HAMWORTHY UNITED 0 TOOTON & ELING 1
Sydenhams Wessex Premier League (Saturday 22-08-09
The Hammers inconsistency showed itself once again in this the second defeat in the League in their first two matches of the new season. Both these defeats were against opposition who with all due respect will be probably featuring in the bottom half of the table, rather than the top at the end of the present campaign. United were unable to repeat the enthusiastic second half display of the mid week Cup Replay, but instead turned in a somewhat lethargic performance. It could be argued that key players were missing, but that should have meant that those playing would have tried that much harder, but apart from a one or two this was not apparent to those watching. It should also be said that Keeper Steve Shergold had one of his best games since joining the Club.
Both Teams had difficulty in controlling the bouncy ball on the hard pitch. This meant the ball was up in the air for a lot f the time, and passing football was at a premium. Stuart Cannie got up well inside the six yard box to direct a cross down to the Totton’s Keiran Earls right. Unfortunately it was too close to the keeper and he did well to dive and save. There was nothing much between the two sides with perhaps Hamworthy looking a little more dangerous in attack. Stuart Cannie again went close when he saw the Keeper off his line and volleyed a shot to the far corner that just went passed the post. Steve Shergold did well to hold on to and cut out a dangerous cross into the box as Totton & Eling threatened for the first time. Gary Langrish went close with a free kick with half time approaching, but chances were very few and far between.
Ht 0-0
The Hammers were now kicking their favourite way towards the Irvin Brown Stand, but unfortunately unlike Wednesday night they were unable to lift their game. It was the Visitors who came more into the game and took the game to United. Five minutes into the second half Steve Shergold showed a strong pair of hands to dive and palm away a fierce low shot to his left. Carl Much had to leave the field for the third game running, but this time it was with a badly cut eye following a collision with his own man. Totton took the lead when Max Crow lost the ball as he tried to bring the ball out, of defence. This left the ball winner with a clear run in on goal. His cross from the left was met by a shot that Steve Shergold again did well to dive, and push away. Unfortunately for him another Totton & Eling man was following in unmarked at the far post. This time he made no mistake to score and take the lead. Phil Simkin made several changes to try and salvage something from the game, but apart from a bit of a surge in the last few minutes the Hammers never looked like pulling anything back.
FT 0-1
Team: S. Shergold, K. Yelland (M. Crow), M. Jackson, S. Llewelyn, G. Horlock, J. Prieur-Merritt, R. McCabe, G. Langrush(J. Swann), C. Mutch (O.Cherritt), S. Cannie, R. Jackson. Unused Subs: K. Middleton, S Langrish, T. Vavrecka.