Match Report 2001/2002Three proves magic number for LinnetsSaturday 2nd February 2002 : Jewson Wessex LeagueLymington & New Milton 3, Bournemouth 0 |
The number 'three' proved significant as Lymington &
New Milton's hopes of getting their hands on the Wessex League Championship
trophy were given a boost after a confident victory over Bournemouth Poppies at
Fawcett's Field. Firstly, as the Linnets put three goals past Poppies without
reply. Secondly, as this win gave them their third straight home win without
conceding any goals and thirdly, because 3-0 was the scoreline by which local
rivals Brockenhurst pulled off the shock of the day by winning away at
championship favourites (and reigning champions), Andover.
That result
at the other end of the county clearly gave L&NM's player-manager Graham
Kemp considerable food for thought ; "Fleet drew their match and with Andover
losing as well, it may have thrown the league wide open again," said Kemp,
"It's getting a bit tighter now and Andover won't have it all their own way.
They've got plenty of games in hand, but it's better to have points in the bag
and they're going to have to play a lot of games in a short space of time.
They've lost four now and they've got to come to our place, and we want to be
there or thereabouts if they slip up again. Fleet, Totton, Wimborne and
ourselves are all in a good position so that the pressure is on Andover to keep
winning."
On the pitch, Mark Smith produced a man-of-the-match
performance for the Linnets who took the lead after 25 minutes when from a
corner, Ross Drew scrambled the ball home in a crowded penalty area.
Ross will remember this goal as it was his first in serious action for the
Linnets and came against his former team. Even the date was propitious -
02/02/02! Steve Tate was then brought down inside the Poppies' 18-yard box and
Leigh Phillips rammed home the resultant penalty for a 2-0 cushion. Ten
minutes into the second period, Steve Strong got on the scoresheet when
he volleyed a tremendous right-foot effort from the edge of the box to grab
number three and effectively kill the match off.
The Linnets gained
those three valuable points against Poppies ahead of an important week as they
prepare to meet Wessex rivals Wimborne Town three times on two separate fronts.
On Tuesday night they entertain Alex Pike's outfit in a Wessex League Cup tie
and then on Saturday they face the Magpies again in a crucial league clash at
Cuthbury. Finally, they are scheduled to play the return leg of the League Cup
tie at Cuthbury the following Tuesday. Kemp said: "For the league meeting on
Saturday it really is winner takes all, because if either team loses that one
then that will be a big blow to their title hopes. The big loss for us is that
Leigh Phillips is now suspended for 42 days and he is devastated. I don't think
he thought that when he came back from his last suspension we would go on the
run we have and he obviously wants to be involved."
Lymington &
New Milton : Kearn, Strong, Green, Kemp, Mooney, Gazzard, Drew [Keeping
70], Smith, L. Phillips, Tate [Glenister 65], Sheppard. Unused sub:
Morrell.
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.
Online with the Linnets © Paul Johns MMII