LYMINGTON & NEW MILTON F.C.

Match Report 2000/2001 Five star beginning as Kemp takes control Saturday 31st March 2001 : Jewson Wessex League Lymington & New Milton 5, Christchurch 0

Graham Kemp could probably not have wished for a better beginning as he started his managerial career with the Linnets with a convincing win over local rivals Christchurch. Taking control somewhat earlier than expected after Derek Binns' announcement that he was stepping down from the role he has performed with distinction over the past six seasons, Kemp led the line as the Linnets eventually outfought and out-thought their opponents.

Early pressure by Lymington & New Milton saw Leigh Phillips twice shooting just past the woodwork and then beating a Priory defender before electing to pass when he was possibly in a better position to strike himself. Eventually Christchurch started to put their game together and created some chances of their own with one particular shot from Gogan going just wide of a post. This was followed minutes later by a break which saw Priory striker Lamin Dibba put clean through with only 'keeper Kearn to beat and with the Linnets' defence vainly appealing for offside. Unfortunately for the visitors, Dibba tried to take the ball round Kearn and in doing so knocked the ball out of play, so the chance went begging.

The home side hit back and both Stuart Hussey and Leigh Phillips had chances with headers, both of which managed to clear the crossbar, and despite a fairly even first half, the Linnets finished strongly.

Half-Time : L. & N.M. 0, Christchurch 0

Whatever the subject of Graham Kemp's initial half-time team-talk, it was Priory who nearly took the lead immediately after the break when a cross from the right by Dibba was met with a diving header by Gogan, whose effort went just wide of a post. Responding almost at once, the home side finally took the lead as Brett Phillips placed a free-kick into the Christchurch area which Leigh Phillips volleyed into the corner of the net.

Having achieved this breakthrough, Lymington & New Milton proceeded to take control of the match, although the second goal was fashioned in an unfamiliar 'route one' style as Kearn launched a huge punt from his own area which bounced perfectly into the path of Brett Phillips ; who rounded the Christchurch 'keeper Frampton before netting from a tight angle. Nick Miles, returning to first team duty after a lengthy absence through injury was replaced by Mottashed and the Linnets' substitute played a significant part in the eventual shape of the match.

Halfway through the second half, victory was effectively sealed as Nigel Mottashed crossed towards the visitor's far post and deceived Frampton so completely that the ball flew straight into the Priory net. Graham Kemp took the opportunity to introduce Keeping and Holmes in place of Smith and Town and it had an almost immediate effect. It was Mottashed again who initiated the Linnets fourth goal, once more producing a cross from the right which fellow substitute Danny Holmes met with a perfectly timed header that beat Frampton all ends up.

Such was the one-directional flow of play by now that the match was in danger of turning into a rout and no sooner had Danny Holmes grabbed his first goal than he was put through one on one with the Christchurch 'keeper. Rounding Frampton's despairing dive, he slotted the ball home from a tight angle to complete an emphatic first success for manager Kemp.

In an interesting development of the managerial situation, an apparent contradiction surfaced when it was confirmed by Linnets' chairman, Terry Morris, that Derek Binns had been offered the post of manager with Bashley, currently the subject of a proposed merger with Lymington & New Milton. Meanwhile, Binns was busy confirming that Graham Kemp was the club's manager and that : "If we do merge with Bashley, Graham will still be manager and, hopefully, I can work alongside him". Watch this space!

Lymington & New Milton : Kearn, Strong, Gazzard, Kemp, Morris, B. Phillips, Miles (Mottashed 56), Smith (Keeping 71), S. Hussey, L. Phillips, Town (Holmes 73).

Match reports on this site are based on those appearing in the New Milton Advertiser & Lymington Times (except where separately credited) with additional material from my own resources where relevant.