Hamworthy United 0 Alresford Town 0
United dominated for seventy five minutes of this game, but unfortunately came up against a keeper at the top of his form. The final score could so easily have been five nil to the Hammers, but for the series of great saves from Town keeper Dan Chapman to keep his side in the game.
Alresford took the game to the Hammers in the opening few minutes and it took the Home side a while into get into the match. There looked to be a few tired legs left over from Wednesday night’s long trip to Brading, and some players took a time to get going. Richard Jackson was put through one on one with the keeper, but shot narrowly wide. United brought on Mark Connett for his first Wessex League game when Richard Jackson had to go off still feeling the effects of a recent illness, and a very good debut it proved to be too. Chapman made the first of his many good saves when he flung himself across the goal to save a fiercely driven Micky Hubbard free kick that looked destined for the back of the net. Mark Connet and Warren Byerley combined well, but again the ball was hit just wide. Hamworthy were by now having the better of things, but the score remained 0-0 at the interval.
Hamworthy were even more dominant in the second half restricting Alresford to the odd breakaway with Martin Peters only having to do the occasional mopping up exercise. Chapman again kept his side in the game with two quick saves, the second a brave dive at the feet of Steve Legg to palm the ball away. The save of the match followed shortly when a fine effort from Mark Connet had goal written all over it until the Town Keeper dived at full stretch to tip the ball over again. Hamworthy were always in danger of getting caught on the break as they went all out for a winner, but the defence held fast. Many in the crowd thought Mark Connet had scored right at the end, beating the keeper at long last, but the ball ended up in the side netting.
This was one of those frustrating games when if the Hammers had played all night they would not have scored. Hamworthy will play a lot worse than this and win, but at least Phil Simkin appears to have found a very good player in Mark Connet who can play in several positions.
Team: M. Peters,R. Middleton, R. Jackson (M. Connet) G. Horlock, N. Walker,M. Dean, S. Legg, M. Hubbard,C. Mutch, W. Byerley, R. Dovell. Unused Subs: B. Williams, J. Swann, J. Byrne.