spectator

December 1st 2009

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by
brian lovegrove

GUILDFORD DID BETTER


Havant lose 5-2 at home on the last day of the first half of the season against Guildford.
 The game was nearly postponed after torrential rain and hail delayed the start of the game by 45 minutes.     
  Unfortunately Mark Dunn was unavailable this week due to a finger injury that left him needing an operation and an overnight stay in hospital.
 Beginning the game well was crucial for Havant, knowing that Guildford are a hard working outfit that wouldn’t give up.
  For 20 minutes the home side dominated the game, with Craig Duffy, Ezz and co forcing Guildford to defend allot and keeping ex GB keeper Simon Mason fairly busy.
  Whilst holding most of the possession Havant had to be wary of the fast paced counter attack of Guildford.  
  It was against the run of play, at the time, that Tom Batchelor sneaked into the D after blocking a clearance and reverse pushed the ball into the net on 26 minutes.
  Then 5 minutes later a poor restart from Havant allowed the away side to take a free hit quickly and provide Batchelor his second goal with a touch past Dan Tolfrey.
  A further 3 minutes later and Guildford found their third through William Blockley who connected with a cross to touch the ball past a helpless Tolfrey.
  At 3-0 down Havant found themselves in a familiar position going into the break.


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  A rousing team talk from coach Merijn van Willigen later and Havant came out to the pitch at the second half needing to hit the ground running.
  With a high intensity the home side sought out the goals required to get back into the game and possibly win it. Ezz scored his first goal 7 minutes into the half after turning ex Havant player Danny Emery inside out and thundering a shot past Mason at the near side.
 A tight 15 minutes followed with neither side managing to score, but Havant managed to retain the ball and attack for long periods.
  Nearing the end of the half with the score still at 3-1, Havant needed a change to try and get the goals.        
  After going to 3 at the back the home side continued to try and create chances using the extra man to their advantage upfront.
 However it was from a dubious umpiring decision that Guildford reacted to quicker that they increased their lead to 4-1.
  William Blockley getting his second with a short corner conversion into the bottom left of the goal.
  On 68 minutes and from a similar position to the first goal Ezz unleashed a swerving shot into the far corner of the Guildford goal.

 It was then ex Havant Andrew Pett who scored Guildford’s 5th with a deflection from close range.
  Going into the Christmas break Havant can reflect on a tough first season in the Conference West league and can begin the new year with a renewed desire to push on and gain points.

By Nathan Palmer

Our 2nd XI men lost 3-2 on Saturday to West Hampstead 1st XI and again by a single goal against Milton Keynes 1st XI on Sunday by a 0-1 score line.   
 This leaves them bottom of the table with two more leagues games to play before the Christmas break

 
ROVER OXFORD LADIES 1ST XI  0   HAVANT LADIES 1ST XI 2
 
The last fixture before the Christmas break saw Havant travel to Oxford to play bottom of the league Rover Oxford. 
 It is a pleasure after the last few weeks to deliver a match report that reads well in terms of the score but will not read well in terms of the overall performance.  
  Being totally biased one would say well that doesn’t really matter but on a professional and conscious position yes this is true but it was probably the worst performance of the season so far. 
  Difficult to understand how we could have played in such a way and score 2 well crafted goals and yet on other weeks we play so well and are not successful in front of goal.
  Not really able to put my finger on it for this fixture and it was also evident that Rover Oxford’s position in the league was not relative to their standard of play.
 The game started very slow and scrappy.  We did make some early ventures into the Rover D but they did not really cause much concern and it was very evident that Rover had in their possession a very good keeper.
  Rover themselves had a number of opportunities to score but some solid defensive work from our back four kept them at bay. 
 Watching the game presented to the onlooker the obvious fact that neither side had domination of the midfield and progression into the final third was lacking. 
 Towards the end of the first period Havant gained a number of short corners. 
 Jo faulkner slipped a well paced ball into the path of Janie Greenham for her to strike first time and hit the back board.
 Sam Stares could have made it two moments later but was denied by the left hand post after what was the best move of the match.
 The key was simple first time passing without players either delaying or deciding to fiddle with the ball.
 The second phase saw pretty much the same manner of play but it was actually Rover that began to create more opportunities.
  Again solid positive defending kept them at an arm’s length and as they committed further the inevitable breakaway goal came as Sam Stares got on the end of a superb cross.
 “Good to go into the Christmas interval with 3 points and we now look forward to the second round of fixtures.  Our aim must be to focus on being a bit more instinctive in front of goal and to maximise our opportunities to gain full points for our opposition”.
 
Cleave Faulkner