SYDENHAMS (WESSEX) LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
TUESDAY 13TH OCTOBER 2020
NEW MILTON TOWN 1 VERWOOD TOWN 1

New Milton’s start was brisk and within minutes of the whistle forced a corner. Lynch went high to take the ball off heads. A minute later NM pressure had them in the box again but it was a Kelly header this time that kept the score board blank.

Mat Steer’s 8 year absence in the wilderness ended with his return to the Club for this fixture and he was soon in the thick of a midfield battle joined by Hall and Smith.

Steer sparked a Vining chance but the ball took a coat of varnish off the bottom of the post.

Good football played along the deck from both teams was a feature and the game flowed end to end.

Vining put a header over the bar and a Nicholson daisy cutter inched past the post with 10 minutes gone.

Lynch was on top form with safe hands and we looked comfortable at the back with Elsom’s educated feet taking care of any hopeful CF runs and Kelly’s no nonsense approach with any loose balls.

Watkins and Danvers gave extra momentum to attacks and one run and cross found Vining racing free. A flag for offside killed hopes of a goal.

The half continued with attacking football but with no conversions.

Half Time 0-0.

NM opened the half with a long ball down the right. A deep cross for a runner fell into the safe hands of Lynch.

14 minutes and Zanin came on for Smith. On 25 Butler came on for Sims.

The game continued to flow end to end. We had the bigger percentage of ball in the middle of the park with Steer and Hall dominant.

32 gone and a loose ball penetrated our third. A runner broke away 0-1. No heads dropped and the spirit of the side was there on the night.

Zanin was proving a thorn in the NM defence and one run and cross inched past the post by a Butler boot.

NM tried to ‘manage’ the rest of the game and a few frustrations became evident.

45+4 we won a FK. Lynch raced from goal to join a crowded box. Half a chance and Lynch pounced to slam a volley past the keeper 1-1.

We almost took the three points in a 45+7 attack. Zanin roasted his marker, zipped a low cross into the 6 yard box and Butler was inches away from touching the ball over the line. The ball was finally hoofed upfield as the whistle blew.

Result 1-1