WESSEX LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 7TH JANUARY 2023
VERWOOD TOWN 2 AMESBURY TOWN 0

A brace for Louis McWilliams and a clean sheet for Joe Coombes landed a very welcome three points.

Amesbury were out of the traps early but this week we were conscious of the need for early concentration. Davis cut out a long high ball from the start and set up Burpitt for a run at Amesbury’s defence. A strong challenge stopped the run.

It wasn’t the best of football qualities to watch as both sides mixed options and a scrappy game followed.

Louis McWilliams altered the score board with 10 minutes gone latching on to a ball just on the edge of Amesbury’s area and placing an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner. 1-0.

Amesbury’s response was ‘Gung Ho’ but we had a solid back four not giving much away and an on form Joe Coombes in between the sticks.

Lee Tabor at right back curbed a lively left flank and Jack Broad did an equally effective job on Amersbury’s right flank.

Storey sparked an attack from midfield with Smith working the ball through the middle. Fishlock finished the move firing wide of the upright.

Amesbury got themselves back in possession forcing a couple of corners. One corner brought out a great piece of handling by Coombes as a shot within the 6 yard box crept past a defensive wall but saved by Coombes.

The half could have been a substitute for a sleeping draft but we finished ahead at the half time whistle.

Half Time 1-0

The second half was full of incidents. The first was when only 4 minutes had elapsed and a goaded Jack Broad reacted physically. A red card reduced us to ten men. Immediately a versatile Jake Carswell dropped into the full back spot.

We then had a couple of minutes of madness as both teams argued and needed settling before the game could proceed. The referees decision that a penalty wasn’t an option met with irate resistance. A free kick on the edge of the box was then capably dealt with by Broom steering the ball away from danger.

Hand bags flourished as Amesbury pushed forward. A flurry of petty free kicks followed before we had some reasonable skills to look at.

Storey and Smith put a major shift in in the middle of the park supported by a great work ethic from the team.

26 minutes gone and Smith swept down the right. Just before going down after a strong challenge Smith got the ball across the area. A predatory McWilliams put the ball in the net with a stooping header. No goal !!!!!! The referee decided he had blown the whistle before the ball crossed the line.!!!

Play continued until on 29 minutes a ball into Amesbury’s third was followed by a defender but the keeper also came out to punch away. The ball spun clear. Fishlock followed up and put the ball in the net. No goal !!!! This time it was fact that the collision had resulted in a head wound and the referee had blown for attention from Physios. It took 15 minutes for part recovery.

43 minutes normal time and Canham came on for Burpitt,

On 47 Carswell did well to intercept a long ball intended for a runner. A line ball sparked an attack but a scything tackle gave us a free kick. McWilliams spotted the Nomadic keeper had stepped up further than normal and a terrific looping ball cleared the keeper and kicked up the net. 2-0.

Amesbury got a spurt from somewhere and pushed on looking to reduce arrears. Coombes did well to grab a low shot intended for the corner and then seemed very confident when allowing a follow up shot whip past him to hit the foot of the post and bounce clear.

58 saw Amesbury’s keeper get a red so for the 2 minutes remaining two teams shuffled through with ten men each.

Result 2-0.