SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 6TH FEBRUARY 2010
HAMBLE ASSC 5 VERWOOD TOWN 1

Both teams chipping away at the top with Hamble having an added advantage of a couple of games in hand made for an interesting afternoon.

Lynch was our absentee spending time with some Senora in Barcelona. He will be back in three weeks after El Clinic !!

We wasted no time in making sure Hamble went in front. A simple ball down the right, plenty of space for the runner, and a gap wider than Bournemouth station allowed a low cross to be headed past Fawcett. 0-1.

We trundled along for the next five minutes and then our charitable streak took over again. A glorious pass from our mid field (no names no pack drill) to Hamble's forwards .......a dropped a ball into our area caused mayhem. It was like watching the Keystone Kops. Fawcett dived on the ball. The ball squirmed free. Jamison swung a leg and partly connected. The spinning orb slid off Charlie's bald pate and fell nicely for a Hamble toe to poke it into the net. 0-2.

It was 15 min before we settled. Kelly worked hard alongside Arnold and balls down the flanks gave Hamble something to worry about. Dyer hit a tremendous shot that shaved the bar and Baguley's volley was well held by the keeper.

Hamble's defence held firm and we struggled to get any further breaks.

Hambles tactics were spot on for this game. There wasn't a lot of football through the middle and balls were constantly lobbed over mid field for forwards to chase.

10 minutes of the half left and a high ball into the box was half cleared. The ball fell to a grateful forward. 0-3.

Half time came.....0-3.

23 seconds gone and Murray raced down the left. A side rule pass to Homer and a Homer blast that flew across the front of the keeper but wide of the post.

Hamble's response was within a minute and produced a tremendous save from Fawcett. One thing was clear. We were second best on the day. Hamble's running and eager approach was greater than ours.

We did have a reasonable spell in the second half and both Goodall and Baguley had shots saved. Homer's constant threat on the left forced a few scrambles and a drive across the box wanted a touch but we had no one close enough.

Jamison and Evans had a lot to do. High balls were the order of the day so brain damage was going to be a possibility. Luckily both our central defenders had no worries in this direction so not too many missiles got through.

Murray, man marking, hadn't realised the gaps being created on the flank so we took a beating on the left. Jamison's cover stopped irreparable damage but we constantly had to scramble the ball away from danger.

We worked hard but Hamble's attacking style in every section of the pitch was too much for us and we had to yet succumb to being pressured back into our half.

62 minutes on the clock and we broke the stranglehold. A free kick floated into the Hamble box was met by Baguley and a downward header made it 1-3.

It was even- stevens for a while and then we blew it again.

Gaps became evident in most areas of the pitch and in the 91st and 93rd minutes of the game Hamble struck two more goals to make it a 1-5 scoreline. We trudged off and were shocked to see what appeared to be a funeral Directors Convention. We had been bad but not that bad.

A closer view revealed the cortege was a bevy of Wessex League officials all dressed in matching gear... walking in measured tread..., in two's and heads bowed.

It was a sombre finish to a sombre Verwood Town.