HAMWORTHY UNITED 0 NEWPORT (IOW) 2
Sydenhams Premier League (Wessex) Saturday 23-10-10
For the second game running Hamworthy United again found themselves at the wrong end of some very controversial decisions in another otherwise evenly contested match. There was not one bad foul in the match and yet the Hammers somehow picked up four bookings and a sending off. Even the Newport Match report on their website appears to agree that United did not get the rub of the green. Simon Browne was unable to call on the injured Aaron Stacey and Dan Spencer whilst Jack Satterley was on Dorset Under Eighteen duty. He did however introduce new signing from Wimborne Perry Mullins who came on as a second half substitute.
Newport with a strong wind in their backs started the better of the two teams, and went very close in the third minute with a shot that just went by the post. It took the Hammers a little time to get going, but it was them that nearly took the lead twice in as many minutes. First Luke Burbidge shot just wide after creating a good opening, and then a twenty yard pile driver by Stuart Cannie rattled the Newport post with Keeper Gary Street just an onlooker. The Hammers were now well into the game and the big Newport keeper had to be alert to push another goal bound effort over the bar. A low cross into the Port box caused confusion until Streeter eventually managed to grab hold of the ball. Newport again raised their game and it was their turn to rattle the Hamworthy crossbar with a rasping shot. The Islanders took the lead after thirty two minutes perhaps a little fortuitously. The United defence who up until then had played well, failed to clear the ball which was picked up by Matt Evans. His looping header had Dan Ackerman back peddling, and he appeared to be impeded as he went for the ball. As he fell to the ground the ball appeared to drop on his back before going over the line. Richard Jackson went into a fifty - fifty challenge with a Newport defender soon after the restart and appeared to win the ball, but he was shown a yellow card by Referee Mr Dine.
HT 0-1
Hamworthy started the second half on the attack and within minutes were on the end of another controversial decision. They were denied what looked to be a stone wall penalty when a United player was sent sprawling in the area only for the Referee to wave play on. Worse was to follow soon after as a Newport player went down holding his face after a straight forward challenge by Richard Jackson that showed no malice at all. This time the Referee produced a red card that increased Hamworthy’s problems by reducing them to ten men. To their credit Hamworthy continued to take the game to Newport and went close on another couple of occasions. They did however pick up two further bookings for dissent as decisions appeared to go against them. In the fifth minute of stoppage time Newport scored a second goal by Substitute Tom Scovell when they broke quickly as Hamworthy pressed forward for an equaliser. Once again the ball was nor cleared as it should have been, but instead found Scovell who found the corner of the net with his shot.
This was the fifth time Newport have beaten the Hammers, but unfortunately this result will not tell the full story of a game played between two good sides trying to play entertaining football
Team: D. Ackerman, M. Antrobus (J. Swann), R. Jackson, G. Horlock, , M. White, D. Haysom, M. Crow, A Corby (P. Mullins), L. Burbidge, S. Cannie, R. Murray.
Unused Subs: W. Robinson