SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
TUESDAY 10TH NOVEMBER 2009
STOCKBRIDGE 0 VERWOOD TOWN 2

Danielle Goodall minced into the dressing room with bright red painted toe nails peeping from wedge heeled open toed sling backs. The custom made Gucci handbag divulged crappy boots but also an expensive cosmetic and manicure set. Players who had debagged rapidly re-bagged.

Ada Faulkner traipsed in seconds later. Hang Dog expression and bemoaning waking up in Danielle's bed and several currency notes lighter. Danielle is expensive.

Comments had been heard by Stockbridge players so it was no surprise they insisted on handshakes and no tongues.

The night was foggy and heavy rain had preceded the game. The pitch was in good nick. Stockbridge worked the ball well from the kick off. Good football played at fast pace gave us a lot to do but we coped well and dug in.

11 minutes gone and Jamison's long leg diverted the ball away for a corner. Fawcett fisted the ball out of the area and an unmarked player hit a volley through the defence. The ball crashed against the bar and out for dead ball. It was a good let off.

We worked hard to get in the game and gradually matched the pace and 'want to win' expression.

20 minutes and we had Stockbridge on the back foot. The ball broke just outside the box and Goodall fired a shot into a packed defence. It travelled like a pin ball and finished up in the net ... 1-0.

The game had evened out and spectators were treated to two side's intent on playing good open football. Another feature was the absence of trainers.

A couple of chances at both ends closed the half with a 1-0 score line.

Danielle's appearance was still the talk of the dressing room. It obviously percolated into the Stockbridge camp because the first attack of the second half saw Goodall running straight at the Stockbridge defence and they back pedalled !!! No one turned to race back. It gave Goodall an opportunity for a shot but the ball sailed over the bar.

Lynch headed back the long dead ball kick and Homer raced in to force a last ditch clearance from the full back. The ball fell to Goodall. A square ball found Baguley and a cross shot beat the keeper to put us two ahead.

Dyer worked the ball down the flank and the cross flew inches too high for Baguley.

We were enjoying a purple patch and should have gone further ahead when Homer again split the defence with a good run but the cross was just too heavy for Arnold to connect.

73 minutes and we won a free kick just outside Stockbridge box. Arnold headed on and there was Jamison to carry the heading contest into the net. 3-0 ? No....an inexplicable decision for infringement denied the third goal.

Stockbridge took heart and pushed forward. Fawcett was busy defending his clean sheet and Elysee did well mustering his defence during a very heavy period of attacks.

We struggled to even out the play, and the effort from all the team was good to see.

A couple of minutes on the clock and Goodall raced through to angle a shot across the keeper but athleticism saved the day and the keeper brought off a great save.

We went in 2-0 winners of a good game and gave an excellent performance.