SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 14TH NOVEMBER 2009
VERWOOD TOWN 2 DOWNTON 5

80 mph gusts of wind and lashing rain was a feature of the morning when a pitch inspection took place. The game was declared 'ON'. The adjudicator then went immediately back to spec savers.

Downton's squad was early. The tail wind may have been the cause of more points on licences as the squad reached mach 2 on the Salisbury Ringwood Road. Rain had stopped by the teams swam to the pitch but again and quite remarkably the pitch itself was in good condition.

Goodall sparkled on the right and a low cross into the area was touched towards goal by Newbery's size nines but the keeper collected the ball without too much difficulty. The ball was hoofed upfield and a runner hit a rising shot that Lynch read well and cleared two yards off the line.

The game was evenly shared at this point and both goals had some excitement.

17 minutes and Downton broke away on their left, a low cross on the edge of the box and a terrific volley sped past Fawcett to put Downton ahead.

Downton stayed on top and we were gradually being pushed back. One clearance though was fed left and Homer jinked inside to unleash a 30 yarder that flew into the top corner. 1-1.

It was now an even possession game again as both teams went for an increase on the score line.

38 minutes gone. We lost the ball just outside the Downton box and a great piece of attacking play was strung together. We gave time on the edge, and in the box, then got punished as an unmarked forward lashed the ball into the net. 1-2.

43 minutes gone and a brilliant volley from Jamison had goal written all over it until a Downton defender clumsily diverted the ball away from danger. To cap it all a long clearance was helped on by a lob into our box and everyone watched the offending missile drop onto the post and then to be hammered in by an unmarked forward.

1-3 at half time.

We took heed of Adie's comments at half time and got stuck in from the whistle. Dyer ran wide then cut in sharply from the right. A right foot blaster went wide..

51 minutes and we were still pressing forward. Arnold and Faulkner worked the ball through the middle and Newbery was able to have a clear run on goal. No mistakes this time as a left foot shot whipped into the net past the keepers right hand. 2-3.

Optimism ran rife. Goodall then went close with a shot followed by a run that had the ball crossed low into the box. Newbery was inches short of diverting the ball into the net.

Alzheimer has a lot to answer for. Devotees wearing 11 shirts in Verwood's colours forget what they had turned up for. Downton thought Christmas had come early. Drifting casually through our defence Downton slammed the ball into the net past a despairing Fawcett. 2-4.

Jamison was our only defender when the next raid hit us and got in the way of a shot from the edge of the box. The ball bounced once and was volleyed towards Fawcett. Luckily Fawcett was still awake to take the catch.

We pushed forward and enjoyed a brief spell of attacking play taking us into the Downton half. Jamison joined the attack and the ball fell kindly for him to hit a full blooded volley only 10 yards out. A Downton defender got in the way and joined Didier Drogba in the rib ward.

Jason Lovell's new Tom Tom helped him locate the pitch from the dug out. On he came for James Murray. Adie shouted that we should go to three at the back. This puzzled the crowd as this was two more than normal.

Fawcett saved two shots in the space of a minute and then tipped the ball over the bar as Downton stayed in pole position to take the points. Kelly came on for Faulkner the idea was for Ben to stiffen us p in midfield but even an overdose of Viagra wouldn't have achieved that objective.

91 minutes gone and Jamison's sliding tackle in the box was perfection but the referee felt it warranted a penalty.......2-5.

There was hardly time for another attack as the referee made his best decision on the day and whistled up for full time.

A Downton three pointer 2-5 result.