WESSEX LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 17TH JANUARY 2015
CHRISTCHURCH 1 VERWOOD TOWN 4

Our enigma, Bay Downing was still missing for this fixture. Russ Dyer had to be excluded because of a red card but we still managed to field a strong side against Christchurch.

Manager Carl Poore shuffled the side with Dean Evans making a welcome return partnering Liam Donachy Ben Kelly and Max Brimson. The middle of the park had Jordan Fisk wide right with Tom Whelan and Chas Gajic making the central pairing. Josh Buck playing wide left. Matt Groves and Dan Munday played up top. We had a good bench with Carl Foster Tyler Rutten James Guthrie and Kris Anderton all ready to join in if needed.

Christchurch made a sprint start. Only 30 seconds had elapsed when Lynch had to race from his line and clear a through ball. Whelan latched on to the clearance a few yards from the edge of the Christchurch box and was heavily challenged gaining a fee kick. The shot was low and on target but bodies were in the way and a big boot made sure there was no threat to Christchurch goal.

We gained momentum. Fisk was proving a handful to the Christchurch left back and it was Fisk who went free near the bye line to send in a cross mid height for Groves to hook the ball for goal. A good keeper held the shot under the bar despite pressure from Munday.

21 minutes gone and we forced a corner on the right. Munday flicked a header onto the penalty spot and Donachy made no mistake in volleying the ball into the top corner. 1-0.

Christchurch reply was to force us back and to give a way a corner. Lynch punched clear as the ball dropped almost on the goal line. The clearance fell to a Christchurch back who powered it over the bar.

Whelan worked the ball past his marker and hit a low shot that the keeper went low to beat out. In swept Groves to hammer a shot for the bottom corner, the keeper again made a great save.

Munday benefitted from a Fisk break on the right. Picking up the pass, Munday went wide and then cut back in slamming a low shot for the bottom corner. The keeper made an excellent save palming the ball away. Groves hit the rebound only to see the keeper again punch clear.

33 minutes and a Whelan Groves move finished with Fisk bearing down on goal. This time Fisk picked his spot chipping the keeper to make it 2-0.

35 minutes and while Christchurch were still settling Whelan got a corner and swung it in low to the near post. Groves made no mistake steering it into the net to make it 3-0.

Half Time 3-0

We expected an adrenalin rush from Christchurch and true to expectation we were on the back foot from the whistle. A quick break down the right had Brimson making a good stop but the clearance fell for another attack to be made on the right. A rising shot was on target but Lynch had it covered and was able to flick it wide. Buck went free, on to Whelan then to Groves back to Buck. Buck had space and fired a low cross for Munday. A defender's diving header cleared danger before Munday could reach the ball.

Christchurch hit back and gained possession for a while. Some good football tested our midfield making it an entertaining spectacle for the unbiased.

64 minutes and constant Christchurch pressure paid off as we opened up at the back and a good piece of football finished with the ball being whipped in from the right and fired past Lynch. 3-1.

Tails up, Christchurch went for a second but Donachy and Kelly provided an impenetrable barrier in the middle. Evans and Brimson were equal to any threat so we gradually gained back our possession and a Whelan Munday link finished with Groves trying a shot from the edge of the box but to see it blocked on the line and cleared.

Buck came off for Carl Foster to take up a forward running role. Foster's first job though was to curb pressure on the flank as Christchurch moved the ball down the line. Foster tracked back turning the ball into touch.

Donachy's head cleared the area and Gajic moved the ball forward for Groves. Groves sent the ball wide for Whelan. On to Fisk and Fisk rounded the back to send in a low cross. The ball was half cleared and Whelan followed up to shoot but was dropped just outside the box. The free kick was on target and low for the corner. Another great save from the keeper stopped the scoreboard recoding another.

74 minutes and we forced another corner. The goal area resembled WWF as bodies went for the ball. Munday won the battle slipping the ball into the bottom corner. 4-1.

James Guthrie came on for Jordan Fisk and within seconds Groves had him working the line. Great skill had the ball across the area but a big boot stopped Gajic from claiming No.5.

Tyler Rutten then came on for Dan Munday and was party to another scramble in the Christchurch box but couldn't convert the chance.

A long ball caught us too far forward and with 92 minutes gone Christchurch went free with a chance to get their second. Lynch was in exceptional form though and made a brilliant save to keep the score at 4-1.

Result 4-1