HAMWORTHY UNITED 1 POOLE TOWN 0
Sydenhams Wessex League Cup Semi Final 1st Leg ( Tuesday 24-03-09)
This was the third meeting between the two Clubs so far this season, with two more games yet to come. Poole Town had won both the previous encounters, but for the first time faced a Hamworthy squad at almost at full strength. The undefeated League leaders were without a couple of their first choice players themselves including top goal scorer Charlie Austin, due to injury. He was replaced by recent signing Floyd Hamodun who has played for Totton, and for Bognor Regis prior joining Poole.
Hamworthy began the game with the strong wind in their backs, playing away from the school end, and on a very firm pitch. Both teams probed the opposing defences for the first few minutes without really creating anything. Gradually the Hammers got a bigger share of the play, and began to run at the Town back line. The usually very capable Lamin Dibba began to look not quite so confident when Warren Byerley and Mark Dancer took him on with the ball at their feet. This resulted in a couple of early free kicks in dangerous positions. Poole were using the long ball tactics both from throw-ins, and clearances in an attempt to find their big front men. These were ably dealt with by Ollie Cherrett, and Greg Horlock at the heart of the United defence. Byerley and Dancer both went close before Hamworthy took the lead in the fourteenth minute with a beautifully executed move. Max Crowe cleverly slotted the ball through the centre, and found Warren Byerley on the edge of the penalty box. The United top goal scorer playing his first game this season against Poole shimmied past three players before striking a hard shot past Jason Harvall low into the net. The Hammers went close on a couple of more occasions, and could easily have gone in three up at half time with the Dolphins having little to show for their 45 minutes work.
United had to replace the injured Greg Horlock in the second period with Mark Kenway. He continued Greg’s good work at the centre of defence, and nothing changed. Poole came more into the game in the second half, but were unable to really test Martin Peters the Hamworthy Keeper. Their main threat came from ex Hammer Mike Hubbard’s cleverly flighted dead ball kicks. Nobody was able to get on the end of them, and get a clear strike on goal. Peters did have to make one top class save late in the game diving to his left to hold onto one goal bound effort. He also had to be quick to push another effort over the bar, before Hamworthy comfortably played out time. This is only really half time and another stalwart effort will be required by the Hammers in the second leg, if they are to reach the final.
Team: M.Peters, K. Yelland, S. Lockyer, O. Cherrett ( J. Prieur-Merritt), G. Horlock ( M. Kenway), R. Jackson, R. McCabe, M. Crow, M. Dancer (S. Cannie), W. Byerley, R. Dovell. Unused Subs: J. Crossin, C. Mutch