Thursday 5th May 2011, MDPL, WESTLAND SPORTS 5 BRIDPORT RES 0
With suspensions and injuries beginning to kick in, there were four changes from the side that beat Ham Rec and there were also some fresh faces on the bench to keep the regulars on their toes. It was a nice evening but the sun was low in the sky and was in the faces of the Sports players as the game kicked off. This was not helping us put our passes together and in the opening exchanges it was Bridport who looked lively and we found ourselves pushed back for the first ten minutes. Then, with 12 minutes on the clock, Sports scored in virtually our first attack. Taoufik Ben-Salem received a loose ball on the edge of the box and smashed it into the top corner giving the keeper no chance. Good start for Sports but for the rest of the half both sides huffed and puffed but neither keeper was seriously tested.
In the second half, with that troublesome sun no longer in their eyes, Sports upped the tempo a bit and the cracks began to show in the Bridport rearguard. Leo Hayward, who had come on just after the break for Taoufik Ben-Salem, won the ball on the left, drove to the byeline and squared the ball to Steve Lindegaard who smacked it into the roof of the net from close range. It didn’t take too long for Sports to add number three in the 65th minute. The Bridport keeper fumbled a shot and the ball fell at Matt Day’s feet for a gift which he knocked in. Another 10 minutes and it was 4-0 as Bridport began to get ragged. Leo Hayward went clean through and lobbed the keeper for a lovely goal, well executed. And finally, with 5 minutes remaining, Ant Herrin, who had come on for Matt Day, was hacked down in the box as he was about to shoot. Ant took the spot kick himself, sidefooting the ball confidently into the corner to complete a 5-0 victory for Sports. That’s six wins on the trot now, a fantastic finish to the season, one more match to go.
Westland's Team: S.Parris, D.Vincent, R.Lindegaard, A.Smith, A.Mead, J.Sims, S.Lindegaard, D.Corden, T.Ben-Salem, S.Baker, M.Day. Subs: A.Herrin, S.Beard, L.Hayward.
Saturday 30th April 2011, MDPL, WESTLAND SPORTS 3 HAMWORTHY REC 2
We came into this match on a good run of form having won our last four matches on the spin but obviously this would be a tough one, facing the league champions Hamworthy Recreation. Sports made four changes from the team that trounced Cobham with Tim Pearse, Ben Cochrane, Dan Call & Taoufik Ben-Salem being replaced by Ryan Peacock, Aaron Mead, Simon Baker and Jack Williams. It was a first team debut for 17 year old goalkeeper Ryan Peacock who has been putting in some impressive performances for the reserves and had earned his call up. Rec looked to have a strong line up too so a good game was in prospect.
Sports made the best possible start when we scored in the second minute. An inswinging corner from the right was headed goalwards by Aaron Mead, the keeper spilled it and Dean Corden was on the spot to score. The game then settled into a close contest with both teams trying to get the ball down and play football despite the hard pitch. In the twentieth minute young Ryan justified his selection by diving full length to tip a well struck free kick over the bar. Two minutes later Hamworthy were level. Sports had a free kick about 30 yards out, which Jack Williams belted straight at the wall. From the rebound Rec broke fast down the right, our keeper rushed out to try and gather the ball but was beaten to it by an attacker who centred for a team-mate to head into the empty net. A classic counter attack well executed but Sports heads didn’t go down and we were more than holding our own as the half time whistle approached. Then a lovely through ball put Jack Williams in the clear, as he charged into the box the keeper dived at his feet and brought him down. Looked a clear penalty from where I stood and the keeper was yellow carded. Mike Rousell knocked in the spot kick to give Sports a welcome half-time lead. One sad moment in the first half saw Sam Farthing fall heavily and dislocate his left shoulder. He was helped off to hospital in severe pain to be replaced by Steve Lindegaard.
The second half produced more good football in a tight match but it was noticeable that Sports were keeping Rec penned in their own half and gradually putting the pressure on. Nevertheless the knowledge of the damage our opponents could inflict on the break kept us on our toes and sure enough, in the 65th minute they got the equaliser. The ball was played into the Westlands box where a defender made a complete hash of his clearance. The ball broke to a Hamworthy attacker who buried it in the corner to make it 2-2. Sports pressed hard now and five minutes later got back in front. Jack Williams was barged in the back when about to shoot and the referee pointed to the spot. Mike Rousell stepped up again and stroked in the penalty to put us back in front at 3-2. At this point my mind went back to last season’s corresponding league game which had ended 3-3 and I wondered if history was going to repeat itself. I needn’t have worried, Sports were pretty well in control now and played out the match on the front foot keeping Hamworthy on the defensive. Young Ryan Peacock had an excellent debut and the whole side played well with a composure that has sometimes been missing recently. There wasn’t much at stake for either side but both teams wanted to win the match for their own pride and subsequently gave us a cracking match that was a good advert for the DPL. So, congratulations to Hamworthy on their second league title in a row, and well done to the Westlands lads for a good win.
Westland's Team: R.Peacock, D.Vincent, R.Lindegaard, A.Smith, A.Mead, S.Baker, S.Farthing, D.Corden, J.Williams, M.Rousell, M.Day. Subs: S.Lindegaard, J.Sims, R.Parkinson.
Thursday21st April 2011, MDPL, MERLEY COBHAM SPORTS 0 WESTLAND SPORTS 5
For the fourth game in eight days, Sports had Aaron Mead, Simon Baker and Jack Williams all unavailable due to work commitments but we still had a strong looking squad with Dean Vincent and Taoufik Ben-Salem returning to the lineup. After our cup semi-final loss to Merley Cobham we owed them one and it didn’t take long for Sports to show they meant business. In the second minute Andy Smith took a quick free kick on the edge of the box and slid the ball down the outside of the wall to Sam Farthing. Sam drove it low and hard across goal and Mike Rousell finished the job at the far post. A smart, well worked goal and Sports were full of running and went hunting for more. It was constant Sports pressure now with the pace of our front men Mike Rousell and Taoufik Ben Salem causing the Cobham defence all sorts of problems. How they managed to hold out for another 30 minutes I’ll never know as they were being torn apart by a rampant Sports side. However, in the 32nd minute the inevitable second goal arrived. Andy Smith hit a low shot from 20 yards which the keeper appeared to gather but fumbled the ball over the line. Sports continued to press and 10 minutes later made it 3-0. Matt Day sent over an inswinging corner from the right and Taoufik Ben-Salem was unmarked and headed in from six yards. Three-nil at half-time was no more than Sports deserved and it could have been more. Merley Cobham were a shadow of the team who defeated us in the cup and surely they couldn’t play so badly in the second half. The answer to the question was no as Cobham came out with a bit more purpose, enjoying some spells of possession and pushing forward into Sports half. It was noticeable however that our hosts build up was more slow and deliberate and never really created any goalscoring chances whereas Westlands attacks were fast and furious and we were still giving the Cobham defence a hard time. With 10 minutes to go another Sports attack saw Danny Call sweep the ball into the net after the Cobham defence were caught flatfooted and with just three minutes left came the icing on the cake. A ball was played up to Taoufik Ben-Salem at the edge of the box and he headed it back to the onrushing Danny Call who smashed the ball into the top corner from 22 yards for the goal of the game. A 5-0 victory away from home is an excellent result and to be honest this was a game we were never going to lose. From the first minute Sports were playing at a higher tempo than their opponents and when we scored in the second minute it was all over really.
Westland's Team: T.Pearse, D.Vincent, R.Lindegaard, A.Smith, B.Cochrane, D.Corden, S.Farthing, D.Call, T.Ben-Salem, M.Rousell, M.Day. Subs: H.Binding, J.Sims, R.Parkinson.
Tuesday 19th April 2011, MDPL, WESTLAND SPORTS 1 WINCANTON TOWN 0
For their third game in six days, Sports only made one change from saturday’s line up for the visit of Wincanton Town in the Magna Dorset Premier League. Taoufik Ben Salem was relegated to the bench and was replaced up front by Mike Rousell in an otherwise unchanged 3-5-2 formation. Wincanton were on a tremendous run, unbeaten in 10 games, so we knew we were in for a tough game. As the match settled it was clear our opponents were not going to give us any time on the ball and with the pitch pretty hard it was proving difficult to string any passes together. Sports were pushing forwards and in 10 minutes a Mike Rousell shot hit the inside of the post and had the keeper scrambling along his line to gather the ball. Sports were struggling to create clear cut chances with Wincanton not troubled too much at the back and content to cause Sports defence problems on the occasional break. Wincanton’s secret weapon was soon prominent, a massive throw-in which even Rory Delap would struggle to match. It’s a potent weapon and caused Sports defence a few anxious moments. Come half time and both teams seemed fairly content with the draw in a tight game that could go either way at this stage. In the second half Sports began to up the pressure slowly but surely and Wincanton were finding it difficult to maintain any possession when they did win the ball. In the 53rd minute Sam Farthing scored the opening, and as it turned out, winning goal. A free kick from inside Sports half was taken by Rich Lindegaard and lofted into the visitor’s box where Sam back flicked a looping header which deceived the keeper and found the top corner of the net. With 20 minutes to go, Dan Call was replaced by Taoufik Ben Salem and ‘Benji’ quickly linked up with Mike Rousell to carve open the Wincanton defence but squandered the chance with one pass too many. In the 75th minute Benji did have the ball in the net following a flowing move from Sports but unfortunately he had strayed offside. In the 80th minute an Aaron Mead header from a Matt Day cross came off the bar but Sports were unable to score that second goal which would surely have clinched the points. In the last 5 minutes, Wincanton, sensing they could still get something out the game, made a last gasp effort to snatch an equaliser. A couple of scrambled clearances and a couple of good headers from huge throw-ins rebuffed their efforts and Sports held on for the win. A tough game this, no quarter given, but played in a good spirit by both sides, with Sports emerging as worthy winners in the end.
Westland's Team: T.Pearse, S.Baker, R.Lindegaard, A.Smith, B.Cochrane, A.Mead, D.Corden, S.Farthing, D.Call, M.Rousell, M.Day. Subs: D.Vincent, T.Ben-Salem.
Saturday 16th April 2011, MDPL, WESTLAND SPORTS 7 BLANDFORD UTD 1
After a hard game on Thursday evening Sports made a couple of changes for the visit of Blandford United in the Magna Dorset Premier League. Ben Cochrane returned to a reshaped back three, Andy Smith came back after suspension, Simon Baker came in as right wing back and Dan Call joined Taoufik Ben-Salem up front in a 3-5-2 formation. Sports were looking a bit sluggish in the early stages and Blandford didn’t take long to take advantage. Sports failed to clear their lines and United’s burly centre forward stepped in to thump the ball into the far corner of the net to put us one down after six minutes. The rest of the first half was a bit of a stalemate really, with neither side able to create any good chances, and Blandford, with a lead to defend, working hard and Sports looking a bit off the pace. Then, just before half-time, we got the break we needed when Dean Corden was tripped in the box and Danny Call slotted in the resulting penalty. The general opinion at half time was that Sports had been a bit flat in the first half and needed to up their game in the second period. Whatever the manager said at half time worked as we looked a different side from the moment we kicked off in the second half. First to every ball now, Sports had Blandford under pressure and in the 48th minute Sam Farthing smashed a shot off the crossbar.
This was followed by Dan Call having one ruled out for offside as Sports continued to press. Eventually, on the hour mark, we went ahead with a lovely goal. Andy Smith put Matt Day in with a perfectly weighted pass, Matt raced in and his shot came off the far post to be met first time by Taoufik Ben Salem who drilled it in. The writing was on the wall for Blandford now and five minutes later it was 3-1 when a corner to the front post was bundled in by a combination of Dean Corden and Dan Call. Three minutes later it was 4-1. Another superb crossfield ball by Andy Smith was slotted in by Sam Farthing. The goals were coming thick and fast now. In the 75 minute substitute Jack Williams finished a good passing move off with a good shot, two minutes later Dean Corden smashed in number 6, and in the 80th minute, Steve Lindegaard, who had just joined the action, sidefooted in the seventh. During a 20 minute period in the second half Sports had scored six goals in an inspired spell of football. To be fair to Blandford, they kept their heads up and never threw in the towel, but the pressure was just too much and they couldn’t stem the tide. Overall, it all worked out for Sports in the end after a poor first half but credit to the lads for a scintillating second half performance.
Westland's Team: T.Pearse, S.Baker, R.Lindegaard, A.Smith, B.Cochrane, A.Mead, D.Corden, S.Farthing, D.Call, T.Ben-Salem, M.Day. Subs: D.Vincent, S.Lindegaard, J.Williams.
Thursday 14th April 2011, MDPL, WESTLAND SPORTS 2 SHERBORNE TOWN RES 1
A lovely evening for a local derby and a good crowd turned up to see the action in this Magna Dorset Premier League match. Sports made one change from saturday at Portland, Ben Cochrane was on the bench and Rich Lindegaard took his place in the centre of the defence. Sports started on the front foot and caught the Sherborne rearguard napping in the first minute. A long ball came down the centre of the park, and as the visitors hesitated Dean Corden burst through, rounded the keeper and planted the ball in the net. What a start, and if my memory is correct we did exactly the same thing in the corresponding fixture last season, so they should have seen it coming ! Sports were on top now with the visitors a bit shell shocked. Matt Day was giving them nightmares down the left wing and twice he hit the byeline but nobody could convert the crosses. Sports made several chances during this period but seemed to take that extra touch before shooting that allowed the defenders to get in a tackle. After 20 minutes it was noticeable that Sherborne were taking heart from Sports inability to get a second goal and they began to push forward and create a few chances of their own. This spell of pressure was rewarded in the 30th minute when a soft free kick was awarded by the linesman out on the right wing. The ball was whipped in and with two westlands defenders and the goalkeeper knocked to the ground, Nick Jacobs had an easy job to head in the equaliser. Being biased I thought one each at half time flattered the visitors a little but we had the second half to put things right.
Once again Sports caught their opponents cold in the second half. Mike Rousell was pushed in the box and the ref pointed to the spot. Mike took the kick himself and fired it in high up to the keeper's left. But, hang on, he's ordered it to be retaken for encroachment. This is an infringement that happens all the time but is very rarely punished so full marks to the official for having the guts to give it. Mike took the kick again and this time slotted it in low to the keeper's right, two well taken penalties, its never easy the second time. Sherborne weren't going to lie down and it was a fiercely contested match with neither team holding back. The referee was keeping a tight control on things but was a little harsh to send off two players, one from each side, within 5 minutes of each other. In the 55th minute Mike Rousell squared up to a Sherborne defender after being fouled and was red carded. Five minutes later Sherborne centre half Lee Clarke handled a through ball and was also sent packing for a second yellow card. What was a bit disappointing was to see players from both sides shouting at the referee to send off their opponents, very poor in my opinion. These dismissals seemed to upset the rhythm of the game a bit and with the tiredness creeping in, the pace of the match dropped off a bit. Sports attacks were always more dangerous, almost cutting through the visitors defence at will at times. Matt Day raced away three times but couldn't get an effort on target with just the keeper to beat, and similarly Taoufik Ben-Salem was clean through but delayed his shot too long and the keeper rushed out to save. Sherborne had a chance late on when a shot went over the bar, but Sports were pretty comfortable and played out time. For Westlands everyone played well, Matt Day was a constant thorn in Sherborne's side, Dean Corden and Sam Farthing were a constant threat, and Aaron Mead was a tower of strength at the back, never losing a header. A welcome three points for Sports as we keep the pressure on Portland for that third spot in the league table. A final mention for the three young officials who had a difficult job but handled it very well.
Westland's Team: T.Pearse, D.Vincent, R.Lindegaard, A.Smith, J.Sims, A.Mead, D.Corden, S.Farthing, M.Rousell, T.Ben-Salem, M.Day. Subs: D.Call, S.Baker, R.Parkinson.
Saturday 9th April 2011, MDPL, PORTLAND UTD 2 WESTLAND SPORTS 2