WESSEX LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 20TH NOVEMBER 2021
WHITCHURCH UNITED 0 VERWOOD TOWN 3

Games are coming thick and fast. The need for a quality in depth squad, absolutely vital This Whitchurch fixture was to be a major test.

Whitchurch, hit from the start. A long ball down the middle was followed by a couple of runners. Elsom’s tackle blocked a shot but gave away a corner. Maher climbed high to palm the ball away, Cooper collected and a good ball left sent Davies on a run. A switch back let in Cooper but his shot hit defenders. Only 4 minutes had elapsed and activity in both areas.

A fast pace continued. Lister matched a runner to win a tussle and Watkins made a telling tackle as Whitchurch pushed on with a long ball game.

Fisher gave hopes of an early goal with a good break on the right and delivered an angled shot the keeper took under the bar.

11 minutes on the clock and Whitchurch use of the slope helped their long ball game, but on the day we had resilience in defence that kept the threat under wrap.

Hancox battled alongside Cooper in the middle helping to prompt Davies Vining and Fisher in attacking a solid Whitchurch back line.

Tackles became more dangerous. Cooper was floored on the half way line. His free kick dropped on the edge of the box and a Davies volley whipped over the bar.

Fisher had a shot saved and Vining almost wriggled through on 28 minutes but again suffered a sliding tackle that took out his legs.

A Whitchurch attack on their left made ground but this was Fishers day as he tracked back robbing the flank player before he could get a cross in.

Kelly went close with 15 minutes left but the keeper made a good save on the post. A long ball upfield was tracked by Elsom, but an over zealous front runner jumped high and landed on Elsom’s shoulders. Jon Brewers treatment did the trick and Elsom was able to continue.

Only a couple of minutes later and Fisher hit the deck with a tackle from behind. Although Fisher was OK the offender was taken off injured and was substituted.

In the last few minutes tempers started to fray and just on the whistle Davies suffered an elbow in the face. No time was left to see if the FK could break the score line.

Half Time 0-0.

30 seconds gone of the re start and Vining was scythed down as he cut in to the Whitchurch third. Coopers free kick went high over the bar.

3 minutes and Vining cut inside the box. A blatant ankle tap should have brought a penalty but the ref decided to let play go on.

Kelly & Fisher were now causing headaches to the Whitchurch defence.

A minute after the Vining’s penalty claim he cut through and laid off to Fisher. An angled shot few past the keeper. 1-0.

Kelly then agonized as his shot from just inside the area was kicked off the goal line.

Hancox was next to be fouled. The free kick delivered by Cooper was well taken by the keeper.

Whitchurch then had a surge of energy, forcing us back. Maher took a couple of hopeful high balls into the box and Watkins and Danvers did a great job controlling the flanks.

31 gone and Lister had to come off after a collision with a runner. On came Burt.

We rallied on 14 gone and a Davies pass found Danvers on the overlap. Danvers cross was judged to an ‘nth degree by Kelly and a stooped header made it 2-0.

Although we felt we had a grip on the game this Whitchurch side always looked dangerous on the break.

Harry Osman came on for Matt Vining and a couple of minutes later Watkins came off for Nathan Powis to have a run.

It was good use of quality substitutes.

Osman had a shot stopped on the line with 20 minutes gone and then a good Cooper delivery was hammered goal bound by Vining. It was the beginning of a spell of corners. We just couldn’t crack the defence at this stage but kept pressure on.

Lister was cut down on 31 but able to continue.

Davies and Danvers inter passing on our left opened up Whitchurch and a Danvers volley was save on the line by a keeper who should try the lottery this week end.

42 Cooper won a strong tackle and split Whitchurch defence with a slide rule pass. Davies rounded a defender and made it 3-0 with a rasping shot into the bottom corner.

The game finished on 48 minutes with the last 5 minutes testing our defensive qualities. We kept a clean sheet.

Result 3-0.