FA VASE 1ST ROUND PROPER
SATURDAY 1ST NOVEMBER 2014
VERWOOD TOWN 2 FAREHAM TOWN 0

A third Cup game on the trot. The team and bench had yet more changes.

Lynch Evans Buck Gajic McGilchrist Dyer Rutten Whelan Fisk Groves Foster …. Bench …Cousins Anderton Murray Read Satterley

A pleasant surprise will be the return of both Ben Kelly and Ben Satterley. Satts was OK for the team sheet but Ben Kelly has to wait until next Saturday before being eligible to play.

Fareham was out of the traps as soon as the whistle blew. A run down their right was hit into the box and Lynch luckily was alert to take a comfortable high catch.

Evans gathered the throw and a line ball fell at Rutten's feet. Good inter passing with Whelan and Rutten hit the edge of the box to drop a ball neatly for Foster to try his luck but Foster's shot was a side netting job.

We pushed forward and Groves (still sweating from getting changed) won a tussle for the ball but was unceremoniously dumped. Up stepped Whelan to perfectly place the free kick for Fisk to hammer the ball low for the corner of the net but defenders were heavy in numbers to block on the line.

10 minutes gone and we camped in Fareham's box. Three attempts were half cleared until we were lucky for the final attempted clearance to fall nicely for Foster to drill home in the bottom left hand corner of the net. 1-0.

Fareham's response was to force us back on defence and apply pressure both from the flanks and centrally. McGilchrist had his hands full with a clever centre forward whilst Josh Buck was tested fully with a pacey winger.

Lynch had to come to our rescue punching a high ball clear and then seconds later gathering at the foot of the post as Fareham went for a quick equaliser.

We had to work hard to stay in front as Fareham's attacking flair took a hold. A right flank raid was cut out by Evans and then a well worked central move split us just outside the area for a low shot to go wide.

31 minutes clocked and Whelan's through ball was gathered by Fisk. Going wide right Fisk drew the keeper and then dinked the ball over him to put us 2-0 ahead.

Energy doubled in the Fareham team and a succession of good moves had us stretched to the whistle.

Half Time 2-0.

Our usual lackadaisical approach at the start of second halves took a holiday. Whelan had a shot within the first minute and then Foster slammed a shot just wide of the upright.

Fisk tried his luck with a volley from Rutten's cross but accuracy seemed to be at a premium.

50 minutes and Buck shook off his marker and cut into the area. A tremendous low shot seemed a certainty to increase our lead but a great piece of goal keeping kept the score at 2-0.

Fareham made us work hard to stay in the game. Their work rate had stepped up and a 'will to win' was very evident.

Gajic rallied the defence and led the recovery. We pushed forward through Dyer and Groves. Groves particularly was prominent in his mid field support and was instrumental in a good move involving the irrepressible Buck to go clear and try a cross shot that unfortunately was hoofed clear.

Dyer intercepted a high ball and a quick flick header to Foster created one of the better moves. Foster played back to Buck. Buck rounded a defender and slipped the ball to Dyer. Dyer held it up and then played Buck in as we hit the edge of the box. Buck's effort forced an exceptional save from the keeper.

It was now more end to end stuff and a good game to watch.

Lynch took a good catch under pressure and then Gajic rose high to head clear.

Fareham pushed on. A dipping shot forced a good save from Lynch and then good football down their left gave a glimpse of goal. A cut back and the follow up luckily for us went high and wide.

Whelan had a shot then Fisk rounded his marker but only to half hit his shot making it an easy catch for the keeper.

80 minutes saw Whelan hammer a free kick on target but only for the keeper to be well placed. Back into our third and Evans cut out a cross. The throw dropped into our penalty box and a half volley was blocked by Mcgilchrist. Gajic was on hand to boot the rebound clear of danger.

85 minutes and Fisk came off for Cousins to take up a mid field role. 87 minutes and Murray came on for Dyer. 89 minutes Read entered the fray in place of Foster.

The fresh legs were needed in the last minutes of the game as we played the last of 94 minutes at frantic pace. The end result though …….

2-0

Report submitted by Bernard Scott