HAMWORTHY UNITED 4 VERWOOD TOWN 1
( Friendly-Saturday 02-08-08)
The Visitors Verwood Town from Division 1 of the Sydenhams Wessex League gave the Hammers a much closer game than the score suggests. They were well in the game up to the last quarter when the Premier League side’s superior fitness paid dividends, scoring twice in that period. This the last of the First Team friendly matches before the start of the season proved to be a good work out for both teams. It was played in the right spirit with plenty of good football coming from both sides.
Hamworthy got away to a dream start, and opened the scoring eighteen seconds
after the first whistle had been blown. In form Warren Byerley’s fierce strike completed a sweeping move right through the middle that had started at the kick off. The goal has to rank as one of the fastest goals ever scored at The County Ground. The Hammers could have been two up shortly afterwards as Michael Dean’s free kick curled inches wide of the post with the Town Keeper stranded on his line. Verwood gradually eased their way back into the game, and began to create a few chances of their own. With ten minutes of the half remaining they converted one of those chances to level the score, and took full advantage of some hesitancy in the United defence. The Visitors must have been very pleased to have gone in on level terms at the break.
Any satisfaction Verwood may have had to be level at half time was soon dispelled. As in the first half they were caught cold, and had another goal scored against them within a minute of the kick off. The same player Warren Byerley was at hand again, and made no mistake from the edge of the six yard box to score his, and Hamworthy’s second goal. Verwood continued to give a good account of themselves, but gradually began to tire as the second half progressed. The lead might well have been increased further when a Hamworthy shot hit the bottom of the post, and rebounded into safety. Phil Simkin brought on new faces to rest some of his players, and one of these last years Under Eighteen Team player Mark Claremont again impressed. He set up Max Crow to score United’s third goal with a clever through pass which put the ex Poppy in on goal. A trade mark Nathan Walker header completed the scoring shortly before the end of play. The tall powerful Central Defender rose unchallenged to head home Hamworthy’s fourth goal.
With a much stronger squad than last year the Hammers must be looking to go better than their tenth place last season, possibly a top six position. They will need their new depth in strength against New Milton in their opening game next week, as they will be several players short. Nathan Walker, Steve Gilbert and Mark Dancer are all suspended and Stuart Cannie and Greg Horlock are both carrying injuries.