BROCKENHURST 1 HAMWORTHY UNITED 0
Sydenhams Wessex League Premier Division (Tuesday 29-01-08)
For the second game running the Hammers were without Captain Nathan Walker, and fellow Central Defender Steve Gilbert both were serving two match suspensions. Phil Simkin was also unable to use Joe Byrne the young full back who has played so well since his introduction to the first team from the youth squad. This was due to other commitments with the Weymouth Academy taking priority. Taking his place in the team was Michael Glavin recently signed from Downton making his first team debut. Also in the starting line for the first time was new signing Tom Stone who has recently joined the Hammers from Winchester.
As you would expect Brockenhurst eager to take revenge for their recent defeat at the County Ground took the game to the Hammers from the start, and this was to be the pattern for most of the match. Ham worthy’s make shift back four came under a fair amount of pressure, but with the help of Man of the Match Martin Peters Brockenhurst for most of the half did not look like scoring. As in the first game between the two sides the Badgers good approach work lacked a finish. For the third time in as many games a penalty was awarded against United following what appeared to be a good tackle by Greg Horlock in the thirty fifth minute. Once again it was not the Referee, but his Assistant that saw something wrong with the tackle, and indicated a penalty. A brilliant save from Martin Peters kept the Hammers in the game, but not for very long. Just as it looked as though the teams would go in 0-0 at the break, Brockenhurst found someone who could finish. Martin Peters was beaten by a shot from the edge of the box that found the top right hand corner of the net, and gave him no chance to save.
Brockenhurst had even more of the game in the second half than they had enjoyed in the first. Hamworthy continued to struggle to put any real pressure on the Home defence, and they dealt comfortably with any United attack. Two more brilliant saves from the Hammer’s keeper, one from point blank range kept the score to a reasonable level. A 1-0 final score line at the end probably flattered Hamworthy, but was some reward for a battling display against the odds.
Phil Simkin and the Team can at least take some consolation that they have played three of the better Wessex Premier sides in the last three games with key defenders missing, and only conceded three goals two of which being penalties.
Team: M. Peters, M. Glavin, M. Grimason, M. Hubbard, G. Horlock, M. Dean, T. Stone, S. Legg (C. Mutch), J. Pinder (A. Marsh), W. Byerley, R. Jackson.