SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 18TH APRIL 2009
FARNBOROUGH NE 1 VERWOOD TOWN 0

Another away game and with one more to go. Two draws on a trot was this going to be a third?

Mark Beverley and Steve Reeves flattened the bench as we kicked off. FNE hit a long ball straight from the kick off and a greyhound on the left flank rounded Chas Elysee to hammer a low cross into the area. No one fortunately had kept pace so the ball arrowed its way over the far touch line. It was a warning we took heed of.

Dyer and Newbury helped keep things in perspective by closing down defenders and we got more into the game.

Lanahan chipped a good ball wide to Homer and a cracking cross was turned wide by Newbury.

The greyhound on the left was constantly fed the ball but by this time Charlie had sussed the way to handle the problem and merely stood in his way. It worked. Pressure eased off and we got ourselves back into the action.

15 minutes gone and Lanahan floated a cross. Homer steamed in and a left foot rocket hit the side netting.

20 minutes and a free kick, taken by Arnold, found Lanahan. A good shot was well held by the keeper.

FNE worked hard to get back into the game as we dominated the middle for a while. Simple answer for FNE was to float the ball over the top.

Lynch Evans and Willis were sound and dealt very capably with the threats.

Stronger tackles were now evident from both sides as the struggle carried on to put the ball into the net.

Half time though 0-0.

FNE swamped us with a series of attacks at the beginning of the second half. We didn't panic but had to defend with 8 in and around the box.

We kept the ball away from the back of the net and worked hard to get ourselves back in the game.

10 minutes into the half we broke through the middle. Newbury carried on the move but was felled just outside the area. The free kick, taken by Moore dropped invitingly into the box, the keeper jumped into the fray and palmed the ball away for a corner.

Lynch came in for the corner to maintain his recently unblemished record of heading over the bar.

Newbury broke free and a lob cleared the keeper but also the bar. It certainly seemed as if we would never score.

FNE took heart from our inability to capitalise and put together some excellent moves. We were gradually losing the mid field. Paul Arnold and Steve Moore worked hard but FNE had the guile to steer the ball wide to flanks and then use the long ball cross to keep us pegged into our area.

56 minutes and we enjoyed a brief respite as Willis fielded yet another shot and a quick throw caught FNE too far up field. Newbury and Homer had space but wasted the opportunity as yet another shot hit the side netting.

Steve Reeves working hard across the middle of the park was reminded gently that FNE were no longer playing there. He dropped back to just outside the box and was soon seeing the round object again. At this stage only Matt Newbury was left upfield. Any long clearances were chased vigorously but one against three didn't work.

We were under the cosh in the last few minutes and in the last remaining seconds the ball once again had been pumped into our area. This time a few miss kicks gave an opportunity for a toe poke to alter the score line giving FNE a 1-0 win.