EMIRATES FA CUP EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND
SATURDAY 6TH AUGUST 2016
HENGROVE ATHLETIC 2 VERWOOD TOWN 2

The Tinkerman tag has been taken over by Gavin Reeves. Changes galore took place at Hengrove in our F A Cup qualifier. Surprisingly we settled quickly with some good movement and held an edge in possession for the first twenty minutes.

Panesar - Dower on the right flank worked the ball past his marker and slid a pass through defenders. Guthrie's pace looked to have taken him clear until a long leg took him out. 25 yards out and the ball soared high and wide from the free kick.

4 minutes later an attack down Hengrove's right was halted by Bergin. A good cross found Goddard lurking on the edge of the area but his volley followed the same route as our free kick.

11 minutes gone and Goddard spotted space. A through ball gave Guthrie an opportunity and rounding the defender Guthrie slid the ball past an advancing keeper. 1-0.

We continued holding possession and the Panesar Dower - Guthrie link almost paid off with good inter passing leaving Guthrie to try his luck from the edge of the box. This time the keeper was well placed to take a good catch.

Then Hengrove shrugged off their defensive mantle and pushed up. Martin Smith blocked a central run and Phelps made a tremendous block on the edge of our area to save Tom Jackson dirtying his shirt.

Kelly's talking was important at this stage rallying the back four to hold runners.

Jackson made a great save palming the ball away from the foot of the post and then Bergin swung a boot to hoof the ball up field out of the six yard box.

Pressure paid off for Hengrove when after 25 minutes a good flowing move down Hengrove's right flank finished with a low cross and from 12 yards the ball was hammered past Jackson to level the score. 1-1.

We slowed pace and suffered. 3 minutes left of the half and we went behind. We had pushed up too far and didn't track back. A ball across the park found a runner. Jackson raced from his goal but was coolly chipped. The ball slid under the bar for a good goal. 1-2.

A Matt Head effort flew over the bar to finish the half.

Half Time 1-2.

We tried to offer retaliation at the start of the half but a solid Hengrove back line prevented any danger to the keeper. Guthrie almost stole through after 5 minutes but was carefully steered wide giving a very narrow angle for a shot. The side netting took the brunt of his volley.

Kelly and Phelps had a lot to do to curb central runners but with good support from Gilham and Bergin we held the score line at 1-2.

Jackson made a good save from a shot delivered from 30 yards and then was a happy man to see a closer shot edge over the bar.

We had a scrappy spell with misplaced passes from both sides and the game trundled for a while with both side unable to make a decent breakthrough.

63 minutes, we pushed on with Maddocks forcing a corner. The ball dropped on the edge of the 6 yard box. A half clearance and Guthrie pounced to plant a left foot shot past a diving keeper 2-2.

Gilham had found a leg muscle. It caused a substitution. On came Alex Eaton. The Tinkerman gave Ethan Maddocks a chance to enhance his CV by dropping him into full back spot for the first time in his career.

Eaton was soon in the thick of things. A good inter passing move between Guthrie and Goddard finished on the edge of the Hengrove box. A hard low shot from Eaton went inches wide.

Hengrove shuffled their attack a bit and the Kelly Phelps partnership was stretched but held firm.

Guthrie's skinned thigh was affecting movement but with Panesar Dower working more central and Eaton's speed off the mark we forced a couple of chances but without reward.

Hengrove could have gone ahead if a high ball into our box had been connected properly but the ball skidded past the post.

The humidity was taking its toll. A water break was needed and the ref whistled up for a couple of minutes.

Maddocks took the sting out of a flank break and a good line ball sent Eaton free. Eaton rounded a central defender but was blocked from the area as Hengrove closed ranks.

Two minutes to go and a high ball into our box was just missed by an inrushing forward. That was the last bit of activity.

Result 2-2 …So a replay at Potterne next Wednesday