SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 13th JANUARY 2018
EAST COWES VICTORIA 4 VERWOOD TOWN 4

The first 25 minutes of this game must rank as one of our worst defensive displays of the season. Changes again inflicted because of work demands and injuries meant changes but once we settled we dug in to earn a point.

2 minutes had Haigh finger tipping a rising shot over the bar as we opened up like Moses parted the waters. A minute and a half later we stayed rooted as East Cowes drifted through to put the ball past Haigh. 0-1.

A spark on 8 minutes saw Kelly latch on to a Gale cross but the ball was still travelling high and wide when we caught the Ferry back.

Then Kelly atoned for the miss with great feet shifting the ball wide for Manley. On to Guthrie and Guthrie whipped past a defender to put the ball into the bottom corner. 1-1.

21 minutes and still no movement from our defenders as another goal put East Cowes ahead.

We gradually got ourselves together. Kelly’s reverse pass a couple of minutes later put Guthrie through. An excellent placed shot beat the keeper but the linesman flagged a hotly disputed offside.

Joy and O’Hare tightened their grip and O’Hare sparked an attack after winning a heading duel whipping the ball out to Kelly. On to Guthrie, wide to Manley. Manley delivered a low ball into the box and Gale closed in to shoot. The ball hit a defender and skipped up into the keeper’s hands.

7 minutes to go and a free kick floated into our six yard box was left unchallenged. A simple header made it 3-1.

We hit back straight away and a Kelly volley on 40 minutes whistled past the keeper to make it 2-3.

Half Time 2-3.

We came out in the second half with a lot more purpose and within 2 minutes almost drew level as Brad Gale volleyed for goal. The keeper feet stopped elation.

Kelly put things right on 50 minutes with a superb right foot cross shot that made it 3-3.

We looked more like scoring at this point and Guthrie skimmed the angle of post and bar with a dipping volley a minute later.

We continued to press. James and Webber were giving extra deliveries off the flanks and on 63 minutes Browning slipped his marker to deliver a great ball to Guthrie.

Despite the close numbers on our Hot Shots Chart Guthrie laid the ball into the path of Manley and there was no mistake as Manley’s right foot put us ahead. 4-3

Webber’s sickness bug took hold and on came Ryan Watkins for a one for one.

Watkins was straight into action slide tackling a runner to prevent a cross.

Browning and Dyer worked space in the middle and Dyer’s ball through the middle found Guthrie. The shot beat the keeper but went inches wide.

Then on 69 minutes a mad scramble in our box left a gap and a stabbed ball finished up in the corner of the net. 4-4.

It was ‘gung ho’ for the last few minutes with Gale Kelly and Guthrie all having opportunities and then in the last minute of injury time Haigh saving a low shot heading for the corner of the net.

Result 4-4.