WESSEX LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 5TH APRIL 2014
TOTTON & ELING 5 VERWOOD TOWN 3

Occupying the bottom half of the table meant it was a crunch game for both teams.

We suffered just prior to the game with Murray stranded on the Continent, Elysee working, Hill celebrating his 21st , Elsom unable to travel so in came Kimber Stroud and Harding.

Mitch SP took up the right flank job, Harding went left back LSP moved up alongside Lovell. Dyer suffering an injury went wide left for the kick off.

What a scrappy start. Both teams started by knocking the ball high into space. Not much passing ability was evident. We looked disjointed giving T&E encouragement to up their game.

14 minutes gone and a high ball over our backs from the nether regions of the T&E last third found a runner. We couldn't match the pace. Out came Lynch but the ball was dinked over him to finish in the net. 0-1.

We were shaken but couldn't even stir. Back came T&E. A break on the left a good hard cross and we breathed again as the ball flew across the box without anyone getting a touch.

Dyer made ground on the left with 30 minutes gone. It was our first real attack. A deep cross found LSP but the header had no sting and gave the keeper an easy catch.

Back came T&E with a shot on target. Lynch went up high and caught a difficult ball under the bar.

37 minutes and LSP chipped a ball into the box and Lovell headed on. Saxby stormed in and a cracking shot hit a defender and bounced clear.

We stayed forward and a minute later Lovell hit a drive into defenders. The rebound fell for LSP but the shot was deflected for a corner. In it came. Up went Lovell but it was a T&E head that won the ball.

44 minutes and we finally broke through. LSP, Lovell combined and the final ball across the area fell nicely for Saxby to run on to. A right foot rising shot whipped into the top corner of the net 1-1.

T&E almost scored a second just before the whistle but an offside flag stopped the run on goal.

Half Time 1-1

30 seconds into the half and Saxby raced free to round a defender and hit a volley on target. The keeper came out to make a tremendous save.

Our usual miserable attention to the start of a second half was evident again. 3 minutes gone and a total lack of concentration let in a runner 1-2.

We went from bad to worse. Passing deteriorated and we seem to resort to a long ball game with Lovell chasing a lost cause.

T&E didn't try to play any pretty football they just got on with what was needed, a win.

Dyer's thigh forced him to come off. Ben Satterley came on. The game improved from our perspective with some effort being made to pass our way forward. Evans brought in Saxby, a shot on the run from just outside the box went over the bar.

LSP by this time was struggling with a knee problem. On came Joe Kimber. A minute after joining the game a cross from Evans fell for a volley but again T&E have to thank a good keeper for making a flying save.

Mitch SP broke free and a good cross gave Saxby a chance to shoot. The angle of the bar and post rattled.

We edged this part of the game and Harding was now making more impact than in the first half. A strong tackle gave a way a free kick. Lynch went high to fist the ball away. Back it came and Harding headed clear.

A tangle in the box. T&E couldn't believe their luck. 1-3.

4 minutes later we were still mustering the defence when a simple run and tap in made it 1-4.v We looked jaded and bereft of any energy. The game passed us by.

We had a blip with 61 minutes gone when we raised our standard and a good move resulted in a tumble in the box. Up stepped Lovell 2-4.

Molyineaux & Evans tucked in and cut out raids down the left. Midfielders were unemployed as T&E chipped over the top and maintained their route one. It worked. The fifth was another simple route to goal. A trot down the left a pass along the deck and a tap in made it 2-5.

We cobbled a move together with two minutes left and Saxby shone for us as he hammered a great goal past defenders to make it 3-5.

Result 3-5

Report submitted by Bernard Scott