PRE-SEASON
SATURDAY 17TH JULY 2021
DORCHSETER SPORTS 2 VERWOOD TOWN 2

We had lots of changes for this fixture after our excursion to Exmouth. Sam Small donned the gloves and we welcomed back Brad Gale after his Club Hunting exercise in the last couple of seasons.

Only a couple of minutes into the game and we made our first attack on DS goal. A long ball into our defence was intercepted by Matt Burt and placed a clearance at the feet of Evans. A strong shoulder brushed off the defender and Evans pumped the ball wide to Vining. A good turn and a neat pass gave Gale a run on goal. Guthrie, powering in from the right was unlucky not to connect as the ball drifted into dead ball.

Dorchester hit straight back down their right. Danvers was quickly across to destroy DS hopes of breaking into the box.

Guthrie and Evans were proving a handful for the DS defence. A couple of central moves had DS scrambling but their grit and determination kept the ball away from the keeper.

Hall was stamping his authority in the middle but DS were starting to bypass with long balls down both flanks.

20 minutes gone and Dorchester went ahead. A counter attack caught us threadbare at the back and a low cross was hammered past Small. 0-1.

DS continued to use the long ball and it gave Burt and Hancox a lot to do.

A couple of minutes left and another counter finished with the ball again hitting the back of the net. 0-2. The whistle blew seconds later for half time.

Half Time 0-2.

We woke up. Butler collected a Burt through ball and coasted past a couple of defenders. Guy picked up the pass and a deep cross whistled across the box and out into dead.

5 gone and Vining sparked a great move finishing with a lively looking Guy being dropped on the edge of the box. The ball was squared across the area and Butler hammered a volley just wide.

We looked more cohesive and with Danvers and Hall pushing forward we had DS on the back foot.

10 gone and Guy followed in a cross from the right to steer the ball past the keeper 1-2.

12 gone and a Butler left foot volley made it 2-2.

Zanin came on for Gale and was subjected to a couple of meaty tackles.

Hancox had settled in to a central defensive role well and the long balls that had caused trouble in the first half were well controlled.

Meddeh deserved a couple of goals with a late late show but we finished level pegging in our second friendly of pre season.

Result 2-2.