SYDENHAMS (WESSEX) LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 10TH NOVEMBER 2018
VERWOOD TOWN 5 PETERSFIELD TOWN 2

We faced early pressure from Petersfield but managed to curb the threat with Johnston and Gajic winning areal combat and Evans and Kimber holding firm on the flanks. We forced a throw on the right. Evans found Guthrie, a header over the bundle of bodies in the middle of the box and Davies was inches short of connecting to send us in front.

Petersfield reacted with a good move down the right. A dangerous cross was well held by Tierney.

13 minutes and a Dyer cross into the box was headed on by Guthrie. A defender deflected the ball away from goal but Davies followed in hammering the ball past the keeper. 1-0.

We pushed on. Gajic picked up a loose ball, rounding a midfielder, he fired a ball wide left giving Davies a run on goal, a low cross was cleared up field.

Richardson had a volley blocked on the edge of the area as we continued with a high % of the ball. Carkeet’s industry was a feature on the right shuttling between defence and attack with solid defending but contributing to counters.

Torrential rain kicked in but both teams stuck to an attacking mode.

Gajic headed wide from a Dyer free kick and Evans hit a ‘grubber’ just past the post.

Petersfield won a corner. We didn’t defend the set piece and suffered as the ball skipped past Tierney making it 1-1.

A minute to go and a Dyer rocket was fisted out by the keeper. Guthrie caught it on the volley and we went in at half time 2-1.

Half Time 2-1

Petersfield half time talk must have fed adrenalin. For the first 8 minutes we hardly had a touch as Petersfield pressed with some good football.

Tierney was busy but oozed class with a couple of excellent anticipated saves.

It took a third of the half to get back some sort of rhythm. Davies forced a good save from the keeper and Eaton was blocked from a shot just inside the area.

Petersfield’s corner on 64 minutes went undefended and we found ourselves again on a level score 2-2.

66 minutes saw Davies run through, skipping a couple of tackles and hitting a 25 yarder past the keeper 3-2.

68 minutes Carkeet came off for Nicholson. Nicholson’s first touch split Petersfield’s midfield but the keeper raced out to boot clear.

Petersfield gained two corners on the trot. Tierney thumped the first past the post and watched the second one whip past the post.

77 minutes George Richardson came off for Sam Joy to have a run.

Petersfield mounted pressure again as we, for some inexplicable reason, eased off. Kimber did a Tom Daly attempting to clear a punt into the box and we had to defend in numbers as the area was peppered.

Joy was instrumental in setting up the next goal with a cute flick opening up a gap for Guthrie to exploit. Guthrie’s pace took him past two defenders and a terrific low shot whipped the net up. 4-2.

Mick Cowland came on for Alex Eaton on 85 minutes giving fresh legs in the middle of the park.

Petersfield went for broke. On 90+3 they pushed up too far allowing Davies to pick up a through ball and beating the keeper with a shot into the corner of the net 5-2.

The whistle went a minute later with a well deserved 3 points added to our season’s tally.

Result 5-2.