SWANAGE TOWN & HERSTON 0 HAMWORTHY UNITED RESERVES 6

Following an 8-0 drumming last week in the Dorset League Cup by Gillingham Town, the Reserves got back to winning ways by beating Swanage & Herston in the league 6-0. What a difference a week, having a Keeper, and eleven men on the park for the full game makes.

It did not take the Hammers long to get on the score sheet finding the net after only two minutes of play. Swanage came back into the game after the goal and more than held their own for the next half hour, but it was not to last. Hamworthy took full advantage of some poor defending to double their lead eight minutes from half time. United added a third in the last minute of the half to put the game out of the Swans reach, and give the Hammers a comfortable half time lead.

Hamworthy went on to completely dominate most of the second half with only brief moments of resistance from the Home Side. The Hammers increased their lead still further just six minutes after the break, and were awarded a penalty to add to Swanage’s woe. The resulting spot kick was converted, and a late goal a minute from time made it 6-0 as the Swans tried to get some sort of consolation, but were hit on the break by United.
Hamworthy’s goal scorers were Darrell Williams 3, James Stickland 2, and Michael Wynne 1. Anybody who was present at last weeks game would know that it was a false result and one the Reserves did not deserve. This game will go some way to endorsing the fact that when the players are available the Hammers Dorset Premier League side can hold their own against any team.

Team: D. Fawcett, M. Seal, S. Russell, S. Griffiths, M. MacDonnald,J. Crossin, M. Wynne. D. Orchard. J. Stickland, G. Williams (D. Baguely) D. Williams. Unused Sub: R. Flower

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

Once again Phil Simkin had to make several changes from the team that played against Brockenhurst on the previous Tuesday. Michael Dean picked up a last minute injury in that game, Tom Stone was not available, and Micky Hubbard started a three match suspension. Plus of course all those already unable to play for one reason or another, but It was not all doom and gloom however for the Hammers with Captain Nathan Walker, and Joe Byrne returning to the side.
Hamworthy went straight on the attack, and it took a good diving save by the visiting keeper to prevent James Pinder slotting the ball past him after he had made a good run into the box. A Greg Horlock effort bounced off the top of the bar before going over, as the Hammers kept up the early pressure. Carl Mutch was sent tumbling in the box following what appeared to be a clumsy tackle, but all appeals for a spot kick were waved away by the Referee. The Islanders gradually got into the game, making a few attacks of their own, but none dangerous enough to bother Martin Peters in goal. The young Hammers back four once again excelled themselves snuffing out any Hayling attacks before they could get a shot on goal. Hamworthy were fairing no better. Lee Thomas and Michael Pinder’s pace were giving the Islander’s defence plenty to think about, but the Hammers too were unable to finish. This resulted in a 0-0 half-time score line.
In the second half play was often end to end as both teams went for a win, but with Hamworthy always looking to have the edge. Lee Thomas was brought down on the edge of the box, but Carl Mutch shot the free kick tamely wide . It looked as though Hamworthy were about to score when the Referee judged that Lee Thomas had handled the ball when on the ground, and a yard off the goal line. Most nearby onlookers thought the ball clearly struck his chest, and not his arm. The Hammers again came within a hairsbreadth of scoring following a good run up the right wing by Joe Byrne. His perfect cross into the box just missed Thomas’s outstretched boot by a whisker with the goal at his mercy. It was not all one way however, and Hayling did their fair share of attacking, but only once looked like beating Martyn Peters, and that would have been an own goal. A cross into the box was deflected goal wards by Greg Horlock. The ball looked as though it would creep just inside the post until Martin Peters dived to save. The score remained goalless at the end of play with Hayling feeling slightly the happier of the two sides with the result.
All though many will look at this result as two points dropped by the Hammers the loss of three games on the trot needed to be halted, and Hayling are a better side than their league position suggests having now gone five games without loss.
 Team: M. Peters, M. Glavin, J.Byrne, G. Horlock, N. Walker, R. Middleton, S.Legg, , J. Pinder, C. Mutch, L.Thomas (W. Byerley), R. Jackson. Unused Subs: M. Glavin, A. Marsh, R. Norris, S. Roushbaiani.

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.