AFC TOTTON 3 HAMWORTHY UNITED 3
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.