PRE-SEASON
TUESDAY 11TH JULY 2023
VERWOOD TOWN 1 LAVERSTOCK & FORD 3

Laverstock pegged us back from the whistle. Danvers and Smith cut out the first two attacks but persistent pressure resulted in L&F benefitting from our current malaise of a sleepy start going ahead with only 8 minutes gone when a cross from their right was turned in. 0-1.

It sparked a wake up call. We rallied and Shepherd almost had the ball in the net a couple of minutes later as he latched on to an Orchard through ball, raced free and delivered a great daisy cutter bringing an excellent save from the keeper.

The game proceeded end to end and with a tussle in mid field supremacy. Kimber’s tackle on 15 minutes had bite resulting in a yellow card. The free kick was on target but Phillips wasn’t troubled.

Orchard and Pope held their opposite numbers in check during an attacking spell and a Smith McWilliams link let in Shepherd to dink the ball over and advancing keeper to level the score. 1-1.

L&F had a slightly higher percentage of the ball for a period but we had a couple of good chances and should have gone ahead when Broad and Carswell split L&F’s defence leaving Shepherd to fire in a shot that was blocked and cleared off the line.

8 minutes left of the half, a clutter of players in our area brought about an odd decision. The ball had ping ponged and finished up being fielded by Phillips off the post. The ref judged it a pass back. The ball 6 yards off the line was as good as a penalty .1-2.

Half Time. 1-2.

Braggington came on for Pope at the re start with a couple of tweaks on the line up.

30 seconds elapsed and L&F had hit the bar as we yet again were slow off the mark. We reacted with a Kimber defence splitter giving McWilliams a look on goal. A tremendous volley was deflected for a corner by a sprawling keeper.

We had strayed too far in carrying the game. 5 minutes into the second half and a long cross field ball found a runner. A cross shot made it 1-3.

Kerr’s low shot across the goal minutes later was half cleared, Shepherd nipped in to slam a shot past the keeper but again agonised as a defender slipped and luckily blocked the ball from reducing the score line.

Kimber made way for Storey on 16 minutes in a one for one swap.

The pace from both sides at this stage made it a quick end to end game.

Ponder came on for Smith on 20 minutes.

Shepherd’s angled shot two minutes later grazed the foot of the post as we pushed on. Danvers and Broad were adding influence to attack but L&F held tight.

The game slowed towards the end of the game but not before we had pressed hard to alter the score board but without luck.

Result. 1-3.