Game 2: Salisbury City 1.3 Port Vale (Friendly) 19.07.08

Salisbury were due to play two games today - one team at home against Port Vale and one team away at Basingstoke. When I arrived at the ground, a quick look around showed that the entire first team squad were playing here. Andy arrived just before kick off and brought me a team sheet round with his chips.


Port Vale took an early lead after just two minutes. Kyle Perry took the ball at the edge of the penalty area and hit a shot past Bond and Bittner, into the right hand side of the goal. Salisbury got an equaliser four minutes later, trialist Jamal Easter ran into the box and hit a similar shot across the keeper and in.


Salisbury won a couple of corners and hit the post before the game settled down for a while. In the 19th minute, Rob Sinclair gave away a free kick just outside the penalty area. From this central point, Marc Richards hit a Beckham-esque freekick into the top left side of Bittner's goad to give Port Vale a 2.1 lead.


On 32 minutes Port Vale broke out from their area following a Salisbury corner that took a while to clear. As they moved at pace down the pitch, the Salisbury team were slow to cover back and left some space in the middle of defence. A couple of quick passes and Richards had time to place a shot for his 2nd of the game. It was a well worked goal.

After 40 minutes Salisbury had a real let off. Bittner called for the ball when a cross came in but didn't collect it. The ball rolled across the area to a Port Vale player who hit a shot directly at Bittner. The ball bounced out to another Vale player who mishit the ball but it fell to a team mate who headed it back towards goal. The ball beat the defence but came down from the crossbar into Bittner's arms.

The second half was a little bit of an anti-climax with no further goals, although Port Vale did have one ruled out for offside. Salisbury brought on a number of subs at half time - Bass, Cook, Robinson, Herring, Feeney, Matthews, Tubbs - so it was a full strength side who took to the field. The game got a bit niggly and a few late tackles came in from both sides. Rob Sinclair had to come off after an hour or so after stretching a bit too far for a tackle and was replaced by Jon Davies.
Davies, one of the leading lights in last year's reserves team, made the most of this opportunity. The 18 year old was a real handful for the Vale defence, using speed and trickery to get past his opponents on a number of occasions. The end product was not always as good but a couple of crosses made it to Tubbs, who put one shot past the post and had another blocked. When he didn't get past his man, Davies also won some free kicks for being brought down. Hopefully he won't find himself being kicked out of games this season as he looks a useful player.

Final attendance was given as 588, with around 50 Vale fans in the segregated away end.

Game 1: Salisbury City 0.3 Southampton (Friendly) 15.07.08

With England out of Euro 2008, the start of the preseason friendlies couldn't come quickly enough. During the day there was a lot of cloud and some rain but by the time Andy and I arrived at the Ray Mac the sun was out and there was not a cloud in the sky!



We had left about 15 minutes spare before kickoff but the late confirmation of a full strength 1st team squad rather than the usual reserve team meant that the queue at the turnstile stretched back to the clubshop. Luckily it moved on pretty quickly and it only took us around 5 minutes to get onto the terraces. Trying to recognise some of the players was a little more difficult, even when the announcer confirmed that there were some teamsheets available during the first half. The final attendance was confirmed as 1387.




Salisbury looked up for the game and Feeney in particular was causing Saints some problems down the left side. Matt Tubbs had a shot well saved but Saints were able to deal with the set pieces without their keeper having to much to do. Some of the tackles were a little strong for the Championship players and there was a flashpoint mid way though the half when a couple of players bundled in and got a bit too aggressive. Luckily the referee was quickly on hand to stop it from escalating. The game appeared to be heading to a stalemate at halftime when Jason Euell strolled forward with the ball and hit it along the ground, across Bittner and into the net just next to the right hand post. Salisbury created one late chance from a corner but Matt Robinson headed the ball into the side netting.



In the second half, Southampton brought on some of their younger squad members and started to play with a bit more pace and guile. If the finishing had been better then Salisbury would have been 5 or 6 down but a combination of shots overhit over the bar and some superb saves from Bittner kept the score at 0.1. Salisbury also brought on some subs at halftime but seemed to be causing fewer problems to the opposition keeper.


After 74 minutes, Wright-Phillips ignored the 'Thief' chants and accelerated from the edge of the box and past the defence to slot the ball past Bittner for 0.2. In the second minute of injury time, McGoldrick beat the offside trap to run onto a through ball. Bittner managed to trap the ball when he took a close range shot but couldn't keep hold of it. McGoldrick then took it past the keeper and smashed it into the roof of the net from the goalline.

2007-2008 Season Summary

Games seen: 36

Goals scored: 129

Highest Scoring Game: 8 - Salisbury City Reserves v Raynes Park Vale Reserves, Bemerton Heath Harlequins v Reading Town

Lowest Scoring Game: 0 - Shaftesbury v East Cowes Vics, Droylesden v Salisbury City, Salisbury City v AFC Wimbledon, v Torquay, v Stevenage Borough

Goal Average: 3.58

Grounds Visited: 15

New Grounds Visited: 5

Game 36: England Legends 2.0 Scotland Legends (Alan Ball Memorial Trophy) 15.05.08

Andy and I drove down to Southampton to watch this game between two sets of ex-international players for the Alan Ball Trophy, commemorating the life of one of the South Coast’s most respected managers who passed away last year. Before the game there was also a minutes silence for Tommy Burns, the former Reading and Celtic manager who had died earlier that day. Brian Robson was also missing due a family bereavement.


The two squads weren’t available in a programme as one hadn’t been issued but the game was being covered on ITV4, which I referred back to when I got home.

England – Woods, Barton, Parker, Walker, Winterburn, Hodge, Parlour, Lee, Le Saux, Merson, Collymore (subs – Wright, Walters, Sinton, Dixon, Sansom, Ball)

Scotland – Goram, Irvine, Elliott, Gough, Boyd, McKinlay, Jackson, Wark, Collins, Gallacher, Durie (subs – Devlin, Gunn, Albiston, Speedie, MacKay)

Some of the players looked reasonably fit but a couple had an expanded waistband since their playing days, notably Paul Merson. The pace of the game was fairly slow in comparison to a normal ‘Auld Enemy’ game but while the legs had gone, the passing and skill was still there.


Most of England’s chances fell to Stan Collymore who had a mixed night. In the 3rd and 5th minutes he went tearing through on goal but put his shots way over the bar. In the 20th minute Merson took the ball on the left side and found Le Saux on an overlapping run. Le Saux went round a defender and put in a low cross that Hodge redirected at the near post. The ball went through Goram’s legs and into the net.


Scotland had a couple of efforts from corners, Durie going close to scoring. Then it was the Collymore show again – no change to the scheduled programme as the ball ended up high in the stand behind the goal. Scotland almost equalised after 28 minutes. A long hopeful ball from Scotland was played back towards the goal by Rob Lee but it was too short for Woods to get to. This allowed Gallacher to take the ball on but Woods was alert and was out to push the ball away before Gallacher could get a shot in.

On 32 minutes Collymore decided it was time for some variety. Le Saux took the ball forward and put a great pass into the box, only for Collymore to slide in and miss the ball completely in front of an open goal. Five minutes later and it finally came right – Merson received the ball in the middle of the pitch and with one touch played Collymore in. Collymore took on Irvine, beat him for pace and slid the ball under the keeper and into the net. 2.0 England!



At half time Scotland brought on Gunn, Devlin, Albiston and Speedie. For England, Walters came on for Hodge. On 57 minutes John Wark produced a moment from the memory banks, a typical run into the box and a chip over the keeper and in. However he hadn’t timed it quite right and the goal was chalked off for offside. At 50, he was the oldest player on the pitch.


The game was a bit stop and start after that, with England bringing on several substitutes. Sinton replaced Le Saux, Sansom and Wright replaced Collymore and Parker and on 75 minutes Jimmy Ball, Alan’s son, came on for Merson. The first thing he did was a late sliding tackle, clattering a Scotland player- like father, like son!


Wark put a header over the bar for Scotland and Speedie also came close to scoring with a shot but the Scots were unable to pull a goal back before the final whistle.

Game 35: Salisbury City Reserves 7.1 Raynes Park Vale Reserves (Suburban League) 03.05.08

With the local league season over, decided to head up to the Ray Mac to see Salisbury’s reserve team in their last home game of the season. The team have been a class above in the Suburban League this season, unbeaten in the league to date and only one defeat in the two cup competitions they entered.


It was a really warm sunny day and took a stroll around the ground, which made a change from the segregation. Bumped into Malx from the Salisbury forum who showed me the new turnstiles the club have bought from Portsmouth that are going to be installed at the away end during the summer break.


The game was entertaining to watch and there was only one team in it. The scoring went as follows:

3 mins Gates with a low shot 1.0
20 mins Gates header from the rebound after missing a penalty 2.0
30 min Fisher penalty shot past the keeper 3.0


55 min Walsh with a long shot over the keeper 4.0
57 min Gates hat trick, a shot at the edge of the box into corner of net 5.0
73 min Gates went up with keeper for a high ball and nodded it in with his head 6.0
75 min Raynes Park get a penalty following a handball, shot under the Salisbury keeper 6.1
81 min Young shot from close in after Holmes shot deflected out by the keeper 7.1


Fisher’s penalty was the 100th goal the team has scored this season. It will be interesting to see if any of the team make the step up to the first team next year or if they will depart for local sides lower in the pyramid to play regular first team football.

Game 34: Bemerton Heath Harlequins 3.3 Hayling United (Wess PREM) 12.04.08

I had been impressed by Hayling’s attacking football when I visited their ground a couple of weeks ago so decided to go up to Western Way this afternoon to see them take on the Harlequins.


As at that game, Hayling took an early lead when in the fourth minute a throw in was flicked onto the crossbar and as the ball dropped down, a Hayling striker bundled it in before Bemerton could react.


Six minutes later it was two-nil to the visitors from a breakaway attack. The Bemerton keeper saved the shot but the rebound was tucked away. The defenders appeared to have played the offside trap properly as the striker was miles offside but the assistant on the nearside didn’t give it and the referee awarded the goal.


Bemerton pulled a goal back after 32 minutes in fortuitous circumstances. The ball was in the penalty area and a clearance cannoned back off a player’s kneed and in from close range.


At the start of the second half Bemerton changed their formation to 4-3-3 which seemed to suit them better. In the 60th minute Bemerton managed to equalise as a player ran with the ball into the box and his pass was deflected into the path of a team mate who smashed an unstoppable shot into the net.


The lead only lasted two minutes. A long ball was played over the top of the Bemerton defence and before a defender could chase him down, a Hayling player hit a chip over the Bemerton keeper and under the bar.


Bemerton didn’t give up and managed to equalise again after 80 minutes with a well struck shot across the keeper and into the left side of the goal. It had been very grey throughout the game and it now started to rain very heavily. Bemerton pressed forward and only the keeper’s foot kept them from taking the lead with a lucky deflection taking a shot wide of the goal.


In the 85th minute Hayling were reduced to ten men as their no 9 was sent off for a second yellow card. Bemerton were unable to make the most of man advantage in the short space of time left and this entertaining match ended in a draw.

Game 33: Laverstock & Ford 3.4 United Services Portsmouth (WESS 1) 05.04.08

Decided to visit Laverstock today for the visit of US Portsmouth. Although we’re now in the last month of the season, this was the first time that the two sides have met with the reverse game in Portsmouth next Saturday.


Both teams have been on a good run of form and it was no surprise to see a number of goals in a topsy-turvy fixture.





Laverstock took the lead in the 15th minute with a carefully placed lob over the keeper from the right of the penalty area. In the 30th minute US Portsmouth equalised with a route one goal. The keeper played the ball up the pitch and the recipient of his pass ran on and shot past the keeper. Eight minutes later and the same tactics allowed US Portsmouth to take the lead.




Laverstock equalised from a close range shot in the last minute of the half, helped by the ball holding up in the wind and allowing the cross to be made. They retook the lead in the 60th minute from the penalty spot. It looked like the player had taken a dive but the referee decided it was a penalty and gave two bookings to US Portsmouth players for disputing the call. Good job I kept quiet! The penalty was struck to the keeper’s left and in.


It took US Portsmouth five minutes to bring the game back to all square. The ball was played down the left side and then crossed back into the centre of the box for a US Portsmouth sub to pass it into the net with the goalkeeper unsighted by another US Portsmouth player who was played on by the Laverstock defence.


In the 80th minute US Portsmouth scored another goal in this exciting game to give them a 4.3 lead. A run down the outside right beat the defence and the player took the ball into the area and shot past the approaching keeper from an acute angle.





Right at the end of the game Laverstock thought they had won another penalty when the referee pointed to the area after a tackle but he had awarded an indirect free kick. The Laverstock player who took the kick decided to go for power and see if the ball got a deflection but he got too clean a strike on it and ended up blasting the ball over the bar.


As we entered injury time Laverstock laid siege to the US Portsmouth goal to try and get another equaliser. They thought they had scored when the goalkeeper missed a ball from a corner in the middle right of the area but the shot was cleared off the line.

Game 32: Hayling United 2.1 Horndean (WESS PREM) 24.03.08

Drove down to Hayling for the first of today’s bank holiday games and met Alan at the ground. With the early kick off this appeared to be a popular choice with the groundhopping fraternity.


The Hayling pitch is at a local college, which means that the ground has a couple of unusual features. The first one was the dugouts which are portable and moved out to the pitch before the game. The second was the location of the stand. This is set next to the main building rather than the pitch which makes viewing very difficult. We sat there for a while in the section that wasn’t locked up but when the game kicked off we moved to the barrier by the pitch as the rain was holding off and we wanted to see the players rather than the backs of the supporters!


Hayling took an early lead on 3 minutes with a chip over the Horndean keeper. Five minutes later and they were 2.0 up as an unmarked player headed in from a free kick. We thought it might be a goalfest but the game settled down after that and there were few chances of note for the rest of the first half.




In the second half Hayling continued to have the most of the play but it was a Horndean substitute who scored in the 70the minute, a fantastic shot from distance that the keeper had no chance to reach.





Hayling remained comfortable on the ball and had a couple of good chances to go 3.1 up. The first was a one on one chance against the keeper but the shot was pulled wide. The second was a similar chance, this time the shot hit the post when it looked like it was easier to score.




Horndean almost made Hayling pay for this in injury time with a succession of corners with some good headers on target that the Hayling keeper did well to keep out.

Game 31: Laverstock & Ford 5.2 Calne Town (Wiltshire Senior Cup) 18.03.08

Andy, Ferg and I arrived at Bemerton’s Western Way ground dead on kick off for this Wiltshire Senior Cup game between Laverstock and Calne. Good job too as Calne took a second minute lead! The ball was crossed in from the right and met with a firm header past the Laverstock keeper.


The lead didn’t last long as Laverstock won an 11th minute penalty and sent the keeper the wrong way from the spotkick. The game went a bit flat after this early excitement and a couple of late tackles earnt yellow cards. In the 28th minute, Calne retook the lead when one of their players decided that the best way to beat an offside trap was to collect the ball in front of the defence and then run through the middle of them. The defenders didn’t expect this and they were left watching as he poked the ball past the keeper.


Laverstock equalised for the second time after 33 minutes with a shot from close range. The excitement was obviously getting to some of the players and a couple of minutes later an off the ball incident left Laverstock’s McGregor down on the ground. It all kicked off into a mass brawl and the referee and his assistants had to break up all the mini scuffles before deciding what action to take. Despite McGregor hobbling off and the violent scenes, no cards or a drop ball were given. Andy and I were bemused by the referee’s decision and the only thing we could think of was that he wasn’t certain of any of the offenders.


Laverstock took the lead for the first time after 47 minutes with a headed goal. Ferg and Andy were still in the bar and I had to play them a recording of the goal from my camera before either of them would believe that there had been a goal!

In the 55th minute McGregor took on and beat three players before smashing the ball in the top corner to give Laverstock a 4.2 lead. In the 87th minute Laverstock made it 5.2 from a great cross into the box. The ball was smashed towards goal and despite the Calne keeper pulling off a great save, he couldn’t react in time to stop the second shot from hitting the net.