BOURNEMOUTH SENIOR CUP 2ND ROUND
TUESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER 2019
VERWOOD TOWN 6 BOURNEMOUTH ELECTRIC 3

Luckily the squad is a good one and needed for this game. 5 cried off but we managed to field a side capable of handling the fixture.

Gray, Brigden, Kelly, Davies and Haigh all carried injuries, Dyer was delayed arriving in time for kick off so the bench read.. Dyer Fawcett and Betteridge. 3 Icons.

We grabbed 2 corners on the trot in the first couple of minutes. A long clearance from the second corner put two runners into our third but Gajic and Kelly’s defensive quality was enough to curb the threat.

Brigden headed away the next missile launch before we settled down to put some decent football together.

Danvers freed Rutten with 13 minutes gone and Rutten’s run into the box was blocked. The ball spun off the tackle for a corner. The corner suffered the same fate as our earlier efforts and disappeared into low cloud.

17 minutes gone and we peppered Electrics area. Davies hit a cross, Vint rose above defenders bringing out a tremendous save from the keeper. The ball was cleared off the line. The rebound was fielded by Rutten, a chip back in and Vint headed wide. We maintained pressure. Gray and Vint went close but we couldn’t find that finishing touch. Electric found it though when on 21 minutes they cleared another attack and put the ball in the net. We got caught absolutely cold. 0-1.

2 minutes later, Rutten headed into the box and Hall followed in to hammer a volley for the bottom corner. A defenders size 10 cleared off the line.

On 34 we pulled one back. Hall pushed the ball through a defensive barrier. Vint collected and rounded the advancing keeper to slot the ball into the bottom corner 1-1.

36 gone and Nathan’s Gray came off for Russell Dyer.

Davies brought another fine save from Electric’s keeper and then Rutten shot wide from 10 yards.

5 minutes to go and a Vint rocket was spilled. Rutten raced in to sweep the ball into the net making it 2-1

Half Time 2-1.

Owen Brigden gave way at half time for the irrepressible Dan Fawcett to make an entry.

We continued where we left off. On top, but wary of Electric’s dangerous counters.

Nicolson had given the back four a boost dropping in to an unfamiliar full back spot and as the game progressed his partnership with Davies flourished.

8 gone and Danvers floated a great ball across the park for Davies. A run on goal finished with a chip going over the angle.

Danvers had spotted the puzzled centre back in Electric’s defence as they tried to suss out the Fawcett danger. It was simple, Dan’s deceptively slow !!! Skill though was still in the 1940 boots he wore and after controlling Danvers pass inside the backs he promoted a one two with Vint finishing with Vint collecting the ball and steering it past the keeper to make it 3-1.

A minute later Fawcett dipped a shoulder dummying his marker and slammed a rising shot but hitting a defensive wall. Play stopped for a short time while we found his shoulder.

Then another clearance from Electric’s defence fell in space and a runner hit a 30 yarder over Haigh to make it 3-2.

Electric’s tails were up at closing the gap and Haigh was tested with a couple of good efforts but his handling was superb keeping the score at 3-2

20 – and the ref took flak for accusing ‘the’ Verwood star of a foul. Fawcett’s protests fell on deaf ears. The ear trumpet was on the left.

Vint had a shot that spun off a defender with the keeper beaten but 2 minutes later it was the dynamic Fawcett pushing a slide rule pass to Davies just inside the box. 14 touches later Davies despatched the ball into the bottom corner 4-2.

Vint hit a screamer past the keeper to make it 5-2 but then Electric pulled one back from a long clearance and runner. 5-3.

Gajic and Kelly were dominating central attacks and with both Nicolson and Danvers in control we looked solid.

Rutten stepped up to the plate with 10 minutes left and scored what must rank as his best for a long time with a thumping volley into the roof of the net. 6-3.

Electric fought hard towards the end but we resisted and go into the next round

Result 6-3.