SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER 2008
PETERSFIELD TOWN 1 VERWOOD TOWN 5

Heavy driving rain greeted the players as well as a small guard of honour as the players entered the pitch.

4 minutes and a low ball driven into the box came off the turf like a bullet. Down went Willis but the ball squirmed underneath him for an opening goal. 0-1.

3 minutes later we won a corner. In went Lynch and a bullet header shot into the net uncontested. 1-1. Two minutes later we won a free kick 20 yards out and a Cousins 'Bender' flew past a static keeper. 2-1.

Back came the home side and Moore did well to cut out the raid. Moore slid the ball wide to Arnold and a surging run finished with a shot that went wide.

Elysee and Stephens had their respective flank players well controlled and Stephens run down the left opened up Petersfield for the cross to be volleyed by Goodall just over the bar.

Petersfield's reaction was good football but without the finishing touch. Willis made a couple of good saves but generally the home teams attacks were contained well by Lynch Moore Stephens and Homer.

Cousins prodding and prompting in the middle gave Arnold room to move and we always looked dangerous going forward.

38 minutes and away went Homer down the left a low ball into the box found Goodall. Goodall saw Dyer free on the edge of the box and a perfect pass was hammered into the net. 3-1.

Lynch then stretched a hamstring and had to come off. It was a blow but we continued to peg Petersfield to the edge of the area and the half finished 3-1.

Petersfield had more purpose at the kick off and two fierce shots in as many minutes had the spectators believing the home team wouldn't be too long before catching up the score line.

15 minutes into the half and a typical Arnold tackle on such a slippy surface left Arnold with apparent ankle ligament damage. Suddenly we were two key players off the pitch.

On came Keighley. Martin Newbury was already in the thick of things on the right and we maintained pressure.

Counter attacks were at high speed and we had our work cut out stemming the flow.

Goodall tried a shot the keeper did well to hold and then a combination Goodall/Keighley move with 69 minutes on the clock resulted in Keighley timing Goodalls pass to perfection and a low left foot shot whipped past the keeper for goal number four.

Petersfield stung into action skimmed the bar with a shot and then tested Willis with a few high balls into the area. There was no finishing touch so the game carried on with a comfortable score line.

For a while we saw a battle in the middle of the park but Petersfield were able to flex their capabilities better than us and used flanks to penetrate the defence.

Stephens and Elysee were still on top of their opposite numbers so we survived a series of attacks.

Moore, battled hardened veteran, cajoled and harangued to urge the last ounce of stamina from the team.

5 minutes left we survived another raid and a throw from Willis caught Petersfield wide open. Their back four was flatter than Keira Knightley's chest. Homer raced free…..a deep cross and there was Keighley to notch his second of the game and our fifth.