SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 19th AUGUST 2017
ANDOVER NEW STREET 2 VERWOOD TOWN 0

We started well. Elsom and Dyer worked the flank finishing with Dyer blazing over the bar. Hockey’s good feet took him past a defender and a cross shot whistled past the post. Only two minutes had gone and it looked as if we could come away with a reasonable result.

Andover reacted well with a good right flank move and a finish on target but safely into the hands of Dennis.

13 minutes and we gave away a corner that was allowed to drift across the box unchallenged. Andover must have thought Christmas had come early. A free header 0-1.

We were powder puff up front and passing became a chore. Kimber and Dyer worked hard but any breakthrough had no threat of a goal.

Martin Smith came closest heading a corner on to the bar but there wasn’t much else. Andover almost increased their lead with a break down the right but an angled shot on target finished up in the safe hand of Dennis.

A minute left of the half and a body blow as Martin Smith suffered a hamstring tear having to be replaced by Glatzel.

Half Time 0-1

We sprung an attack from the whistle. Hockey and Meyer worked their way down the left but the shot was hoofed out of the box. The ball cleared our defenders and unbelievably we allowed a runner to drift through unchecked to place the ball past Dennis. 0-2 and only one minute played of the half.

We strung together some reasonable moves throughout the half but had no penetration at all.

Browning proved invaluable slotting in at centre half in the place of Martin Smith and did a good job alongside Ballard.

Hall came off for Anderton on 60 minutes and on 75 min Ballard came off to give Grant a run.

The changes made no difference to a limp performance in the second half and to make matters worse Sammy Glatzel had to come off with 10 minutes left leaving ten men to finish the game.

Result 0-2.