WESSEX LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 7TH AUGUST 2021
VERWOOD TOWN 5 FLEET SPURS 0

This was our first league game of the season with the hopes of completing fixtures without a Covid finale.

In the first minute Guthrie played Vining in for a run on the flank. A cross was booted clear. The counter was made down our left. In came Danvers to make a solid tackle dispossessing the runner. A line ball released Davies. A ball inside found Gray. A return ball and shot was beaten out by the keeper. Only 6 minutes had elapsed.

Guthrie again was the spark in releasing Davies. This time a low cross sped across the box and Gray's lunge was inches from opening the scoring.

8 minutes gone and our pressure incessant on Fleet Spurs defence. Vining collected a Watkins line ball and cutting inside found Guthrie. A clever chip cleared the backs and Davies cut in on goal but had his shot saved by the keeper.

A snap attack from Fleet was killed off by Burt. Picking out Davies Burt's pass opened up another gap. Davies tried an angled shot but again the keeper did well and saved on the post.

We forced a corner. A scramble in the box and Burt put his name on the score sheet with an opportunistic strike. 1-0.

Fleet's response was short lived. Kelly dealt with a hopeful central high ball and when the game switched to flank both Danvers and Watkins were more than equal to curb the threat,

Gray went close from a Vining cross and then Davies had a low shot saved by the keeper as we pushed for another goal.

Butler and Vining worked the right and Butler finished the move crossing into the area for Gray to follow in and divert the ball past the keeper 2-0.

Gray's second of the game came from A Guthrie ball for Vining. Vining's turn was too much fort his marker to cope with and a ball to Gray's feet in the box was an inevitable increase in the score line. 3-0.

7 minutes left of the half and we almost gifted Fleet a clawback but a Danvers sliding tackle blocked a clear shot and cleared the area.

3 minutes left and Ashby's strong tackle won the ball. A crossfield pass gave Davies a slight opening on the right. It was enough. Cutting inside the box Davies hammered a left footer past the keeper. 4-0.

Half Time 4-0

Burt made way for Dickenson at half time.

Gray broke into the box with only a minute gone but his shot was diverted away from goal by the keeper's legs. Butler gathered and hit a low volley for the bottom corner. The keeper could have doubled for plastic man as his legs again stretched to block the ball from goal.

A brief flurry from Fleet tested Dickenson and Kelly but on both occasions Maher wasn't troubled.

We then eased off. Fleet gained more possession and for a while we had to defend in numbers, Guthrie at this point proved his flexibility in joining Ashby in the middle. Good tackling and vision helped control the central area.

23 and Davies made way for Meddeh, Meddeh's impact was instantaneous causing problems for the backs. A coupe of runs and crosses should have yielded but big boots in Fleets defence kept the score down.

On 32 Nicholson came on for Ashby. 10 minutes later Nicholson did what he does best….skins a marker and placing the ball past an advancing keeper into the bottom corner… 5-0.

We won a corner on 46 but after a 'ping pong' in the area the ball was cleared.

Result 5-0.