○Verwood Town3–0Andover Town

Down the A31 today to Verwood today and such different playing conditions to last Saturday afternoon – then warm sunshine and no wind whereas today was very dark, raining hard, cold and a swirling wind barrelling down the pitch. Indeed a pitch inspection at 11am saved the day and several Wessex League matches were off because pitches were unplayable. Ryan Griffiths was rested because he played yesterday for Aldershot Town U21 and Karl Steinborne-Busse made his 50th appearance for Town.

Verwood were out of the blocks quickly and as early as the 10th minute their number 9 Joe Smith shot fiercely from 30 yards and just skimmed the post and shortly afterwards he again broke through and Steinborn-Busse had to be at full stretch to turn his drive around the post. A minute later Smith beat the keeper from 12 yards out to make the score 1-0 to Verwood. Smith was looking a real handful for the Andover centre backs and was later to demonstrate that several times as the game progressed. Wave after wave of red shirts kept coming forward and Andover were having to defend stoutly all of the time and it was not until the 24th minute that Town created their first real chance when Ben Emans broke down the left crossed to Matt Morris who shot powerfully from 30 yards which made the Verwood keeper scramble across the line to stop a certain goal. As the half progressed Verwood continued to attack and the away side was under severe pressure, it was hard to see that the home team had lost 6 games this season as opposed to Andover who had only lost only one. Town were looking a shadow of their normal selves and would be mightily relieved to reach the half time only one down.

Half time score 1-0 to Verwood

No doubt strong words were said in the dressing room at half time and indeed Andover started the second half on the front foot. In the 48th minute Morris was hauled down in the area and a penalty looked inevitable. The referee waved play on but VAR would have definitely awarded that one. That would have made the score even and encouraged a close contest from then on. Gerwyn Griffiths replaced Matt Morris in the 64th minute to play up front just like son Ryan. But the game was stood on its head in the 65th minute when a 60 yard shot from inside his own half from left back Regan Mason sailed over Steinborne-Busse to make the score 2-0. This definitely took the wind out of Town’s sails and it was no surprise when Joe Smith broke again in the 78th minute and scored his second to make the score 3-0. Verwood managed the game out well for the last ten minutes and the game finished with a 3-0 victory to them.

So no fireworks today with a totally deserved win for Verwood and Andover were second best throughout. They now have to pick themselves up dust themselves down and prepare for the Wessex League Cup match against Premier League Hamble on Tuesday evening at the Portway and then a very tough away trip to the Isle of Wight to face in form Newport next Saturday kick-off 3pm.