Sydenhams Premier League (Wessex) Monday 27-09-10

Due to at least five First Team Squad members being either injured or ill, Hamworthy United were forced to field their youngest ever team since joining the Wessex League. The starting line up included two aged seventeen, two eighteen year olds and at least three more under twenty. One of these was Ryan Murray making his debut after joining the Hammers on dual registrations from Bashley.

The Hammers started the game by packing their midfield leaving the lone figure of Luke Burbidge up front. Bemerton went on the attack from the first minute playing some good attacking football, and United were forced to defend deep in their own half. This pattern continued for most of the first period, but fortunately for Hamworthy the Harlequins finishing did not match up to their approach work. United were kept very busy defending and only managed the occasional break out. Ten minutes before half time Will Robinson made a good run through the middle shaking off a couple of tackles on the way, and finished with a curling shot that ended with the ball nestling on the roof of the net. Just as it looked as though the Hammers had successfully kept a clean sheet in the first half Bemerton scored. In the third minute of time added on, and following a set piece the ball was headed back across the goal

where Joe Fisher reacted first to head the ball home.

HT 1-0

At the start of the second half United came much more into the game, and play was much more even. Both Richard and Mark Jackson went close to equalizing, whilst at the other end Ed Roberts had to make a finger tip save from a shot resulting from a quickly taken throw in. Luke Burbidge who worked his socks off all night saw his powerful strike narrowly miss the upright. At this point the Hammers were still very much in the game, but beginning to tire a little. With twenty minutes to go, and following a poor pass a United attack broke down just inside the Bemerton half of the field. A Harlequin player was then not closed down quick enough on the right hand side of the penalty box, and he chipped the ball to the far post. Substitute Kane O’Keefe who came on just minutes earlier headed past Ed Roberts to make it 2-0. The same player went on to complete a hat trick in the next six minutes as the Hammers found the Harlequins much too strong and powerful for them in the last quarter of the match. Simon Browne was forced to bring on Club Captain Steve Llewelyn up front in the latter stages of the game even though he too was still carrying an injury. The only other out-field player on the bench Aaron Stacey had already been used earlier.

FT 4-0

This match was very different from the recent poor displays in the Cups. The young Hammers came up against a good experienced side playing at the top of their game, and played very well for most of the game until they tired. They will only get better.

Team: E. Roberts, D. Spencer, R. Jackson (Capt), G. Horlock, M. White, D. Haysom, R. Murray (A. Stacey), W. Robinson (S. LLewelyn), M. Lawrence, L. Burbidge, M. Jackson.

Unused Sub: D. Ackerman

DorsetYouth League Second Division (Sunday 26-09-10)

Hamworthy started well and should have gone in front but Parkstone scored when Adam Frohlich blocked the ball on they line and it fell to one of their players. United had a good chance to level things, but then the Hawks scored following some scrappy Hamworthy play? They followed this up with a great goal from the edge of the box. The Hammers started to put on some real pressure, with Ian Male and Ashley Hancock both coming very close to scoring. At this point Hamworthy was looking the better side, but then Ollie Millar miss timed a tackle and caught a Parkstone striker. Unfortunately he appeared to be last man, and the Referee had no choice but to send him off. The Hammers held on the remaining ten minutes to keep the score 3-0 at the break.

United started very well again in the second half, and came close a couple of times to narrowing the gap. As the half went on the ten men tired and the Hawks started to make their advantage pay. Hamworthy still managed to go close when the Parkstone Keeper pulled off a great save from Jonathan Watt. United’s problems got worse after 75 minutes when Chard Haesler was caught heavily and had to come off for a lengthy treatment period. He gave everything when he returned to the field, but was hardly able to run. The Hawks took full advantage of virtually playing against nine men toscore three. late goals. Johnathan Watt scored a good consolation rounding the keeper before slotting the ball home.

Ashley Hancock, Billy Satterley, Ryan llewendon and Antonio de Paola all played very well as did Ross Williams when he came on at half time.

Team: Rob Voysey,Ollie Millar,Josh Hancock(Ross Williams),Antonio de Paola, Ryan Llewendon, Jesse Arnold, Ian Male(Jonathan Watt), Kyle Stacey, Billy Satterley, Ashley Hancock, Adam Frohlich(Chard Haesler)

Magna Dorset Premier League (Saturday 25-09-10)

Hamworthy Reserves continued their difficult start to the season against another of the Title contenders, and were again on the road for the away fixture. On paper the Hammers looked a stronger side than usual being able to play several First Team squad members, but as quite often happens they did not really live up to expectations. Territorially United had as much of the play as Westlands, but were made to pay for their lack of finishing and a couple of defending errors.

The first ten minutes play was fairly even, but then Hamworthy failed to clear the ball following a set piece. It was only knocked to the edge of the area straight to Stu Smith who hammered it past the helpless Dan Ackerman to open the scoring. United began to get the ball down and play some good football, but this all broke down before they could test the Sport’s Keeper. The Hammers went further behind half way through the fist period when a corner was not dealt with, and this gave Matt Day an easy chance to score. Westlands went even further ahead before the break. Dean Cordon this time finding the back of the Hamworthy net to give his team a 3-0 cushion at the break

The Hammers started the second half much brighter and were given a glimmer of hope after fifty five minutes with a goal. Following a corner Mike Antrobus was picked out at the far post where he climbed above the opposition and headed home. Although Hamworthy were still very much in the game they never really penetrated the Sport’s defence to get a clear shot on goal. United lost the services of their best player on the day Mike Antrobus when he picked up a groin injury making a last ditch tackle. Sports restored their three goal lead from a free kick needlessly given away on the edge of the box when a Westland’s man was brought down going away from goal. Steve McDaid shot round the wall and into the far corner of the net to make it 4-1, which it remained at until the final whistle

Team: D. Ackerman, M. Antrobus (D. Gould), S. Read, D. Hyne, J. Byron, M. Jackson, D. Orchard, S. Cannie, C. Meyer (B. Satterley), A Stacey, J. Swann.

Sydenhams Premier League (Wessex) Tuesday 21-09-10

After the dismal display in the F.A.Vase against Verwood Town three days earlier Simon Browne, and the many Hamworthy supporters in the 116 crowd were looking for a big improvement. This they certainly got in a highly entertaining game which the Hammers would have won, but for a couple of costly defensive errors. Unfortunately these were made by United’s most experienced player Michael White. He did however have a good excuse seeing his wife had given birth to a baby boy over the weekend, and his mind may not have been fully on the game. Newly signed midfielder Will Robinson from Poole Town, and Central Defender Dan Hayson from Wimborne both started the game. Reserve top goal scorer Aaron Stacey made a late appearance from the bench.

After looking quite comfortable in the opening exchanges Hamworthy found themselves a goal down after only four minutes. What looked a straight forward headed back pass from Michael White to Keeper Ed Roberts was under hit. The Blackfield and Langley striker was the first to the ball, and lobbed it over Ed Roberts who had already come off his line into the empty net. The rest of the half saw play fairly evenly divided between the two sides, but with thee minutes to go the Hammers equalized. Martin Lawrence hit the ball sweetly from just inside the box to make it all square at the interval

HT 1-1

The second half saw United having slightly the better of things and looking the more dangerous of the two sides in attack. A Greg Horlock shot just cleared the crossbar after Luke Burbidge had brought the ball down, and laid it into his path. With less than ten minutes remaining substitute Stuart Cannie had a golden opportunity to give the Hammers the lead, but he completely miss-kicked the ball from a yard out with the goal at his mercy. As so often happens the ball was immediately cleared up field, and Blackfield and Langley made Michael White pay for this time getting caught in possession. They took the ball off him and went on to score what they must have thought was the winner, but they were wrong. Hamworthy set up a good goal scoring opportunity following some neat interplay between Dan Spencer, substitute Aaron Stacey and Luke Burbidge. This finished with the latter putting a fine strike past Tom Watson to restore parity which was the least that United deserved. The match finished with Blackfield and Langley at full stretch to prevent the Hammers from getting the late winner they probably deserved.

FT 2-2

Team: E. Roberts, D. Spencer, R. Jackson, G. Horlock, M..White, D.Hayson, A. Corby, M. Lawrence ( A. Stacey), L. Currell (S. Cannie), L. Burbidge, W. Robinson

Unused Sub: D. Ackerman, M. Jackson, M. Antrobus

Carlesburg F.A. Vase (2nd Qualifing Round) Saturday 10-09-10
Hamworthy’s Jecyll & Hyde season continued with a very poor all round performance. This was against a team with all due respect to Verwood that they should have beaten easily. To do so they only had to produce somewhere near the form they had shown in their last three games. They failed to do so. It says it all when the best two performances of the afternoon came from hat-trick hero 45year old Jason Lovell making a rare appearance for Verwood, and the Town veteran Central Defender who won every ball in the air, all afternoon (and there were plenty.) United’s match did not get away to the best of starts when Goalkeeper Sean Lillington injured himself in the warm up and had to be replaced by Ed Roberts before the game.

The game started as it was to continue for most of the match with the ball in the air the majority of the time, and with very little passing on the deck. Verwood did not give the Hammers chance to settle and get the ball down to play, harassing United at every opportunity. After having one goal disallowed for offside, and despite not playing that well it was Hamworthy who took the lead. Dan Spencer who had been a doubtful starter due to an injury in the previous game, quickly cut in from the right and struck the ball low past Adam Tong into the corner of the net. Jason Lovell was using all his experience up front in trying to unsettle the Hamworthy Defence, but Michael White and Greg Horlock seemed to have things under control. The Hammers went further ahead when Adam Tong failed to cut out a cross and allowed the ball to bounce in the six yard box. Aaron Corby was on hand, and reacted first to head the ball over the line and double the lead. Despite probably having an equal amount of the play Verwood never really created a goal scoring chance in the first period, and so despite their hard work found themselves two down at the break.

HT 2-0

Hamworthy United started the second half as though the game was already won, and allowed Verwood to take control of the game. Instead of playing the ball out from the back the ball was hit aimlessly forty yards in the air most of the time. The Town defence had no problems in dealing with this and it was only a matter of time before Hamworthy made a costly mistake. This they did when a cross into the six yard box was nor dealt with, and this left the unmarked Jason Lovell to head home. Verwood were now very much on the up, and the Hammers were now on the back foot. Another bit of sloppy defending let Lovell in again for his second that brought the scores level. United did raise their game as the ninety minutes grew closer, but the forwards who have found the back of the regularly in recent games now did not seem to want to shoot. This especially after goalkeeper Adam Tongs had to be replaced after getting injured making a clearance.

FT 2-2

Any hopes that Hamworthy might raise their game in extra thirty minutes of play did not materialize as they continued to struggle. The stand in Keeper did not have one difficult save to make in all that time. It was inevitable that it was once again Jason Lovell who decided the match in the second period of extra time. He once again found space for himself in the six yard box to send Verwood deservedly through to the next round in two weeks time.

Final Score 2-3

Team: E. Roberts, M. Antrobus, R. Jackson, M. White, G. Horlock, M. Crow (Capt), A. Corby, M. Jackson(W. Robinson) L. Currell (J. Swann), L. Burbidge, D. Spencer (M. Lawrence). Unused Sub: S. LLewelyn

Magna Dorset Premier League (Saturday 11-09-10)

This was a game Hamworthy needed to win to continue their much improved form this season against a team just three points below them before the start of play. This was United’s fifth away game out of eight on the road so far this season and their fifth on the trot. Rod Stacey welcomed back Darren Orchard into the team who had absent for the last few games.

Cranborne took a first half lead much against the run of play and held on to it until the break.

The Hammers did continue to have the better of things after the break and equalized with a twenty five yarder from substitute sixteen year old Billy Satterley. Top goal scorer Aaron Stacey grabbed the winner from a similar distance to give the Hammers a well deserved win that moved them up into tenth place in the league table.

Team; E. Broome, D. Gould, S. Moore (J. Bayless), J. Byron, M. Glavin, S. Parker, D. Hyne (M. Vincent), D. Orchard, C. Myer, A. Stacey, J. Satterley (B. Satterley)

Dorset County Youth League Second Divission (Sunday 19-09-10
What a difference a week makes. Only seven days after winning quite comfortably at Portland 2-0, the young Hammers were hit for six. They were made to pay for some sloppy defending and some poor finishing.

They found themselves three down by half time after missing a couple of good chances to reduce the arrears. Worse was to follow after the break when Portland again took full advantage of some poor defending to score two further goals. Billy Satterley did pull a goal back, and Hamworthy had other good chances to score before the final whistle. These were wasted however, and United could have few complaints about losing their first game of the season.

Sydenhams Premier League (Wessex) Wednesday15-09-10

This was Hamworthy United’s first ever visit to the Waterside Sports & Social Club, Fawley having been promoted at the end of last season. The Hammers had new signing Will Robinson a recent transfer from Poole Town on the bench, and started with the same eleven that began the previous game against Romsey.

United dominated most of the play after the first fifteen minutes, following a fairly even opening spells when the Home side looked lively without ever really threatening the Hamworthy goal. It was the Hammers who opened the scoring after seventeen minutes when Luke Burbidge was put through the middle following a good build up. The young striker kept his cool to round the keeper, and slip the ball past him into the empty net. United were now controlling most of the play and looking much the better side. Burbidge again had the ball in the back of the net only to find the Assistant Referee had his flag raised for offside. It was Michael White who headed home following a good cross from a corner on the half hour to increase the lead. Dan Spencer twice went close with long distance efforts that deserved a better result. The first from twenty five yards was pushed round the post by Keeper Neil Croudson. The second a rasping shot from five yards further out, flashed past Croudson’s left hand post. A third goal was once again ruled out by an offside flag as Hamworthy continued to outplay their opponents. The Hammers must have gone in at half time felling a little unlucky that their lead was only two goals.

HT 0-2

United began the second half as they had finished the first, firmly in control. After several near misses by the Hammers, Aaron Corby increased the lead still further with a well taken goal in the sixty-first minute. Two minutes later Dan Spencer had to go off with a groin strain when he overstretched in getting to a dangerous cross, and was replaced by new signing Will Robinson. Fawley got back into the game again for a short spell, as Hamworthy took time to adjust to the new line up. A lapse of concentration in the United defence allowed Ben Murphy the time to control the ball, and get his shot away. He bent it just inside the post giving Sean Lillington little chance to save and score a well taken goal. Hamworthy thought they had restored their three goal margin when Luke Burbidge again looked to have scored a similar effort to his first. However the same Assistant Referee who had wiped out the two earlier goals again ruled the Hamworthy man offside. The game finished on a controversial note when the Hammer’s Captain Max Crow was sent off in the last minute for allegedly kicking the ball away. It appeared to many watching that he was already committed to clearing the ball, and was therefore a little unlucky to be shown a second yellow so close to the end of the game, especially as he has no right to appeal against the decision.

FT 1-3

Team: S.Lillington, M. Antrobus, R. Jackson, G.Horlock,M. White, D. Spencer (W. Robinson (63mins), M.Crow (Capt), A. Corby, L. Currell, (J. Swann 75mins), L. Burbidge, M. Jackson. Unused Subs: M. Lawrence,D. Ackerman

The Dorset Youth League Division Two (Sunday 19-09-10)

Hamworthy United Under Eighteen Manager Jay Keating was a little disappointed to find the venue had been switched when he arrived at Portland. The new venue left a lot to be desired and was not up to what you might have expected playing in this League.

It took the Hammers a while to get going, and they were unable to get any sort of rhythm going in the first half which finished goalless. Billy Satterley who played for the Reserves the previous day came on as a second half substitute and scored his second goal in two games.

Jesse Arnold put the result beyond doubt when he also got his second goal in two games.

FT 0-2

Team: R. Voysey, R. Williams(C. Hasler), J. Leigh, A. De Paola, R. Llewendon, O.Millar, I. Male, J. Arnold, L. Smith (B. Satterley), A. Hancock, A. Frohlich (K. Stacey)

Sydenhams Premier League (Wessex) Saturday 11-09-10

In his programme notes Simon Browne asked the question, “Which Team was going to turn up to play today”? The one that played and lost so badly against Sherborne Town in the FA Cup, or the one that played so well against Larkshall Athletic last week in their FA Vase win. When the Hammers went 2-1 down against ten men in the second half after missing a host of chances, he must have thought it was the former.

Hamworthy had the better of the early exchanges and twice went close in the opening quarter of an hour. Town Keeper Stacey Harper made a point blank save from Mark Jackson before making an even better save diving low to his right to push the ball round the post. Despite having the majority of the play the Hammers found themselves a goal down in the seventeenth minute following a defensive error. A long through ball was not dealt with by Richard Jackson, and it found a Romsey man unmarked with just the Keeper between him and the goal. He coolly controlled the ball before lobbing it over Sean Lillington who had come off his line, and into the empty net to complete a well taken goal. The Hammers who had already missed a string of good chances were not behind for very long however. Liam Currell was brought down by Richard Hayter as he jinxed his way into the box with just the Keeper to beat. The Romsey Captain was deemed to have been the last defender, and was therefore shown the red card by Referee Lucie. Max Crow stepped up to place the ball into the corner of the net to restore parity. Hamworthy continued to dominate the game creating further chances, but they were unable to make their extra man count and add to the score before the break.

HT. 1-1

The second half began with the move of the match. Dan Spencer used his pace to accelerate down the right wing to the by-line, and deliver a pin point pass into the six yard box. Luke Burbidge had to dive full length to meet the ball with a bullet header that saw it rattle the cross bar before going over. Romsey were defending well, and another goal bound shot that had beaten Stacey Harper was headed off the line by a Town defender. United were again set back on their heels when totally against the run of play the Visitors again took the lead. A long shot from distance looped over Sean Lillington and found the far top corner of the net. As the game progressed Romsey’s ten men naturally began to tire under relentless pressure, and it was only a matter of time before their resistance would have to give. Mark Dancer had come on for Marc Jackson, and it was he that got the final touch at the far post when the ball avoided several boots on its way across the goal line. Two more goals soon followed. Greg Horlock who had remained up field following a set piece found space to fire a fierce shot into the roof of the net. Another substitute Jack Swann made the score a little more realistic in the closing minutes as the Hammers ran out worthy winners.

FT 4-2

Team: S. Lillington, M. Antrobus, R. Jackson, M. White, G. Horlock, M. Crow, A. Corby, M. Jackson (M. Dancer), L. Burbidge (S. Lewellyn), L.Currell (J. Swann), D. Spencer.

Unused Sub: Dan Ackerman