Match Report 2001/2002Linnets finish in Strong fashionSaturday 9th February 2002 : Jewson Wessex LeagueWimborne Town 2, Lymington & New Milton 2 |
With Tuesday's League Cup clash between these two sides
at Fawcett's Field having been rained off, it was all eyes on the league title
race as the contest moved to Cuthbury. A last-gasp equaliser from substitute
Steve Strong ensured that Lymington and New Milton gained something from their
fierce local derby with arch rivals Wimborne Town as the two in-form sides
fought out a 2-2 stalemate. After their previous game, a 3-0 home win against
Bournemouth Poppies, Linnets' boss Graham Kemp had suggested that neither of
these two sides could afford to lose this game if they were to retain an
interest in the title. I suspect that he was speaking metaphorically, rather
than literally, because with championship favourites Andover back on the
winning trail the only desirable outcome for either side - in terms of points
on the board - would be a win.
It was still a good away point for the
Linnets however, and player-manager Graham Kemp paid particular praise for his
36-year-old midfield stalwart Jimmy Sheppard. "His appetite for the game at his
age is absolutely amazing," said Kemp. "He worked his socks off through the
game and when we equalised he was running round like a little kid. He's trying
to work out a new deal for next season and you can tell that with the way he's
playing because in the last seven games he's played I would probably give him
man-of-the-match for six of them."
L&NM were the quickest out of the
traps and played some excellent football in the opening half-hour of the match
on a heavy pitch due to the recent frequent downpours and after 15 minutes
Brett Phillips delivered a left foot cross into the box for Paul Gazzard
to side-foot home the opening goal of the game and his first goal for the
Linnets this season. Then a misunderstanding in the Wimborne back line led to
Richard Glenister being given a glorious chance to double the Linnets lead, but
the Magpies were let off the hook as his open goal effort missed the
target.
This may have been the spur that the home side needed and
shortly before the half hour mark they levelled matters. A through ball from
the middle of the park found the feet of Aaron Turner who slotted home past the
oncoming Paul Spillane in the Linnets' goal to make it 1-1. Wimborne seized the
initiative and began to show the kind of form that has taken them into the top
three and on the stroke of half-time they took the lead when Jamie Sturgess was
brought down inside the visitors' penalty area and Stacey White converted the
resultant spot-kick.
Half-time : Wimborne 2, L.&N.M.
1
Despite the absence of their manager, Alex Pike, the Magpies
emerged from the half-time break the better side and Spillane had to make a
couple of good saves to keep L&NM's hopes of recovery still alive. But
despite their efforts, it looked as though Wimborne were going to pick up all
three points until, with virtually the last kick of the game, the Linnets
equalised. Steve Strong, who had come on in place of Brett Phillips
midway through the second-half, ran down the right flank and when it looked as
though he was going to cross the ball he noticed that Geoff Sim in the Wimborne
goal was standing slightly off his goal line and slid the ball inside the near
post for a dramatic leveller. Prior to that, match official Mark Taylor of
Poole had been forced to hand over control to an assistant referee when he had
to retire after sustaining a leg injury.
So what was Graham Kemp's view
after the match? "I was disappointed to have played so well for the majority of
the first half and be 2-1 down at the break. In the second period we huffed and
puffed a lot, but didn't really create much and I think in the end a draw was
the fair result." In fact, with league leaders Fleet being held by Gosport,
Newbury & Thatcham going down to surprise away defeats, the main
beneficiaries of the afternoon were Totton, Moneyfields and of course, Andover.
Still, there is some way to go yet and with Andover due to play Totton,
Moneyfields and Gosport in the next two weeks (not to mention two other
matches), there may still be many twists and turns before the outcome of the
title race is decided. In the meantime it is back to cup action as the troops
reassemble (weather permitting) for the postponed League Cup tie on Tuesday
night.
Lymington & New Milton : Spillane, Gazzard [Liddon 75], B. Phillips [Strong 65], Kemp, Morris, Mooney, Sheppard, Smith, Tate, Glenister, Keeping. Unused sub: Morrell.
Home (Click here to go to Online with The Linnets Home Page)
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