0.

We were enjoying a purple patch. Half way through the half Homer crossed for Elysee to fire a special but right into the keepers hands.

27 minutes, Elysee again got himself into the box but this time delivered a cut back ball to the edge of the area for Dyer to slot the ball past the keeper for number 5. 5-0. It stung the home side and a couple of good moves had Lynch defending a clean sheet. Evans and Dear were now busier than Delaney and Kelly as ECV sprung attacks down the flanks. We survived.

26 minutes…Elysee off and Barnett on. Kelly fed Barnett, a swivel and shot made the keeper work hard to keep the ball out of the net. Then Haskell tried a long effort but the ball bounced harmlessly past the post. 34 minutes Homer made way for Wilson.

35 minutes and Anderton came on for Dyer.

We stayed on top and Haskell surprised everyone when with only five minutes to go he won a race for the ball and slid it past the keeper for his second of the game. 6-0. We had to check whether any one of the home sides defenders was due for prosthetics but we were assured Haskell had genuinely won the race against fit players !!!!!

Barnet hit the inside of the post on 89 minutes and that proved to be the last attempt on the day as the game petered out in the middle of the park waiting for the whistle. The result was one we hadn't imagined possible earlier but shows the consistency now showing in our game.
Full Time 6-0.