COWES SPORTS 2 HAMWORTY UNITED 3
Sydenhams Wessex Premier League (Saturday 28-02-09)
The Hammers have made a habit recently of scoring late goals, but to score two goals in the last minute of time added on must take the biscuit. Phil Simkin was once again forced into making several changes due to injury, and suspension. James Crossin started a Wessex game for the first time and Karl Yelland made his first start following a long lay off.
Hamworthy took the game to the Islanders in the opening quarter. They played some good passing football that kept Cowes on the back foot for most of that time. The Yachtsmen gradually worked their way into the game, and Martin Peters had to be quick off his line to smother the ball when he was left exposed for the first time. United took the lead on the half hour when Warren Byerley was fouled in the box as he tried to get his shot away. The Hamworthy leading goal scorer got up to send Dave Thurman the wrong way, and dispatch his shot low into the opposite corner of the net. Play was fairly even for the rest of the half with neither Team able to add to the score.
Cowes came out with a lot more purpose in the second half, but Hamworthy appeared to be in control, that is until a defensive error led to them conceding the equalizer. Michael White was bringing the ball out of defence when he was robbed of the ball ten yards inside his own half. Aleks Przespolewski ran on unchallenged to the edge of the box and rifled the ball past Martin Peters giving him no chance. The goal lifted the Islanders, and rattled the Hammers who lost a lot of their composure as Cowes took over the initiative, and soon made United pay the price. A cross from the left was headed back across the goal and found a striker unmarked at the far post. He bundled the ball home to give Sports the lead.
They had their chances to go further ahead, but poor finishing kept the Hammers in the game. Phil Simkin put on fresh legs using all his substitutes, and went four up front in the closing stages to try and get something from the game. This move was to pay rich dividends as play went into five minutes of time added on much of which was down to time wasting by the Cowes keeper. With just one minute to go Sam Lockyer delivered a corner to the far post where Michael White made up for his earlier error, and headed the ball home to bring the scores level. No one in the ground could have expected what was to happen next. From the restart Hamworthy broke quickly up the right. and worked the ball into the middle where substitute James Pinder saw his powerful shot saved by Keeper Thurman. Unfortunately for the Cowes man he could not hold on to the ball. Super Sub Carl Much (or Mooch as the address system pronounced it) was on hand to stab the loose ball home and give Hamworthy victory, rescued from the jaws of defeat.
Team: M. Peters, M. Kenway, R. Jackson, M. White (Capt), G. Horlock, S. Lockyear, R. McCabe (C. Much), K. Yelland, M. Dancer (M. Crow), W. Byerley, J. Crossin (J. Pinder)