SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 14th APRIL 2018
VERWOOD TOWN 1 ANDOVER NEW STREET 4

This was the day of the walking wounded. Two hopefuls, Ryan Watkins and Ryan Kelly were thought to be 50/50 but both failed a fitness test just before kick off. It left a bare eleven – no bench. The line up meant a versatility test like no other.

Haigh Webber Jaco Browning Manley Dyer Turner Hockey Davis Guthrie Oxteby It ranked also as the youngest team fielded this season.

Andover steamed out of the traps with only a minute on the clock. Haigh, despite playing with a wrist problem turned the ball round the post. The corner caused a flurry of activity in the box but Manley cleared the danger, hooking the ball clear.

Andover sensed our settling in need and pressured. We gave away a free kick on the edge of the box. A clinical strike was slammed into the top corner on 3 minutes. 0-1.

We then allowed a long ball to produce a break down the middle. A half clearance was punished by a shot wide of Haigh to make it 0-2 and only 4 minutes gone.

We took a couple of minutes to settle. Browning made a superb tackle just inside the area preventing another goal on 6 minutes.

We spluttered into life. Guthrie shouldered his way past a strong defender and a low volley was scrambled out of the 6 yard box. Davis went wide in a link with Hockey. The resultant cross was just too far for Oxteby to get on the end of it.

We gained confidence and produced some good football against promotion contenders.

Half Time 0-2

Hockey's effort with only 35 seconds gone of the re start deserved more than a clipped bar.

Andover pushed forward but Manley and Browning had stitched up the central area. Jaco had the measure of his opposite number and Davis was giving his marker a torrid time on the flank.

Turner jinked past midfield and released Oxteby. An intelligent cut back let Webber in for a strike but defenders blocked his effort.

On 66 minutes a lapse of concentration on our left let in a runner. A break into the box, a cut back found a spare man who made it 0-3.

We hit back. Turner looped a ball just over the bar and pressure produced a free kick. Up stepped Guthrie to hit an unstoppable shot into the top corner on 87 minutes. 1-3.

Andover benefitted from naivety and grabbed a goal a minute later. 1-4.

We tried hard in the remaining couple of minutes to close the gap but an experienced side did enough to frustrate and go home with 3 points.

Result 1-4