SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 23rd DECEMBER 2017
AFC STONEHAM 4 VERWOOD TOWN 0

A wet week had left Stoneham’s pitch a mud rink, but as the pundits would say ‘Same for both sides’

Luckily both Ryan Kelly and Harvey Elsom were back from Uni to bolster a thin squad. Dane James also was available.

20 seconds gone and for a change it was a Verwood attack that almost had the score - board in action. Ryan Kelly picked up a Frost through ball and racing past defenders hit an angle shot but just over the bar.

Stoneham’s response was a run down their right. Frost saw the danger and an excellent timed tackle took ball off toes. Stoneham’s pressure increased as we again took time to settle. 9 minutes and Haigh raced out of goal to save with his feet. 12 minutes gone though and we watched instead of tracking players as Stoneham put a ball into the bottom corner. 0-1.

Dyer engineered a fight back and hit the bar from a 25 yarder.

5 minutes later Browning slid a defence splitting pass to Gale. Gale’s shot was on target, but the keeper made a great save palming the ball out of danger.

Guthrie provided Gale with another opportunity, whipping in a cross from the right but again Gale’s header was saved by the keeper.

36 minutes a Dyer cross was headed just wide by Frost.

On the whistle Manley delivered an inch perfect cross for Kelly to connect but his effort went high over the bar.

Half Time 0-1.

Gale continued where he left off causing problems to Stoneham’s defence but firing blanks. The keeper clawed one from under the bar then watched rooted to the spot as another effort hit the side netting.

Frost put in a diving header with 55 minutes on the clock but put it wide.

Stoneham upped their game. 65 minutes might have scored had it not been for Dyer tracking back.

Then on 75 minutes we watched as the centre half coasted through midfield and sliding the ball through a static back four freed a runner to slip the ball past Haigh 0-2.

3 minutes later we slept as Stoneham drifted through again and a lob over an advancing Haigh was enough to make it 0-3.

80- minutes Webber came on for Kelly and 87 minutes Robinson came on for Guthrie.

A minute left and a hopeful punt into our box cleared the back four dropping just under the bar. 0-4.

Result 0-4.