WESSEX LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
FRIDAY 26TH AUGUST 2016
FAWLEY 6 VERWOOD TOWN 4

This game can be described in one word….Crazy.

2 minutes Guthrie hit a 30 yarder that had the keeper scrambling but the ball went inches wide of the post.

Maddocks and Glatzel worked a gap in the middle of the park and Glatzel’s chip gave Ryan Kelly room for a shot but this time it was the side netting that took the brunt of his effort. Good opening spell.

11 minutes and Dean Evans had to come off. Returning from his Spanish Holiday at 5 pm in the afternoon hadn’t given any time for bowel adjustments. It was then a Goddard replacement and a Dean Evans race for the lavatory.

We had a shuffle of spots with Russ Dyer dropping into right back and Brad Goddard coming into the middle. We hadn’t settled when Fawley spotted a gap and an angled shot got round the back but hit the side netting.

Guthrie took a Maddocks pass down the right and rounding his marker slammed a low cross into the box. Ryan Kelly side footed the ball past the keeper to put us ahead. 19 minutes gone 1-0.

We continued attacking and lost discipline holding too high a line. A long clearance dropped behind our defence and a runner spotted Gerrard off his line. A lob 1-1

Now it was Fawley’s turn for attack. And on 24 minutes we sprung a leak. A good move cut through our defence on the left and a volley was beaten out by Gerrard. The rebound fell for another volley and this time Gerrard’s double save was worth the applause.

We looked a bit shell shocked but Dyer brought some semblance of order to our defending with a great tackle on the corner of the box and then chipped a pass finding Ryan Kelly on the flank. A quick counter fizzled out as Kelly’s cross found Foster who tried a shot but fired into bodies.

33 minutes and we were split wide open on our left. A cross found a runner and a side foot on target was body blocked by Gerrard. Dyer picked up the re bound and fired a perfect pass to Ryan Kelly. Kelly cut inside and unloaded a great shot but again Fawley had funneled back and the ball just hit bodies.

Sammy Glatzel’s challenge for a ball in mid field left him injured and dazed. He had to come off. Matt Head came on one for one.

Bergin overlapped on 40 minutes but his cross was headed clear.

We had a spell of Fawley attacks and with a minute left of the half Phelp’s broke up an attack just outside the box and making ground chipped a through ball for Guthrie to follow up. Guthrie put a cross into the area and Kelly rose above defenders but put the ball in the keeper’s hands.

Half Time 1-1.

The first half hadn’t been a brilliant experience but with both teams languishing in the lower half of the table it wasn’t a surprise.

Goddard and Guthrie cut through Fawley’s right flank with only a minute of the re start but the keeper raced from his line to beat Guthrie to the ball.

A high ball into our half and Maddocks tackled hard giving away a free kick. Gerrard watched in admiration as the ball dipped under the bar. 1-2.

2 minutes later powder puff tackling in the middle gave away the ball just outside the box. A hard low shot kicked up the net. 1-3. Unbelievable.

49 minutes a penalty. Kelly made no mistake and we closed the gap. 2-3.

54 minutes Maddocks fell badly and had to come off giving Begley a run. Another shuffle put Russ Dyer into mid field with Tom Begley taking up right back spot. 55 minutes we forced a corner. Up went Kelly a great header 3-3.

57 minutes Ryan Kelly put a ball through defenders. Guthrie picked up and hammered the ball past the keeper. 4-3.

60 minutes and a cross field ball found a runner on our left. Cutting in, space appeared and a left foot shot beat Gerrard on the post. 4-4.

65 minutes Kelly was floored. The free kick sailed high and wide.

66 minutes we decided Christmas should come early. No tackle, and stepping aside we allowed walking football to drift through and a simple tap in made it 4-5.

72 minutes dreadful defending on the flanks saw the ball pumped left to their right and another simple goal made it 4-6. It probably ranked as one of the worst displays for a long long time.

We almost got a goal back on 82 minutes when Dyer shrugged off a marker but his shot was taken well by the keeper.

We had too many disinterested players of inadequate quality on the day and suffered accordingly.

Result 4-6.