NEWPORT I.O.W. I HAMWORTHY UNITED 0
Sydenhams Wessex Premier League (Saturday17-10-09)
This was one of Hamworthy United’s better performances of the season, but unfortunately once again they had nothing to show for it at the end of the game. Hamworthy battled for the full ninety minutes, and came close to getting an equalizer in the last few minutes. Simon Browne went for broke and pushed another man up front in an attempt to get at least the point they thoroughly deserved.
The Hammers opened the game strongly, and with just three minutes gone Stuart Cannie broke through the Newport defence. The United striker was off target however and sent the ball tamely past the post. Gary Streeter the Port Keeper did well to save first from first Ollie Cherrett, and then Stuart Cannie as Hamworthy forced a series of corners. They continued to have the upper hand for the first twenty minutes. The Hammers did get the ball into the net when it was worked in from the right byline and found Cannie who poked it over the line. The Assistant Referee however adjudged that the ball had gone out, much to the United players involved surprise. He awarded them a corner instead of the goal they thought they had scored. Steve Shergold did well to come off his line to charge down a Charlie Smeeton shot when he was put through on goal. Newport took the lead in the 28th minute with a strike very similar to a few that Hamworthy have conceded this season. Following a goal mouth melee the ball was cleared, but only as far as the edge of the penalty area where it was smashed back hard and low past Steve Shergold. Ollie Cherrett unluckily received a yellow card for a high tackle when it looked as if the Newport man ducked his head low. James Merrit also received a caution, but could not complain about it following a tackle on Darren Powell. The interval came with the Home side a goal to the good in a very evenly contested first half.
HT1-0
The second half followed the same pattern as the first with both teams evenly matched, but neither side able to finish off their good approach work. Following the substitution of Gary Langrish for Mark Jackson and with time running out Simon Browne pushed Steve Llewelyn up front to make three strikers. It almost paid dividends when the United captain saw his powerful header rebound off the crossbar with just three minutes to go. As Hamworthy pushed up they were nearly caught at the other end following a quick break. Luckily for them the Port substitute managed to put the ball wide, with the goal at his mercy for the miss of the match.
The Hammers received plenty of praise from the Newport camp after the game on the way that they had played. Simon Browne however said afterwards that he would sooner have played badly but won the match. There were however many good signs to suggest that with a bit of luck better times are not that far away.
FT 1-0
Team: S. Shergold, C. Yelland, R. Jackson,O. Cherrett S. Llewelyn, J. Merritt, M. Crow, C. Khinder, S. Cannie C. Mutch, M. Jackson (G. Langrish). Unused Subs: G. Horlock, Simon Browne