PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
SATURDAY 16TH JULY 2016
VERWOOD TOWN 3 FORDINGBRIDGE TURKS 2

At Kick Off On the Park .. Tom Jackson .. Simon Parsons .. James Murray .. Liam Donachy .. Ben Kelly .. Russell Dyer .. Brad Goddard .. Carl Foster .. Matt Head .. James Bergin .. James Guthrie

On the bench In waiting Mike Snow .. Matt Gilha .. Harrison Harding .. Alex Eaton .. Pat Barnes .. Matt Jones .. Mark Eriollah.

Missing .. Holidays, work commitments and injuries .. Chris Lynch..Chas Gajic .. Zac Phelps .. Jack Swann .. Martin Smith .. Dean Evans.

Liam Donachy took the Captains armband and won the toss using the double headed coin he tends to favour.

Our visitors looked lively at the start and with only 4 minutes gone sent a high line ball down their left by passing mid field. Parsons raced back to make a good tackle and slipped the ball to Donachy. On to Kelly and then a cross field ball to Guthrie. Guthrie's progress was limited to a couple of feet as a sweeping tackle floored him.

We gained and maintained possession. After 10 minutes we forced a corner on the left. Dyer produced an inswinger and Donachy put the ball inches wide of the top corner.

Another attack had Foster trying a volley but a size 13 cleared the ball high upfield. Jackson came out to take the ball down calmly and send Parson's away on the right. Foster tracked across taking up the running. A shot from the edge of the box was on target but a solid Turks defence blocked the attempt and cleared into touch.

11 minutes and Guthrie used good feet to dummy his marker linking in with Foster. A slide rule pass found Bergin and the ball was in the net. Unfortunately he was whistled offside. A tight decision.

14 minutes and good interplay between Kelly and Goddard opened up the middle. Foster collected a peach of a pass and a good low shot produced a diving save from the keeper.

Goddard's impact in mid field gave us an edge in possession and half way through the half had a low volley destined for the bottom corner, inched away from the net by another diving save.

We got caught pushing up too far when after a Bergin cross shot the ball was hoofed clear for a runner who had been given too much space. A good left foot shot beat Tom Jackson to put Turks ahead. 0-1.

25 minutes, Bergin cut inside slipping the ball in a reverse pass to Head. A low shot beat the keeper and finished up in the back of the net. An offside decision prevented an alteration to the score board.

We pressed forward but a very resolute defence blocked several attempts. Notably was a Goddard Dyer link finishing with a Dyer bullet being beaten out and then Goddard's return volley being palmed off the line.

3 minutes left of the half and a sweeping attack down the left saw Foster hit a curling drive caught under the corner of the bar and post.

Half Time 0-1.

A couple of changes were made at half time. Matt Gilham came in at right back and Mark Eriollah on for James Bergin.

Guthrie & Goddard moved quickly from the kick off and with only 45 seconds of the half gone Guthrie's through ball was inch perfect for Goddard to rifle the ball past an advancing keeper. 1-1.

Gilham intercepted a line ball and cutting inside slipped the ball through the middle for Matt Head to take up the running. Head went wide and chipped back over the defence for Guthrie to follow in. The keeper spotted the danger and was out to save at feet.

We maintained pressure and with only six minutes gone of the half forced a second corner. Dyer floated the ball onto the penalty spot and Kelly pounced but put his header into the keeper's hands.

A minute later Goddard fired a shot just wide of the post.

Then a double substitution on 54 minutes as Ben Kelly came off to give Harrison Harding a run and Matt Head made way for Alex Eaton.

56 minutes and a sweeping attack down the left was well monitored by Gilham. An excellent tackle took the ball away from danger.

57 minutes Carl Foster came off for Pat Barnes to make a bow.

We continued pressing. Eaton forced a corner on the right. Dyer put the ball under the bar and the keeper made an excellent catch under pressure from Donachy. Two minutes later it was Harding watching the keeper make a brilliant finger tip save from his header following another Dyer corner.

66 gone and Russ Dyer made way for Matt Jones and a very under employed James Murray off for Mike Snow.

On 68 minutes we were still settling when a Fordingbridge slick move down the right resulted in Tom Jackson picking the ball out of the back of the net. Another lesson learned in leaving us thin at the back. 1-2.

A minute later Goddard and Guthrie linked up leaving Guthrie in front of the keeper. 2-2.

Guthrie was enjoying a bit of freedom and almost made it 3-2 with a terrific run and shot that the keeper beat out. The rebound fell back to Guthrie but his second effort was cleared off the line by the full back.

81 minutes gone, Eaton chipped a cross from the right for Barnes to power in and hit the ball past a stranded keeper. 3-2.

Eriollah had taken time to settle but produced some fine touches and in particular a cute back heel that split the Turks defence but the resultant Eaton shot being saved by a busy keeper.

Result 3-2