WESSEX LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 12TH DECEMBER 2015
VERWOOD TOWN 1 SHOLING 1

Wood, Swann and then Brimson linked play finishing with Brimson hammering a low cross into the area. Rutten almost connected but the keeper nicked the ball off toes.

Sholing worked the ball left and a deep cross was well policed by Lynch.

It was a good opening spell with only 2 minutes gone. The attacking vein continued with both teams probing for a break.

Dyer won a challenge in the middle of the park and lifting the ball over the right back gave Rutten a run on goal. Defenders tracked back and Rutten’s cross was diverted for a corner. An inswinger dropped menacingly under the bar but a clean catch gave Sholing possession. The keeper’s long ball down the middle tested Phelps but a good strong header put the ball on the half way. Wood won the tussle and squared for Swann to take up the running on the left. Murray joined in and Murray’s cross from Swann’s lay back sailed over the penalty box drifting into dead ball.

14 minutes gone and Sholing’s move down their left was stopped by Evans. A ball down the line to Swann caught Sholing open on the flank. Swann chipped a great pass into a crowded area and Wood was disappointed to see his shot hit a couple of defenders and finally booted clear.

Gajic forced his way through a tackle in the centre of the park. Pushing forward Gajic found himself on the edge of the box and tried a volley. The keeper did well to palm it round the post. Rutten’s corner found Donachy but the header went high and wide.

A good Sholing move finished with a 25 yard shot testing Lynch’s handling abilities. Good hands took the ball under the bar and a long clearance put us in Sholing’s third. Evans took up the running and delivered a great cross. The keeper thumped clear.

Back came Sholing, a high ball and up went Donachy to win a header under intense pressure.

We hit back winning a free kick on the edge of the box. Up stepped Rutten and the ball skipped past the keeper giving us a 1-0 lead.

14 minutes of the half left and still both teams went for goals. No negativity. Both ends had close calls but the whistle went on a half time score of 1-0.

Half Time 1-0

We are notorious for slow starts in the second half. Not today though. Swann scrapped for the ball on the edge of the Sholing box and winning the tackle slipped the ball back for Brimson to blast for goal. The shot was blocked. Rutten followed in but put the ball into the side netting.

Sholing produced a sweeping move dropping the ball into our central area. Phelps won a header flicking on to Donachy. Donachy’s legs took him to the half way line and his cross found Brimson. Brimson’s low ball across the box was monitored by Wood. It was a good shot on target but a defender got in the way and the keeper stepped in to hoof clear.

Gajic and Dyer alternated holding and attacking roles to the ‘nth degree. One of Gajic’s breaks sprung from a Dyer pass. Gajic went through but fired the ball over the bar.

Then it was backs to the wall for a spell as Sholing strung some good possession football together.

Lynch palmed a shot round the post and Phelps cleared the corner with a fine header.

Murray blocked a runner on his flank and took an opportunity to race forward on a counter attack. A square ball found Wood and a low shot was blocked. In raced Swann to hammer the ball past the post.

Sholing’s reaction was to cut down their left and an angled shot went over the corner of post and bar.

68 minutes and a strong tackle took out Joe Wood forcing a substitution. On came Aaron Atkinson to play alongside Jack Swann.

Seconds later a free kick dropped in the box and a good shot beat Lynch to make it 1-1.

75 minutes and Brad Goddard made a bow replacing Max Brimson.

Atkinson almost went free from a Gajic cross but was edged off the ball on the corner of the area. Tracking back, Atkinson skimmed the ball off toes and set off on a mazy run finishing with a cross from the bye line. Swann was blocked from going for the ball and Sholing cleared the danger with a hoof up field.

Goddard made his presence felt with a winning tackle in the middle and slipping the ball through defenders gave an opportunity for Rutten to grab a second. It wasn’t to be. A solid tackle took the ball denying a shot.

It was a four minute injury time finish with no more goals.

Result 1-1