Match Report 2000/2001Town sets up Part One success for LinnetsSaturday 14th October 2000 : Jewson Wessex LeagueLymington & New Milton 2, Moneyfields 0 |
It is conceivable that these two sides would be glad to
see the back of one another by the end of October, with this league game to be
followed by a second meeting in a League Cup first-leg fixture three days later
and a return leg match scheduled for two weeks time! Perhaps with the intention
of putting down an early marker in the three match rubber, the Linnets attacked
right from the off with Stride letting go a long-range effort from virtually
the halfway line which was only just wide of the goal. However, with less than
ten minutes played, Brett Phillips became the latest in a line of casualties
when he was forced to retire because of a hamstring injury and was replaced by
Rideout.
Nevertheless, the home side pressed for the advantage with
Mottashed often going forward to win the ball in the air from set-plays. Indeed
there was general disbelief when, from a corner by Sheppard, Mottashed made
full contact with a well-placed header; only to be denied by a fingertip save
from the visiting 'keeper. Moments later the Linnets were denied again when
when the 'keeper raced out of his goal to block Town's shot, the rebound
dropping too quickly for Sims to react.
The Portsmouth team nearly took
full advantage of some wayward defending by the home side, forcing a series of
errors which culminated with Kearn being forced to race out of his area to
clear off the toes of an visiting attacker. The Linnets countered, with an
effort from Strong being pushed round for a corner. Town and Sims then
contrived to find the wrong side of each post in turn, before Town managed to
pull the ball back from the goal-line to Rideout whose shot was miscued and
went out for a throw-in.
The home side continued to press with a lofted
effort from wide right by Stride that was punched away, Strong being denied by
an unwitting deflection and Rideout missing by a fraction. Finally, a strong
run by Mottashed, in which he evaded several tackles before putting in a cross
that was just beyond the reach of Sims. Despite having the lion's share of
possession, half-time arrived without reward for the home team and signs of
frustration creeping in.
Half-Time : L.&N.M. 0, Moneyfields
0
Restarting in determined fashion, the home side saw a shot from
Smith clawed away from the foot of a post and a hopeful overhead kick from the
same player drop just beyond Sims in front of goal. It began to seem as if the
Linnets would get no reward for their efforts as the game drifted into the last
quarter but then a somewhat hopeful long ball from Kemp delected off a defender
and dropped invitingly for Matt Town to shoot low into the net. Buoyed
by this breakthrough, the Linnets pushed for a second and Sheppard was unlucky
with a 25-yard scorcher that the keeper fumbled and held at the second time of
asking.
With less than ten minutes to go, Town was substituted and
within two minutes his replacement, Avi Gonzales, was on hand to place a
glancing header wide of the visitors' 'keeper from a cross by Sims. The
visitors rallied but any thought of disturbing the home net was denied when
Kearn made a full-length save to ensure a clean sheet and victory to the
Linnets.
Lymington & New Milton : Kearn, Stride, Kemp,
Morris, B. Phillips, Mottashed, Sheppard, Smith, Sims, Town, Strong, subs
: L. Phillips, Gonzales, Rideout.
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.