Dorset Sunday League Division One (Sunday 17-02-08)

The Hammers Sunday Team got back to winning ways after losing their last match against Windgreen Corfe Mullen who are their nearest rivals for the title. As the score 4-3 suggests it was a close game but United could not prevent losing their first points of the season, and with them their 100% record in the league.

United won this match against bottom club Wallisdown Sports, as expected quite comfortably by 8-0.  There was never in any danger of slipping up a second time in a match they dominated from start to finish.

Hamworthy are now nine points clear of Windgreen with just five league matches remaining. This must make them hot favourites to win the title, and Hamworthy’s best bet for a trophy

Dorset Premier League (Saturday 16-02-08)
(Taken From The Dorset Premier League Website)

Gillingham Town extended their unbeaten run to 10 games when they defeated their visitors from Hamworthy United 3-0 with their goals coming from Nick Thomson, Ben Thomson and an own goal. They stay in second place and are 8 points clear of the third placed side so promotion beckons. This was the Hammers 5th defeat and as a result they slip a place to 8th.
Most of the Reserves remaining games are at home which should help towards picking up more points

Team: P. Kellaway, S. Stone (K. Chia), K.Killick, S. Griffiths, D. Frake, S. Russell (L. Cooper-Blayney) M.Wynne, D. Orchard, C. Barnett, G, Williams, D. Williams

Dorset County Youth League, Sunday, 17th February 2008

This was yet another performance where the dominance of possession and chances created did not reflect the score line, with the Hammers two nil halftime lead coming under threat late in the game.
Goals from Joe Byrne, who converted a penalty after Lorne Cooper-Blayney was pulled back in the box, and a  superb half-volley strike by Josh Reavenall-Nuete from the edge of the box, were all Hamworthy could show from a first half where they created enough chances to have won two matches.
However, early in the second half Bridport scored a goal that had previously never looked likely, after some sloppy defending by the Hammers, and the game suddenly became an even contest.
Chances came and went for both sides, with the Hammers creating the more clear-cut openings, although, a particularly outstanding save from stand in goalkeeper Charlie Gajic helped keep the score 2-1 to Hamworthy, who remain second in the table 2 points behind Westlands.

Team: Gajic, O’Reilly (Cole), Basing, Byrne, MacDonald (Capt.) (Norris), Chappell, Reavenall-Nuete, Holden, Haskell, Macklin, Cooper-Blayney

South West Counties Youth League, Saturday, 16th February 2008

A storming first half performance of pace, power and precise passing saw the Hamworthy youngsters go three up before halftime in this return to league action.
Two penalties for fouls on lively front-man Mark Wheeler and winger Shivan Roushbairi, converted by Richie Norris and Jordan Cole, were added to by a superb strike from Alex Godfrey from the edge of the box just before the break.
Then after missing chances early in the second half to increase their lead the Hammers took their foot of the gas and allowed Broadway back into the game, with two goals converted from high balls into the box. The second from an enormous long throw that Broadway used to create a string of opportunities for the remainder of the game.
However, the Hammers held on for 3 valuable points, with results above them going their way, in what could be developing into an exciting ‘run in’?

Team: Lillington, Seal, Cole, Khider, MacDonald (Capt.), Pimm, Roushbairi (Haskell (Cooper-Blayney)), Norris, Wheeler (Claremont), Godfrey, Macklin

Sydenhams Wessex League Premier Division (Saturday 16-02-08

Hamworthy United paid dearly once again for conceding a last minute goal. They this time dropped two points after battling back from being behind in the first half to taking the lead from a penalty with just ten minutes remaining. The draw does keep Hamworthy in tenth place in the league just one position above Alton.
There was not a lot to choose between the two teams in the first quarter with perhaps United having the slight edge. It was the visitors however that took the lead in the seventeenth minute following some slack play by the Hammers. The ball was given away cheaply just inside the Hamworthy half, and Alton took full advantage to attack the United goal. To make things worse for the Hammers Alton wingback Sean Burton was found unmarked on the edge of the six yard box and allowed a clear header on goal to make it 1-0 to the Town. United did raise their game after going behind, and it took them only twelve minutes to get back on par. A wonderful strike by Micky Hubbard from fully twenty five yards out flew into the top corner of the net with the Alton keeper only able to act as a spectator. There were no further goals before the interval.
Hamworthy took the game to the Visitors after the break as they tried for a second goal. United had a series of corners which Alton did well to defend. The Hammers did get close to a second goal however from one corner when Micky Hubbard found Steve Gilbert at the far post. The central defender’s shot from an acute angle that found the post, and not the net. United’s loud appeals for a penalty were turned down when the pacey Lee Thomas appeared to have been taken down from behind, but the Assistant Referee judged that the Alton defender had played the ball first and awarded a corner. Thomas’s running caused the Town defence a lot of problems, and a penalty was given when his shirt was pulled as he was trying to get away from his man in the area. Warren Byerley stepped up to send the spot kick into the back of the net to give the Hammers the lead. United had the ball in the back of the net again shortly afterwards, but this was ruled out on two accounts according to the match Officials after the game. Firstly  for offside according to the Assistant Referee, and secondly for Warren Byerley handling the ball as he slid the ball home, spotted by the Referee. To their credit Alton took the game to Hamworthy in the remaining minutes as the home side tried to hold on to their lead. They were rewarded in the ninetieth minute when the ball was deflected off a Hamworthy player to the feet of John Lancashire twenty yards out. Like Micky Hubbard’s first half effort the ball flew into the net giving Martin Peters no chance and squaring the match.

Team: M.Peters, J. Byrne, M. Grimason, S. Gilbert, N. Walker, R. Dovell (C. Mutch) S. Legg, M. Hubbard, L. Thomas, W. Byerley, R. Jackson.  Unused Subs; G. Horlock, M. Glavin, M MacDonald

Sydenhams Wessex Cup Quarter Final (Tuesday12-02-08)

Following a very closely contested game Hamworthy went out of the Cup in the last minute of normal time. This was a much better display than Saturday’s poor showing against Hamble, and there was nothing to choose between the two sides throughout the game. Due to the long list of injuries and unavailable players the Hammers saw the forced return of Nathan Walker and Bret Williams. Both players were still not fully fit but were needed to play especially as United had just two Youth team Players on the bench after two men failed to make the pick up point on time.
The pattern of the match was soon set with the play evenly spread between the two sides. Both defences held the upper hand, and prevented any clear shots on goal. Martin Peters had to be alert to dive and push a free kick round the post after ten minutes, the first save of the game. Following a good move up the left James Pinder squared the ball back to Micky Hubbard who was running through the middle. The United midfielder took the ball in his stride and hit a fierce twenty yard drive that Dean Harris did well to push over the bar. Hamworthy thought they had taken the lead five minutes before the break with a well taken goal. Warren Byerley and Richard Jackson exchanged passes before the latter crossed the ball from the left wing. It was met bravely by Mat Grimason with a diving header between two Moneyfield defenders to head home, but the goal was ruled offside by the Assistant Referee. The goal was at first been given by the Referee, and no protests followed from the Monyfields players, but he changed his decision however after speaking to the linesman. The score therefore remained 0-0 at the break.
The second half continued in much the same way as the first with both teams seeing plenty of the ball in midfield, but few scoring chances being made. Moneyfields did hit the crossbar, and Hamworthy had a strong appeal for a penalty turned down when the keeper appeared to grab hold of a United man in the six yard box. A crucial turning point in the game came when Steve Legg was dismissed for a second offence with just over ten minutes remaining. This was part of a series of yellow card issued to both sides by the Referee for what appeared to be quite minor offences. Just when extra time looked a certainty Moneyfields hit the winner under again debateable circumstances. Some of the Hamworthy players stopped when they thought that Bickran Singh had taken the ball over the line before he cut inside to score low past the unsighted Martin Peters. Had they played to the whistle the outcome might have been different.

Team: M.Peters, S. Legg, M. Grimason, S. Gilbert, N. Walker, B. Williams, R. Dovel, M. Hubbard, J. Pinder, W. Byerley, R. Jackson. Unused Subs: M. Seal, M. MacDonald

Dorset County Youth League, Sunday, 10th February 2008

The young Hammers closed the gap on Westland Sports at the top of the table to 2 points, with a battling display after they were reduced to ten men following the sending off of Josh Reavenall-Nuete 15 minutes into the second half.

Hamworthy had played some neat passing football in the first half taking the lead when Mike Haskell controlled the ball well in the six yard box, from a Jordan Basing cross, before neatly finishing on the turn.

Bottom of the table Blandford were being encouraged to get ‘stuck in’ - with some of the tackling that was being allowed to carry on by the substitute referee bordering on dangerous, and it was a reaction to this sort of tackle that led to Josh being sent off.

However, even with ten men the Hammers continued to control the game and eventually got a second goal with 15 minutes to go, when Dan O’Reilly rose unmarked to head home from a Charlie Gajic corner.

Blandford scored a late goal from a breakaway that made the Hammers a little nervous for the closing minutes, but they held on for those vital 3 points. 

Team: Chappell, Holden, Basing (Barnett), Watson, MacDonald (Capt.), Norris, Reavenall-Nuete, Cole, Haskell (Gajic), Macklin (O’Reilly), Cooper-Blayney

Dorset Premier League Saturday 9th February 2008

Hamworthy moved up to 6th place with a single goal victory at Sturminster Newton Utd with the all important goal coming from a penalty conversion by Gary Williams in the 75th minute. This was the Hammers 7th league victory and gives them the double over Sturminster Newton having beaten them in the league at the County Ground by the same score in October. They meet again in the League Cup here in two weeks time, the Hammers having lost the away leg 2-0.
Team: D. Fawcett, R. Flower (K. Middleton),S. Russell, S. Leaton, M. MacDonald, D. Rudd, M. Wynne, D. Orchaed, C. Barnett, G. Williams, D. Frake.

Sydenhams Wessex League Premier Division ( Saturday 09-02-08)
This was one of those games that Hamworthy United will have to put down as a very bad day at the office. You could not blame the players for their effort, but try as they may it was just not happening for them on the pitch, as they struggled to get any sort of passing game going. The pitch was sticky on top and very uneven which did not make judging the bounce of the ball, or passing it easy.  This did not help them in their cause against a team that had not lost for six games and were used to playing on their own pitch. Phil Simkin was once again forced to make five changes from the team that played so well against Totton on Tuesday night. One casualty was central defender and Captain Nathan Walker who had still not recovered from a collision with a post in the previous game, and carried the scars to prove it.
The first fifteen minutes of the game was all Hamworthy United, and despite not playing at their best there only looked to be one outcome to the game,and that in Hammer’s favour. They should have taken the lead from a low flighted corner as the ball skidded across the ASC six yard box, but it then some how managed to avoid two United players’ attempts to force the ball over the line, and was cleared. Hamble took the lead after thirty minutes from their first real attack of the game when Dean Cole was allowed to cut into the box from the left and from an acute angle fire a low shot past Martin Peters. The goal lifted the Home side and they began to get on top and they had another couple of goal attempts that just flew wide of the woodwork before the half time whistle brought matters to a halt.
The second half carried on much as the first with not much flowing football being played as both Teams struggled to string together a few passes. Hamble doubled their lead when they were awarded a penalty following a clumsy tackle in the box by Michael Glavin when they still had a lot to do to have scored. This was the fourth penalty Hamworthy have given away in six games, and none of them have been for anything malicious. Phil Simkin tried to change things by bringing on fresh faces one of which was Youth Team player Mark Seal, but the Hammers still struggled to get back into the game. United did manage to raise their game with ten minutes left of play, and Steve Gilbert  who had pushed up from his defensive position twice hit the crossbar, but that was as near as it got. On the day United can have few complaints about the result, but they can take some consolation in the fact that they know they can play much better than that.   Team; M.Peters, J. Byrne (T. Stone), R.Dovell, G. Horlock, S. Gilbert, M. Glavin ,S. Legg, J. Pinder ( M. Seal), C. Mutch,  W. Byerley (M. Connet), R. Jackson.  Unused Sub M. Norris                                   

Sydenhams Wessex League Premier Division (Tuesday 05-02-08)
A great team effort saw Hamworthy draw away to the League leaders Totton, and turn in one of their best performances of the season. The game began in torrential rain, and a strong wind which made playing conditions very difficult.
Hamworthy began with the wind, and the slope in their favour, and were soon putting pressure on the Totton defence. The League Leaders tried hitting Hamworthy on the break with their quick front runners, but the United defence dealt well with any danger. Hamworthy took the lead in the seventeenth minute with a cracker of a goal. Following a good move up the left wing Carl Mutch picked out Steve Legg bursting through the middle. He shot first time from twenty five yards out, and gave the keeper no chance as the ball flew just inside the post. Hamworthy came close to adding a second a minute later when Nathan Walker’s goal bound header looked as though it was going in before Gareth Barfoot just managed to push it wide. The Stags were reduced to ten men when one of their players was shown a straight red for kicking the Hammers Captain. United combined well, and gave Totton plenty to think about at the back whereas the home side were closed down at every opportunity, and not allowed a clear shot on goal. Hamworthy scored a second just before half time when Tom Stone made a good run down the left before picking out Carl Mutch who made no mistake from close range to give the Hammers a well deserved lead at the break.
Hamworthy could not have had a worse start to the second half when they were pegged back by a Totton goal within three minutes of the restart. The goal was the result of rare mistake by Martin Peters who misjudged the flight of the ball and allowed it to go over his head and into the net. Worse was to follow as the Stags scored twice in ten minutes from free kicks just outside the box as they gained the upper hand, and Hamworthy battled desperately contain them. Ex AFC Bournemouth player Michael Gosney gave Martin Peters no chance with two unstoppable shots. The first took a wicked deflection and the second found the far corner just inside the post. The Hammers were behind for only five minutes when Lee Thomas was pulled back in the box as a Totton defender panicked under pressure. Carl Mutch stepped up to smash the spot kick straight down the middle as Gareth Barefoot dived to the left. United were now doing most of the defending, but still looked dangerous on the break. Lee Thomas had a one on one situation with the Stag’s keeper as he charged out of his box to cut off the through ball. Both players made contact with the ball at the same time, but the Referee decided that the United man had fouled and controversially sent him off for a second yellow. The Hammers battled on to record a thoroughly deserved 3-3 draw
Team: M.Peters, S. Gilbert, M. Grimason, G. Horlock, N. Walker, R. Middleton (M. Glavin), T. Stone, S. Legg, C. Mutch, L. Thomas, R. Jackson  Unused subs: J. Pinder, R. Norris.