PORTLAND UNITED 0 HAMWORTHY UNITED 2
Dorset Senior Cup ( Saturday 01-11-08)
The weather conditions of gale force winds and torrential rain throughout the match levelled any difference in class there might have been before the game. Despite this both teams, plus some excellent refereeing ensured that this was always an entertaining game to watch. Several Hamworthy players were not available for selection for one reason or another, but in their place Phil Simkin was able to use a couple of the Under Eighteen players. Jordon Cole made his first start for the first team, and Mark Seal played all the second half coming on for the injured Mark Dancer.
The Hammers started the game with the elements in their favour, and they soon took the lead. There were just four minutes on the clock when they were awarded a free kick out on the far left. Mark Dancer whipped in a wicked cross that not only beat the wall, but also the Portland Keeper. The ball ended up in the back of the net without anybody else getting a touch on it, to make it 1-0 to the visitors. Understandably it was nearly all one way traffic, but the wind made it easy to over hit the ball, and even with it in their favour Hamworthy were finding it difficult to hit the target. The Portland Keeper did well to make a goal line save diving to his right to stop what looked a certain goal. He was beaten however when a cross from the left was headed home by Max Crowe at the far post, only for the Referee’s Assistant to raise his flag for a somewhat controversial off side decision. The Hammers did increase their lead shortly afterwards in a somewhat bizarre way. Nathan Walker from fully thirty yards out lofted the ball forwards into the penalty area. The Portland Keeper for some reason had come yards off his line, and was stranded as the ball bounced over him and into the empty net to make it 2-0. Despite further near misses by the Wessex side there were no further goals before half time.
With the conditions in their favour The Islanders must have fancied their chances of getting back into the game in the second half. The Hamworthy defence and especially goalkeeper Wayne Robbins filling in for Martin Peters stood firm however. Except for set pieces they restricted Portland to mainly long shots which sailed over the bar. These were carefully watched, and covered by Wayne Robbins who never looked like being beaten. Portland as expected had a lot of possession in the second half, but always looked as though they could be hit on the break by the Hammers. The wind and rain increased even further as the second half progressed, and it came as some relief all round when the final whistle was blown. The win came at some cost to the Hammers who with another game midweek saw Mark Dancer, Warren Byerley, and Ollie Cherrett all go off injured. The Hammers now play Poole Town at home in the next round.
Team: W. Robbins, M. Crow, J. Cole, O. Cherrett (L.Thomas), N. Walker (Cpt), S. Gilbert, K. Yelland, M. Dancer (M. Seal), T. Jeffes, W. Byerley (M.Claremont) S.Cannie