SYDENHAMS (WESSSEX) LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 2012
VERWOOD TOWN 3 AFC PORTCHESTER 2

In the first minute, Portchester broke through the middle. A ball wide right and two runners into the box met the cross. Fortunately the ball went wide from a size 9.

Lynch belted the ball left and Elysee sped away from his marker. Cutting inside, Elysee spotted Haskell free and fired a low ball across the box. It must have been an Elysee mirage as the ball landed at the feet of the centre back.

5 minutes and we won a fee kick. Haskell headed Dyers cross into the area. A clearance header went Haskell's way and spotting Dyer racing in Haskell headed down. Dyer shot wide.

We maintained pressure and a couple of minutes later Evans broke free and linking with Gajic made ground down the right. A daisy cutter of a ball was met on the volley and Haskell's effort was brilliantly save3d by the keeper.

Portchester hit back and a great piece of football caught us square. A ball threaded through the defence was picked up wide right. A deep cross was well watched by Lynch and a tip over the bar gave away a corner.

Lynch beat everyone in the air and a powerful punch cleared the box.

12 minutes and Haskell shielded the ball away from the centre back. A quick turn and a low ball found Webb on the left. Webb cut in and 20 yards out hit a low volley through the defence and into the bottom corner. 1-0.

Saxby's pace gave hope for a second as he raced away from his marker but the finish was a typical Verwood effort. High and wide.

19 minutes gone and Portchester gave us a lesson in finishing. A move down the right. A good cross and a terrific volley from just inside the area gave Lynch no chance. 1-1.

25 minutes and it was our turn. Dyer worked his way through mid field and found Elysee cutting through between full back and central defenders. A perfect pass gave Elysee a chance and a right foot flick beat the keeper but inched past the post.

Martin Smith deputising for injured Jack Smith beat off a thumping tackle to clear the ball from the area. His pass found Haskell. Haskell shrugged off a heavy tackle and just inside the area found room to angle a right footer past the keeper to put us in the lead. 2-1.



A sliding tackle in the 43rd minute grounded Haskell. Retaliation was heavy handbags. Unfortunately one of the Portchester players decided handbags wasn't the answer and ran in to head butt Haskell. Haskell had to leave the field because of running blood and the Portchester player had to leave the the field because of a red card.

Half Time 2-1.

Haskell's blood flow continued so at the start of the second half Jack Satterley came on to play up front. Within a minute of the re start Satterley hit a screamer from the edge of the box but the keeper was down quickly to palm away. Dyer raced to gather but the defender cleared the area with a hefty boot. Delaney got underneath it but was tumbled over as the centre forward pounced. The free kick was taken by Smith and a looping ball dropped for Webb to swivel and try a shot. A blockage of people in the area stopped progress.

The game was getting tougher in terms of tackles and challenges. Free Kicks were becoming a feature from both sides.

Portchester pushed on. A high ball into the box caused shouts for a penalty as players mingled but the ball ran free for Kelly to clear.

Satterley, Saxby and Dyer cut through the middle of the park. Dyer was dropped on the edge of the box. Satterley's free kick though sailed over the bar.

Lynch was in action a minute later catching a dropping ball under the bar. His drop kick found Gajic. Gajic made ground and chipped an inviting ball for Webb to try a shot. A good hard tackle took Webb and the ball.

Delaney was then pulled up for a high boot and Martin Smith was floored by a lunging forward.

On 62 minutes we cracked and let in Portchester's ten men to level the score. 2-2. A rocky couple of minutes followed as Portchester went for the third.

We retrenched and 3 minutes later broke free. A good move wide right gave Evans space to make ground and an excellent ball reached Satterley. Satterley went free and a well placed shot hit the back of the net. 3-2.

It was obvious that there would be no prisoners in this game. Tackles were hard but the majority of them, fair.

Dyer cut free from the shackles enforced by his marker and a run took him slightly left. On the edge of the box Dyer had a half chance but chose to lay off to Gajic. Gajic shot low bringing a good save from the keeper.

80 minutes and Portchester cut through our defence. Delaney raced back to cover but his tackle was thought to be a foul in the box. As the player was judged last man Delaney took a red card.

Lynch chose correctly. A dive to his left palmed the ball away from goal. Penalty saved. Unfortunately for Portchester their man tackled had to come off. As they had used their three subs they had to finish the match with 9 men. Verwood finished with 10 men.

8 minutes of injury time followed but the score remainedNNN3-2.