WESSEX LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 26TH MARCH 2016
MONEYFIELDS 0 VERWOOD TOWN 0

Lynch Brimson Murray Kelly Donachy Phelps Smith Dyer Wood Goddard Atkinson …. trod the turf. Swann Masson Rutten Langton …. stopped piles.

Murray was the early surprise sprinting down our left and delivering a cross that hit the bar and went over the top.

That was the only threat we posed for the home team for the next fifteen minutes.

Pressure was applied down Moneyfields’ left giving Brimson a lot to do to keep attacking play contained. Phelps and Donachy were excellent in their cover of the flanks whilst doing a great job keeping tabs on central attackers.

Atkinson’s energy levels were on show with tremendous runs both blocking the ball from being delivered up field and then party to our counter attacks.

Both defences were solid. No nonsense tackles and no frills.

Moneyfields then had a long spell of possession and on 28 minutes hit a couple of shots into our packed defence with Phelps finally clearing the area. Back it came and this time a 20 yard shot was on target but body blocked by Kelly. The re bound was again hammered for goal and this time Lynch palmed away a swerving ball to give away a corner.

Phelps got under this one and found Smith. Good feet took Smith away from his shadow and a crossfield ball released Brimson on an overlap. Brimson then found himself sliding down the touch line gathering white stripes from a strong tackle.

Defences were tight. Very little got through but what did was competently dealt with by the two keepers.

Wood looked as if he had been sent to Coventry. On his own and tightly marked there was little he could do to get into his stride.

Dyer and Smith worked the middle of the park, not giving much away but equally contained by their opposite numbers.

43 minutes on the clock and we gave away a corner. This time it was a Moneyfields head that got to the ball first. Lynch made the save of the match diving across goal to palm the ball off the line. Phelps made sure the re bound didn’t stay long in our box.

Half Time 0-0.

The second half started as a mirror image of the first. We had a little bit of end to end play and then seeing a gradual increase in possession by Moneyfields.

Kelly did a brilliant job curbing a lively right flank raid after a long clearance dropped onto the edge of our box.

Noticeably the Moneyfields keeper was testing the strength of the upright leaning on it, arms folded and nodding slightly. He was virtually unemployed.

Good football across the middle of the park opened a gap and a deep cross from Moneyfields left was thumped away by Lynch. A volley from the edge of the box was hoofed away by Donachy.

Goddard picked up the clearance and placed a terrific ball through Moneyfields back four to give Atkinson and Wood a run at goal. The keeper dropped his earphones and raced out to boot clear.

Brimson tried to rally an attack, cutting inside and connecting with Wood. The ball was worked across the line finishing with Atkinson trying to get round the back of the home defence. Good cover stopped his attempt.

It then resorted to two solid defences blunting attacks and restricting shots on goal.

Smith and Dyer fought hard for possession but any flair they had was cancelled out by Moneyfields’ midfield players.

Excitement levels for spectators struggled to reach a flat line. Half way through the half there was more interest in the flask of Bovril mix in the dug out than in the game.

An injury to a Moneyfields player held up play for a while giving time for our first substitution. On came Andy Masson for Brad Goddard with 68 minutes gone.

7 minutes later Atkinson came off for oxygen and was relieved of his spot by Tyler Rutten.

Masson and Rutten were quickly engaged in working the mid field and Masson’s trusty left boot sent Rutten down the left. A cut back found Smith. A deep cross and our first real attempt at goal of the half finished with the side netting being disturbed.

87 minutes and Jack Swann was at last warm. On he came for Smith. Another juggle of the formation left Swann up alongside Wood. It sparked a flurry of activity. A couple of Swann and Wood shots were beaten out in the last five minutes of injury time whilst at our end Lynch punched a rising shot away from goal.

Both sides looked tired but satisfied with a point each.

Result 0-0