SYDENHAMS (WESSSEX) LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
TUESDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER 2012
VERWOOD TOWN 2 ROMSEY TOWN 0

'A' Lister, Mike Haskell returned for his first game of the season. Looking trim but still wanting XXXXL shorts, Hask lined up with Toomer Evans O'Connell Kelly Smith Gajic Steer Dyer Satts and Hill, and watched Saxby Jones Sheppard and Midson gather splinters on the bench.

Dyer slammed a cross into the middle of Romsey's area, Satts rounded his marker and a shot, surprisingly on target, was beaten out by the keeper. Not bad for the first minute.

3 minutes gone and Romsey's answer to our 'up and at 'em' was to hit a high ball into the box. Toomer showed a touch of class with a great catch under pressure. A throw found Hill. A run down the left a deep cross and the ball stuck to the keepers gloves.

Romsey produced a move two minutes later copying our left wing attack but Toomer had to tip the dipping ball over the bar for a corner. Haskell dropped deep and cleared the area with a powerful header.

Haskell went close with a low volley and then Toomer had to make an excellent stop from a counter attack.

Evans down the line found Steer. A cross was caught on the volley by Satts but watched the ball whizz past the post.

20 minutes, Satts found Haskell and a shot from just inside the box and hit the post.

25 minutes Haskell rounded the centre half and tried a shot. The keeper produced a great save palming the ball wide of goal. Hill gathered and sent in a low cross. A crowd of defenders managed to work the ball out of the box. O'Connell followed up and dropped a ball back into the melee. Gajic headed over.

Back came Romsey. Cutting inside a rising shot brought out an excellent save from Toomer. An interception from Toomer's kick had the ball back in our box. It was like watching a pin ball machine. Finally we managed to clear the danger.

Jack Smith joined the attack for a corner. His header deserved more than a flapping hand from the keeper diverting the ball away from under the bar. A half clearance and Satts tried an angled shot that went wide.

Gajic Satts and Hill all had shots in the closing minutes of the half but Romsey's defence was more than equal to the job and the sides went in a half time without disturbing the score board.

Half Time 0-0

A good move through the centre of the park heralded Romsey's reappearance. A switch ball wide right split us at the back and allowed a low cross in the area. Smith diverted the ball and Evans collected to move forward on the right. Steer placed the ball at the feet of Gajic and Gajic's shot on the turn was well held by the keeper.

11 minutes gone and it was Smith again defending well with a good strong header to clear.

We hit back after Romsey's brief attacking spell and Dyer had a shot blocked and cleared.

Satts came off giving Nathan Saxby a run. Saxby was instantly involved helping Dyer to move up field, and rounded off the move with a snap shot the keeper punched to safety.

Dyer Haskell and Gajic moved the ball wide right. Steer slammed the cross into the 6 yard box but Haskell's follow up was kicked off the line.

72 minutes Matt Steer made way for Phil Midson.

A high ball was cleared by an ever alert Smith. Evans, collecting the clearance made ground. A raking cross found Haskell, his shot …. cleared. The clearance fell to Evans, another cross and this time Gajic rose high to place a header into the roof of the net making it 1-0.

7 minutes to go and Romsey pushed us back. One shot from 20 yards cleared the bar and finished up in the bramble over the fence. Another clipped the outside of the post and a header was carefully steered away from goal by Kelly.

Toomer got down well to palm away a cross shot and then make a double save as the re bound was fired in. It was a hectic period for us but we survived and rallied.

Midson linked with Evans to create an opening and Gajic steered the cross into the keeper's hands. A cross from Saxby was then caught by the keeper under pressure from Haskell.

It was a bit fire and brimstone stuff but capped well and truly when we won a corner in the 90th minute and Haskell buried a header [past the keeper to close scoring and the game at 2-0.

Full Time 2-0