SYDENHAMS (WESSSEX) LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
THURSDAY 18TH APRIL 2013
AFC PORTCHESTER 0 VERWOOD TOWN 0

We arrived at the ground to learn that four of the squad had to be ruled out. Adie Arnold thought he might have to show the holes in his socks and get his boots on.

A few shuffles in the line up took place with Satterley nursing his hamstring problem but wearing the No. 9 shirt in Haskell's absence.

A minute gone and Lynch leaped high to palm away a cross delivered from the right. The ball dropped on the edge of the area. Oldring followed in hard and cleared the danger with a right foot up n' under.

Back it came. Another cross from the right and a sliding forward missed the ball by inches. A lucky escape.

Good approach work resulting in a shot from the angle of the area and Lynch took a great catch. Only 5 minutes had elapsed and we could have been at least two down.

A deep breath and we managed to string together a few passes. Elysee overlapped and a ball from Satterley gave space for a shot. A 20 yarder rattled the bar.

Webb nodded the ball over a defender and Gajic raced free to hammer the ball towards goal. Unfortunately for us the keeper didn't have to move and had soaked his gloves in glue.

Portchester pushed us back and for a few minutes we had to defend in numbers. Again it was Webb and Dyer in the middle of the park that curbed total Portchester control.

32 minutes Dyer Webb and Gajic worked their way through the middle and then a Gajic ball wide to Hill opened up the home side. Hill jinked through a couple of tackles and tried a right footer. The keeper made the save look easy.

5 minutes later Portchester had gone clear and a tremendous shot headed for the corner of the net. Lynch, luckily had been watching Iron Man and flew horizontal to punch clear.

40 minutes saw Oldring block tackle an attempted run on goal. Oldring slipped his marker and sent Evans away. Evans made ground and found Satterley wide right. A pass inside to Saxby and a cracking shot was palmed away. A long clearance found a runner but a timely Oldring tackle sent us in .....

Half Time 0-0

30 seconds and Satterley rounded the full back. No prisoners tonight. Satts was dropped on the spot. The free kick was too high for the central players but Dyer nipped round the back and tried a volley. The ball flew high and wide.

A good move down the right split us open and a deep cross was missed by inches as a player slid in. The dead ball kick was won by Portchesters centre half and a powerful header gave a chance of a shot. Lynch did the necessary and took a good catch.

Elysee sparked a move on 59 minutes and freed up Gajic. A pass to Hill and we found ourselves just outside Portchesters box. Hill slipped the ball along the line and took a return from Gajic. A right foot shot went straight to the keeper.

The game became scrappy as both side struggled for a while to string together a series of passes.

It was Portchester emerging first as the better quality and pressure mounted on our back four.

Lynch was in great form so we survived a few attacks before we got ourselves together.

Webb and Dyer linked well to break up a central raid and Gajic went free from one instance but fired wide.

We needed to get sharper in front of the sticks but struggled big time. Over the bar, wide of the post and shots that took the ball into orbit.

25 minutes gone and Portchester hit the side netting. 28 minutes, one on one and Lynch won. 30 minutes Lynch was in action again collecting a high ball intended for the far post.

Gajic went free and stroked the ball just past the post. Then Saxby had an opportunity but put the ball over the bar.

Portchester became as good as us !!!

One shot hit the post and another hit the bar all within a minute. Kelly spoiled the night for them when they finally beat Lynch but Kelly was on the line to head clear.

The whistle went with each side earning a point.

Result 0-0.