WESSEX LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 28TH NOVEMBER 2015
VERWOOD TOWN 0 NEWPORT IOW 1

Newport made the first break of the game moving down their right giving Murray an early baptism. Murray’s pace was the key turning the ball off toes before a cross could give us any problems.

Newport continued to push the game forcing us to match their endeavor. Gajic instigated an attack down our left with Fisk crossing deep into the Newport area. An excellent keeper took the ball high and sent a clearance into our third. Phelps got underneath it and sent a strong header wide for Swann to make ground. His cross skimmed Wood’s head.

Stroud was out quickly to boot a stray ball back into the Newport area but we had no one far enough up field to benefit.

Goddard’s ball out wide to Swann in the 8th minute gave enough room for Swann to drop a cross on to the penalty spot. It was the keeper who won the ball and again put our back four under the cosh with another bullet clearance. Luckily Brimson had read the danger and was across quickly to clear.

Dyer and Wood worked the ball through the middle but ran into a defensive barrier blocking the way to goal.

It was frustrating to see a game progress this far without any real testers on the keeper’s.

13 minutes and another attack was killed stone dead by Newport’s keeper taking a catch from a Fisk cross. A tremendous launch and the ball cleared our backs bouncing just before the area. A runner and a laxity in chasing down resulted in a simple tap in past Stroud. 0-1.

Dyer reacted with probably what turned out to be the best shot of the game when he hammered a 25 yarder just over the bar with the keeper this time stranded.

Swann worked hard to break the defensive stranglehold but Newport kept tight and we struggled to get through into the box.

Conversely a sweeping move from Newport had a cross whip across our six yard box and despite stretched legs went untouched to Donachy on the far post. Donachy’s answer to the problem was to put it into space. NASA would have been proud.

The game was a bit dour for a while as both teams struggled to create openings. On 45 minutes Dyer jinked past mid field and delivered a great ball to Gajic. Gajic timed it well but put his header over the bar.

Half Time 0-1.

We raised our game at the start of the second half with Dyer freeing Swann to make ground down the left. Swann’s return pass to Dyer carried the move’s momentum and Dyer put Fisk away on the left. Good feet took Fisk to the bye line and an excellent low cross had the keeper rooted, but a Newport leg got in the way and booted the ball up field.

Rutten came on after 57 minutes with Fisk joining the bench brigade.

An adventurous Brimson linked with Wood to open up the left and Brimson’s cross went flying over the box with no one following in.

Equally Newport beat the offside flag only to mirror Brimson’s cross and watched the ball drift into dead ball.

Goddard gave hope for a break through with a run and shot but yet again we watched the ball go wide.

66 minutes Evans shrugged off his onesy and replaced Murray.

Wood went close with a good shot but the keeper was in excellent form and it didn’t seem as if we would catch him out.

Phelps and Donachy, getting better in each game, provided Stroud with strong defensive cover and as the game went on we saw more of Brimson and Evans overlapping as we gained a more possession.

Swann and Rutten caused a flutter in the Newport dug out as they got through a tight defence resulting in Rutten finishing off the move with a low shot on target. The keeper did well to palm it round the post.

In came the corner up went Wood but a keeper’s fist was first to the missile punching it clear.

78 minutes and the last of our substitutions as Goddard came off for Kimber.

Evans robbed his opposite number and set off on a mission. 30 yards later a deep cross found Wood. A nod down to Swann and a bullet of a shot hit the side netting.

Kimber delivered a drive over the bar and Rutten went close on the whistle.

It was one of those performances where we could have played into 2017 and not scored.

Result 0-1.