HAMBLE ASSC 2 HAMWORTHY UNITED 0
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