SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 24TH OCTOBER 2009
AFC ALDERMASTON 0 VERWOOD TOWN 2

'Don't under estimate Aldermaston'. Adie's last words before the team hit the pitch. They were well heeded.

We kicked off and got into Aldermaston's box very quickly. Homer forced a corner and from the clearance Newbury tried a shot from just outside the box that flew wide.

The home team hit back with some excellent football. A creative move on the right, followed by a deep cross brought the best out of Fawcett.

Elysee found space on the right and a long ball into the area found Newbery. Again his shot was wide.

13 minutes gone and Aldermaston's defence had held firm. We thought we had caught them out when Newbery went wide, found space and a cross was inch perfect for Homer to smash a right foot volley goalwards. The keeper brought off a fantastic save.

We struggled to make impact. Aldermaston's defence worked hard to close down attacks and we couldn't find a great deal of room.

Half way through the half Faulkner and Arnold had the edge in mid field and several moves sparked from the central area. We still couldn't score though despite the pressure.

Aldermaston's flank players moved the ball well and Fawcett saved a couple of cross shots that crept in behind Lynch and Jamison.

Dyer tried a rising shot from the edge of the box and then Arnold hit a screamer from 20 yards. Both efforts were well saved by the keeper.

45 minutes 50 seconds gone and a Faulkner ball into the box was knocked back by Homer to Newbery. A well placed low shot beat the keeper sending us in at half time 1-0 ahead.

The first five minutes saw shots from Elysee Newbery and Homer all saved or go wide. Then we faced a resurgent Aldermaston as the game progressed. The ball was knocked around confidently and attacks pushed us back to defend in numbers. Fawcett saved a point blank shot and then it was the turn of Lynch and Jamison to clear crosses from the area.

We looked ragged. Aldermaston looked sharper than us and Adie Arnold and Martin Newbery had just cause to hit the diazepam.

53 minutes and we left a gap wider than Adie's hair parting. Fawcett raced from his line and blocked the shot. The rebound was hammered goalward but luckily the side netting was the only recipient.

Elysee dropped a cross into the box and Newbery was inches away from converting the ball into a second goal.

The game then meandered. No excitement, very little football and both sides giving the ball away became the norm.

Goodall came on for Faulkner after 58 minutes and was soon running aimlessly after bad passes. One that he did catch was swiftly turned across the area. Dyer hammered the ball just over the bar.

Aldermaston at this point was playing better football than we were. Fawcett again was in action and the back four of Evans Murray Jamison and Lynch had their work cut out keeping the ball out of the net.

Arnold stepped up his pace and a cross found Goodall, a volley was palmed out. Homer picked up the loose ball and tried a low shot. It went wide of the keeper but kicked away from danger by the full back. In it came again from Dyer. Homer got on the end of it and a tremendous effort was well taken by the keeper.

3 minutes to go.....Jamison hooked the ball wide to Goodall a run down the left a deep cross and there was Newbery to side foot the ball into the net. No more incidents...no more goals.

FULL TIME 2-0