WESSEX LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
WEDNESDAY 6TH APRIL 2016
VERWOOD TOWN 3 HORNDEAN 2

Both Martin Smith and Dean Evans missed this one because of a quick trip to Panama.

On the pitch…
Lynch Brimson Murray Kelly Donachy Phelps Dyer Gajic Wood Atkinson Swann

Gathering splinters ..
Goddard Langton Guthrie Begley F Begley T

Flynn and Tom Begley are identical twins and signed this week. The only difference to identify them apart .. Tom has a hole in his right sock.

It was a sparring ten minutes before the first real break and it was Horndean opening us up on the right. An excellent shot from the edge of the area whipped past defenders but Lynch stopped the ball with his feet, the ball rebounded and luckily the shot went over the bar.

We then proceeded with an ‘Almost Game’. We almost passed to our own players. We almost put together a decent attack and Wood almost scored.

Horndean thought it was Christmas. They had more of the ball from our inaccuracies than they had in forming attacking moves.

17 minutes gone and we politely gave the ball away just outside the area. A fierce shot from the edge of the box hit the inside of the post and bounced out. We hadn’t covered defensively so again it was a Horndean player first to the ball to shoot for the bottom corner. Lynch blocked the shot, the rebound fell nicely for another shot that almost crept in but Lynch acrobatically flicked the ball past the post for a corner.

Phelps won this one sending his header wide to Brimson. Brimson made ground but was floored by a strong tackle, Brimson’s anger management courses aren’t working. It took a few minutes for his hot flush to dissipate.

Dyer latched on to a loose ball and sent Atkinson away on the right. A well timed tackle stopped Atkinson on the edge of the Horndean box.

Back came the visitors with a neat passing move through the middle of the park but Kelly and Donachy closed ranks to prevent access to the area.

Brimson worked the flank with Swann and cut inside gathering a return ball to send Gajic free. A rising shot went wide.

Swann and Wood worked their way past a couple of tackles but the keeper made an excellent save from a Swann ‘dipper’.

29 minutes gone and Wood’s pass through the middle freed Atkinson. This time there was no mistake as Atkinson swept the ball past the keeper to put us in front. 1-0.

8 minutes later we boobed. Giving the ball away and lax marking on the edge of the area gave an opportunity for Horndean. No mistakes. 1-1.

Half Time 1-1

We looked as if we had shed the impurities of passing and being second to the ball. Good football between Gajic and Dyer created space for Swann to try his luck. The keeper had safe hands taking an excellent catch from a dipping shot.

Wood went close and then Atkinson almost had his second of the game with a shot from the edge of the box but watched it go wide.

Horndean raised pace and for a time we had to shuttle back to defend. Murray was the busiest for a period but never wilted and made several telling tackles.

Donachy joined bodies in the box for a corner. Up he went and smashed the ball into the roof of the net. 2-1.

73 minutes and Guthrie came on for Swann. 82 minutes Goddard came on for Atkinson.

Gajic almost made it three with a header from Dyer’s free kick only to see it hit the side netting. A minute later Guthrie rounded his marker to deliver an inch perfect cross for Gajic to this time to beat the keeper with a great header. 3-1.

Horndean looked a bit ‘leggy’ as the minutes ticked by and we enjoyed more possession.

Dyer worked the ball down the right flank with Goddard, and Goddard’s final chip over the backs almost let Guthrie in but the keeper had spotted the danger and raced off his line to clear.

4 minutes left and an energy reserve was evident in the Horndean ranks. A good piece of football took them to the bye line. A deep cross almost crept in but Brimson spotted the danger and cleared off the line.

It was a recovery period for Horndean and we had to defend deep as they pushed forward.

Extra time flagged up. 91 minutes had Ben Kelly making way for Tom Begley.

A minute later a high ball into our third was chased down and an awkward bounce slipped past Lynch for a nod into goal. 3-2.

Then came Fergie’s squeaky bum time. Except…this was more intense and headed for a change of underpants. We just survived a last minute onslaught to take the three points. Alan Lay’s squelchy walk to the dressing room said it all.

Result 3-2