SYDENHAMS (WESSEX) LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
WEDNESDAY 30TH JANUARY 2019
FAWLEY AFC 0 VERWOOD TOWN 2

Fawley claimed the first break with a ball wide left and a deep cross. Thompson thumped the ball clear out of the area. Dyer latched on to the clearance and sent Nicholson free. Nicholson’s angled shot whistled inches wide of the post.

Fawley’s pep talk before the game had rewards with an all out assault on our defence. Johnston and Gajic more than matched the push through the middle and Sam Joy and Tom Aston gave admirable support at right and left back spots respectively.

The game was end to end but mainly without using the route one system, so the crowd had something to keep them interested instead of worrying about finishing the match in a cryogenic state.

Josh Hall earned a free kick when skipping a tackle but finding he’d inadvertently joined the WWF. Luckily the arm lock didn’t do any damage. Dyer stepped up to plant the free kick in the box. Up went Davies but the keeper’s fist took the ball off his head.

21 minutes it was `Davies again sparking a dilemma for the home team’s defence. A run down the left, a couple of yards space and Davies whipped a low cross into the box. Guthrie timed it to perfection and the net bulged for a 1-0 score line.

Fawley’s response was to up the pace and we wilted slightly under intense pressure. Fawley’s claim for a penalty on 26 minutes fell on deaf ears and than great piece of football took them to the edge of our area. A chip onto the far post brought the best out of Sam Thompson with a superb finger tip save.

Mike Johnston took a bad knock on his knee and then minutes later Guthrie pulled up short with a suspected hamstring pull.

5 minutes left. A clearance by Fawley’s keeper was followed up by a central runner, Thompson was out like a flash to slam the ball into touch.

Half Time 1-0.

John Brewer’s efforts at half time paid dividends with both Mike Johnston and James Guthrie able to continue.

With 52 minutes gone Davies rounded a defender on the edge of the box and was upended. Up stepped Gajic. 2-0.

Guthrie had a shot from 20 yards tipped round the post and then 3 minutes later hit the side netting as we gained more possession.

Fawley’s tenacity edged their control and on 65 minutes worked the ball wide left. Good feet and inter-passing took them through mid field. We benefitted from the work rate of Nicholson shuttling back to dispossess the runner.

Joy and Aston were having good games defending a series of attacks from the home side.

Dyer toiled away in the middle of the park and with Cowland in top form we had the higher % of play.

The centre of the park was hotly contested though but we managed to curtail a hard working Fawley side.

69 minutes - a turning point. A break through the middle and a low shot for the bottom corner found its way through legs but was kicked off the line by Sam Joy. Fawley’s persistence created a couple more opportunities but we held firm and stemmed the flow.

Then with 5 minutes left a shot from the edge of the area found its way through our defensive shield but hit the foot of the post and ricocheted out of danger.

Our retaliation was a Davies shot blocked in the 6 yard box and a Guthrie volley again blocked by defenders.

Joe Kimber made a bow with a couple of minutes left and impacted immediately with a cracking hearer on the edge of the area that whistled over the bar.

The whistle blew on a hard earned 3 points against a very good Fawley team.

Result 2-0