SYDENHAMS (WESSSEX) LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 18TH AUGUST 2012
BEMERTON HEATH HARLEQUINS 4 VERWOOD TOWN 1

A visit to one of the Premier Leagues high flyers, yes we looked forward to, but with a hint of trepidation. Wednesday nights grueling 120 minutes had taken its toll.

Heath won a corner with a couple of minutes on the clock. The ball skidded in the box and Lynch was alert enough to make a reflex save pushing the ball out of danger.

We hitback through Evans Edwards and Satterley with Satterley rounding off the move angling a shot low for the bottom corner. A centre half stretched leg diverted the effort. The rebound fell again to Satterley who whipped in a low drive bringing out a great save from the keeper.

Satterley was again in the mix with 13 minutes gone. A low ball across the back four let in Clark but it had no sting and the keeper safely gathered.

Heath split us open with 15 minutes gone and it took a forceful Lynch header on the edge of the box to clear away danger.

A couple of minutes later Heath’s pressure was starting to tell and again it took a Lynch punch to clear a high ball in the box.

Satterley’s link with Evans opened up the right and Satterley should have been punching the air in delight instead of frustration as the ball whistled wide with the keeper stranded.

We pushed forward. Delaney, Clark and Webb worked the ball diagonally and Edwards watched his header go over the bar after Webb finished off the move with a good centre. We pushed up trying to keep a high line but suffered as a clinical break and finish took Heath into the lead. 0-1.

33 minutes and we again looked lost in the wilderness as Heath raced free. Lynch yet again had to make a fantastic one on one save to keep the score down.

40 minutes …a quick counter attack…0-2. When will we learn?.

41 minutes we took our chance when Edwards wriggled free of his marker and hit a low ball past the keeper. 1-2.

Half Time 1-2.

The temperature at half time rose another couple of notches combined with a high humidity meant a testing 45 minutes.

It was a scrappy start to the half with Bemerton looking quicker to settle. . We had a snap visit into their area but Webb’s blaster hit the side netting.

Kelly won a high battle for the ball but had to give away a corner. In it came and 52 minutes we had a score line of 1-3.

It took us 5 minutes to set ourselves rolling again and should have made it 2-3 as Edwards flicked a ball to Satterley but the volley brilliantly saved by the keeper.

14 minutes Clark beat his marker and chipped to Webb. A squared ball found Satterley but Bemerton breathed easy as the shot went wide.

Evans dipped a cross onto the spot with 65 minutes gone but Gajic’s header had no pace and the keeper had an easy catch.

It was evens in terms of possession for a while but there were now signs of tired legs as we relinquished space.

Anderton cleared a header from the edge of the box but in it came again this time to Kelly who hoofed it for Edwards. A run at the Bemerton defence resulted in a dead stop as two defenders closed space quickly and the ball was blocked and cleared.

Delaney, having a great game, surged forward and spotting a gap slipped the ball for Satterley to take up the running. 10 yards out…just the keeper…over the bar.

83 minutes an attack was blocked on the edge of our box. Unforgivable was a watching defence as a player juggled with the ball, back to goal. He was given enough time to feed an incoming runner and a blast from 25 yards whipped past Lynch to kill the game off completely 1-4.

We didn’t have anything left to offer. Bemerton went close a couple of times but luckily our defence kept tight enough not to allow any more goals. Having said that, 87 minutes saw the ball hit the underside of the bar, the foot of the post, a Lynch palm off the line and an Evans clearance. The score line though still read 1-4.

A tough game a big defeat …. BUT….Downton on Wednesday night. We are looking forward to it.

Result 1-4.