HAMWORTHY UNITED RESERVES 1 WAREHAM RANGERS 0
Dorset Senior Trophy Semi - Final (Saturday 08-03-08)
Despite having much the better of the chances, and much more of the play the Reserves were made to battle right to the end of this match to go through to the final in April. Wareham from the Dorset Senior League never gave up, and with some good goalkeeping, and a little bit of luck ensured that they were in with a chance right up until the final whistle.
Wareham twice had the opportunity to take an early lead following a couple of defensive lapses. Luckily for the Hammers their keeper Dan Fawcett was alert to the dangers, and produced two good saves, the second with his feet. A strong wind made good football difficult, and both sides had problems finding their men. Hamworthy gradually got on top, and eventually took the lead midway through the first half with a Jack Swann goal. The first team man yet to reach full match fitness rose above everybody else to head home. He got on the end of a Mark Seal cross from the right to put the Hammers in front from close range. The Rangers made up for their lack of skill with some very physical challenges, and made sure that United knew that they were in a game. Despite having more of the play Hamworthy could not convert their superiority into goals, and the score remained 0-0 at the break.
The second half was dominated by the Reserves with the Rangers never really threatening the United goal, but for all their superiority Hamworthy could not find the back of the net again either. Wareham had their keeper to thank for keeping the goals against down to one, as he pulled off a number of very good saves in the second period. Steve Russell had a low shot pushed round the post, and from the resulting corner Michael Winn went close to scoring. A thunderbolt of a header by Carl Mutch was pushed on to the bar, and then over by the keeper just as the Hamworthy man looked certain to score. The Hammers back four plus Dan Fawcett in goal never looked like conceding after the first fifteen minutes of the game. They turned out to be worthy winners at the final whistle albeit by just the single goal.
This was not a pretty game to watch, but the Reserves did what they had to do, and ground out a result. This means they now join the Hamworthy United Sunday, and Youth Teams in appearing in Cup Finals this year, and leaving just the first team without a chance of silverware at the end of the season.
Team: D. Fawcett, M. Seal, D. Rudd, M. Glavin, S. Griffiths, D. Frake (G. Williams), D. Orchard, M. Wynne (G.Clark), J. Swann, C. Mutch, S. Russell, Unused Sub J. Reavenall-Nuete