WESSEX LEAGUE CUP ROUND 2
SATURDAY 25TH OCTOBER 2014
VERWOOD TOWN 3 BLACKFIELD & LANGLEY 4 (After Extra-Time)

Jordan Dent was still missing from the line up following his injury at Blackfield a week ago. A bit of a shuffle of the pack but the team and bench looked fine.

Lynch Evans Buck Gajic McGilchrist Dyer Rutten Whelan Fisk Groves Golby made up the team and on the bench, Collins Foster Read.

B&L as expected started with pace and flank attacks. Evans and Buck was a solid pairing though and unlike the holes punched in our back line in the game at B&L, access to Lynch was curtailed.

More energy was evident and Dyer sparked a great move down the left for Golby to latch on to the ball and try a dipping shot the keeper tipped over the bar.

We buckled slightly in midfield allowing a break and good inter passing opened us up for a shot on goal that Lynch couldn't do much about 0-1.

Groves sat deeper and with Golby and Whelan working the central area up front we looked as though we could grab an equaliser. Whelan went close with a rising shot just wide of the post and Buck then overlapped on the left to fire a ball just over the bar.

Groves altered the score board with a good goal half way through the half. 1-1,

We pushed on, Fisk got through the central defenders to shoot just wide and then Rutten went close with a low shot beating the keeper but flying just wide.

B&L pushed us back and stout defending by McGilchrist and Gajic helped the score line to remain at 1-1.

Gajic hammered a cross back out of the box and then Evans blocked a B&L left flank attack with a well timed tackle just outside the box.

Golby picked up a Whelan through ball and released Fisk 20 yards out. Cutting inside a glorious chance opened up but the keeper made a tremendous save denying Fisk of a place on the score card.

Then came pressure. B&L picked up pace forcing us back into our third. Groves was instrumental in helping us stem the wave of attacks giving a great performance in the central defensive area.

Lynch made a couple of good saves towards the end of the half but the whistle went on a 1-1 score line at half time.

Half Time 1-1

Usually we sleep well into the first half but this game needed an alert start and Carl Poore's half time chat spelled out the dangers.

Pressure was applied again with pace and urgency from the B&L team. Whelan and Golby joined in a defensive mid field as we battled it out.

Lynch had to make a couple of good saves and then Buck blocked a shot on goal from just inside the area.

McGilchrist got underneath a high ball into the box and took up the running to free Rutten on the right. Evans backed up the attack and the ball laid back to him was thumped into the box. Up went Fisk but the ball skimmed past the post.

A half chance presented itself for B&L and we went 1-2 as the goal was well taken.

We were playing much better football than we did at B&L and one or two holes started to appear in the B&L ranks.

Gajic went through a couple of tackles in the mid field and slung a low pass wide to Dyer . Dyer flicked on to Whelan and Whelan's one touch sent Golby away for goal. A sliding tackle stopped entry into the box, and a counter attack was sprung down the left. Buck raced across and lobbed the ball back to Lynch. The clearance found Fisk, on to Groves and a shot was blocked on the edge of the box. It was a good spell for spectators.

65 minutes and B&L got through to test Lunch. Lynch won this one and sent Evans away on the right. On to Rutten and Rutten tried a shot from the edge of the box but hit defenders.

It was end to end stuff with B&L looking very solid at the back with old boy Ben Kelly having a say on things in the area.

On the game trundled with thrills and spills at both ends but in the 89th minute up went Gajic and a well placed cross was judged nicely for Gajic to score with a good solid header. 2-2.

The whistle went on 93 minutes for extra time of 30 minutes to be played.

Matt Golby put us in front on 105 minutes with a well taken goal and then 3 minutes later we left a gap for a leveller…3-3.

B&L capitalised on a slip in defence with 110 on the clock and made it 3-4.

It was a nail biting finish as we went for broke but couldn't crack the visitors defence.

Result 3-4

Report submitted by Bernard Scott