WESSEX LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
TUESDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER 2015
SALISBURY 5 VERWOOD TOWN 0

Ben Kelly was in labour, Matt McGilchrist turned up at the wrong ground, Liam Donachy still in the States, Chris Lynch suffering the result of a red card and Joe Wood detained at work. Jack Swann was still recovering from a hamstring pull so it meant a very different squad than that we expected, but, we were up for the game.

Charlie Elysee, despite a niggling groin strain wanted to play and felt he could do a job at full back. Skipper Chas Gajic filled the No.5 shirt and Dean Evans made up the central pairing. Jack Smith luckily was available and joined Russ Dyer in the middle of the park while flanks were occupied by Aaron Atkinson and James Murray. The No.9 shirt went to Tyler Rutten. All these fronted Adam Tong in goal. Jordan Fisk stood in wait to fill in for any problems.

A quick start put the ball in our third. Gajic read the move and shadowed the runner and ball into dead ball. Tong’s kick was nodded on by Groves and Atkinson made a good run down the right but edged over the line by the full back.

The game was played at a fast tempo and for us it gave a chance to play football along the deck instead of using a telescope to see where the missile might land as we have experienced recently.

With a quarter of the game gone Salisbury worked passage into our area and a clash of players finished with the ref pointing to the spot. 0-1.

We hit back. Gajic raced wide sending Brinson free on the right. Good progress and a cross almost drew us level but Rutten’s shot whistled wide.

It was a good open game giving the crowd something to enjoy.

Elysee pulled up short racing after a ball and the signs were his groin had given up. False alarm ? Elysee indicated he was able to carry on.

27 minutes a run down the Salisbury right gave space for a cross and a hooked ball sped past Tong, 0-2.

We won a free kick with ten minutes to go and Dyer suffered agony as his shot hit the angle of the bar and post.

Back came Salisbury and a tussle on the edge of the area resulted in a free kick award. Up stepped Tom Whelan to put the ball past Adam Tong, 0-3.

5 minutes left and Murray Groves Dyer and Brimson linked for a great move finished by Murray with a shot across the keeper. The keeper took the catch well.

Half Time 0-3.

Salisbury’s move down their left opened up an opportunity for a cross shot but Tong made a great save at the foot of the post. Tong’s throw was wide for Murray and we broke on our left. Rutten and Groves continued the move and Rutten broke free only to shoot into the side netting.

It was a good free flowing game with Salisbury having the edge.

Gajic and Evans made an excellent pairing in the middle with a touch of cavaliering now and then pushing forward. Gajic sparked Atkinson’s run on goal but sadly a skewed shot went wide.

A cross from Salisbury’s right dropped in the 6 yard box and up went a number of heads. One header was deflected into the net 0-4.

Sadly Elysee’s groin problem reared its head forcing a change. Gavin Reeves shuffled the pack and Jordan Fisk came on to operate on he left flank with Murray dropping back to full back.

We settled quickly. Fisk was prominent with a move wide left and a low cross into the box was flicked on for goal by Groves’ boot. The keeper was down quickly to smother the ball crossing the line.

Brinson joined Evans in an attack on the right and Brimson’s overlap took him to the edge of the box. A low cross was slammed clear before Rutten could get a toe in.

Back came Salisbury with good interplay on the right. A cross followed and a powerful header beat Tong on the near post. 0-5.

No heads dropped. We got stuck in. Tired legs were showing but still we beavered away with Smith and Dyer working like Trojan’s in the middle of the park. Smith’s tracking of runners was immense and helped ease the job of our back four.

Salisbury made us work harder than any other team has this season. We had to be on our toes against an eager team rooting for goals. Tong spread himself across the flight of the ball to deflect a shot going in the bottom corner and then Murray kicked a volley off the line with 10 minutes to go.

Murray and Fisk went down the left with a minute left on the clock and Fisk delivered a looping cross that drifted over the angle of bar and post.

The game finished with three points to Salisbury but with a very credible performance from VTFC,

Result 0-5