SYDENHAMS (WESSSEX) LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 19TH MARCH 2011
EAST COWES VICTORIA 1 VERWOOD TOWN 2

Luckily our reserve team has developed its quality over the season and four of the team made the squad for this visit to the ‘Island’.

Ben Richards closed down the first attack from the home side and Dan Fawcett collected a high ball into the box all within the first couple of minutes.

The pace of the game was quite quick with passes 1 in 4 being lost.

Haskell and Webb broke through the home team’s defence but the shot went wide.

Dyer slipped the ball through the centre of ECV defence. Aspin went free. Unselfishly Aspin pulled the ball back for Gajic to try his luck. The shot was on target but the keeper read it well and made a comfortable save.

14 minutes gone and the ball fell to Haskell just inside the area. Haskell’s goal tally increased as the ball finished up in the back of the net. 1-0.

The pace picked up. Vics pushed us back. Dear and Murray made good tackles and Fawcett was forced to make a couple of good saves.

A quick attack sprung from Lynch almost had us two up but the ball went wide as Aspin tried to increase his season’s tally.

33 minutes and pressure from Vics resulted in a penalty. Fawcett had no chance with a fierce rising shot. 1-1.

40 minutes and we worked the ball through Vics defence. Webb seized on an opportunity and the result was 2-1 with five minutes of the half remaining.

A brief skirmish in our box with a minute left was nullified by a Fawcet save.

Half Time 2-1

Vics got on top from the whistle. Dyer and Webb had to work hard in the middle to curb pressure.

Gajic broke free with ten minutes gone and then hit a curling shot clipping the bar.

Vics broke through the central area and Lynch made a sliding tackle the ref thought was too ‘vigorous’. The free kick floated into the box. Up went Lynch heading clear. The ball fell just outside the box for a shot and luckily Dear was in the way to deflect the effort wide of goal. In came the corner. Up went Murray and the ball was cleared finally from the area.

Vics stormed back. Dyer and Webb this time took control and we benefitted for the next quarter of an hour pushing forward.

Haskell and Aspin now were enjoying more of the ball and a Haskell shot almost went in as it cannoned off a defender and nearly spun into the net. A line clearance cleared the box but fell to Webb. His shot was on target but the keeper’s handling was exceptional and an increase in goals was denied.

The game slowed up and we had a longer ball game. Haskell’s dominance in the air helped considerably to keep our threat on goal.

Dyer had a shot that went wide then Webb copied the effort.

Elysee helped Richards in defending Vics attack with ten minutes left and clearing the ball to Dyer sparked our next move.

Haskell slipped the ball wide to Gajic. Gajic chipped the ball on to the overlapping Dear. The cross found Haskell and the header although on target was covered by the keeper.

The game then meandered towards the final whistle without any major flurries so the game finished with a three point haul.

FULL TIME 2-1