Havant a clue!
by Steve Dadd & Pete Pavey

26th Januray 2003

On this spring like day, the Terras took to the field with Alex Browne partnering Lee Phillips up front, Mark Whiteman was left sitting on the bench.
 
This encounter had everything apart from a car chase; drama, violence, refereeing that incensed both sides, sending offs, missed penalties and chances; In other words, standard fare with our friends from Havant.
 
Weymouth were at the Hawk’s throats within seconds of the kick off. Lee Phillips should have done better after being set up by Redwood on three minutes. He bundled into the box, but lost control and the ball was eventually cleared by the Havant defence.
 
With the Terras enjoying a lot of possession, their first shot on target came on twelve minutes. Hale found space down the left flank, he slid the ball to Phillips on the edge of the box, he intelligently tapped the ball to Browne whose flick was saved by May in the visitors' goal. A minute later the Hawks passed the ball sweetly forward to prolific goal scorer James Taylor, he shot early out on the edge of the box and crashed the ball into the side netting.
 
This was turning into an entertaining game with both sides playing fluent football and respective keepers kept busy.
 
Weymouth took the lead after 23 minutes, a two man corner witnessed Hutchinson’s cross being met at the near post by Phillips, he flicked back and there was Martyn Sullivan to tap the ball home amongst a host of legs.
 
Martyn Sullivan was making amends for his previous appearances under Fred Davies as he showed commitment and skill to drive the right side of Weymouth’s midfield forward ably assisted by Steve Tully. Sullivan provided a cross on 31 minutes to Lee Phillips; his shot could only be pushed over by May.
 
Mark Kenway made a great interception on veteran Dave Leworthy as he was about to shoot.
 
Havant enjoyed the upper hand in the closing stages of the half as Matthews was forced to make a great stop against James Taylor. With the gobby Havant faithful already celebrating the goal bound effort, Matthews appeared from nowhere at full stretch to push the ball out, falling to Tully, he beat his opponent and cleared his lines. Tully was however then booked for a late challenge on Bobby Howe that had occurred on Havant’s build up.
 
Havant equalised with almost the last kick of the half, a Hawks corner was met at the far post by the towering figure of Alec Masson who nodded home.
 
So at half time the score was: Weymouth 1 Havant & Waterlooville 1
 
Straight from the off, Phillips beat the offside trap and smashed a shot goalwards that was well saved by May. The hard working Tully made a surging run on the right flank his cross picked out Alex Browne, from 4 yards out and with the goal at his mercy, he made in his own words "a brilliant defender's clearance".
 
Within five minutes Sullivan was the provider from the right, this time, lesson learnt, Alex used his head, but his effort still went wide.
 
Havant were awarded a penalty on 59 minutes. A long punt upfield and Bobby Howe gave chase along with Kenway, shoving 'Kenners' out of the way Howe got in a great shot that was saved by Matthews, but his parried effort bobbed on the edge of the box, Redwood and Taylor went for the 50/50 ball with Redwood clearing it; Taylor went down like a Russian submarine, Mr Hutton gullibly pointed to the spot.
 
Justice was done when Taylor's spot kick was hit against the crossbar.
 
Weymouth gathered themselves and continued their search for a second goal. Steve Tully took a free kick from the far right of the box, providing Phillips with a free header, however the Cornish man's effort went over. Less than a minute later Hutchinson’s corner from the right was met at the near post by Chris Ferrett, his 'clearance' sailed over May's head and, as if in slow motion, the ball bounced off the face of the crossbar, Phillips and Browne were mere spectators and allowed the ball to be cleared.
 
Play swung to the other end and Tim Hambley’s miss-hit cross came off the near upright.
 
Strong tackles were flying in from all angles. Hutchinson was lucky to have a right foot after being hit from behind by Hanson, amazingly with Mr. Hutton only yards away he allowed play-on to Havant. They pushed upfield, but the ball was cleared by Weymouth and with Phillips breaking down the left flank and the home side with a four on three situation, Mr. Hutton noticed Mr Beaumont’s flagging for the earlier Havant offside, and so bought play back.
 
Phillips was the next to be cropped from behind; the gap-toothed striker was incensed when Mr Hutton allowed play to continue.
 
Weymouth’s game plan went pear shaped on 66 minutes when Steve Tully, who had been outstanding all game, was booked for the second time for a late tackle on the stocky Howe. Howe chased Tully cuffed him round the head, grabbed him by the throat and wrestled him to the ground, Tully walked, but incredibly Howe was just booked.
 
On 69 minutes, and with their tails up, Havant were in search of three points, a thunderous shot from 20 yards by Taylor was well held by Matthews and, one minute later, Taylor again unleashed an effort that this time Matthews spilled, but gathered at the second attempt.
 
This was end to end stuff, the Havant 'fans' were so excited that they started fighting with each other, the stewards went in to break it up, I personally would have left them to it.
 
Danny Bailey’s great cross-field ball found Phillips on the left flank, he turned his man and raced goal wards, with the vertically challenged May slipping over, Phillips lobbed the glove man, he managed to regain his footing and just got a hand to the ball to divert its flight from being goal bound.
 
Although down to ten men Weymouth continued to press, Whiteman came on for the tiring Alex Browne on 81 minutes, but within four minutes things went 'tits up'; a punt to the corner flag for the Hawks saw Taylor and Redwood give chase, Redwood shielded the ball to let it run out and gave Taylor a helpful push toward the hoardings for good measure, Taylor’s hand seemed to make contact with Redwood’s face, but Redwood foolishly retaliated and started a free for all. With Havant fans getting involved from the sidelines things could have got ugly, but with Redwood already doing the walk of shame things quietened down. Mr Hutton gave a free kick to Havant even though the incident with Taylor and Redwood had occurred off the pitch.
 
With Butler signalling frantically for Simon Browne to come on, Mr Hutton ignored him and instructed his linesman to take his position for the set piece. Butler took the law into his own hands and walked some 20 yards onto the pitch stopping the game and allowing the substitution with Whiteman to go ahead, although, to be fair, the game could not go ahead as Havant 'fans' were on the pitch as well.
 
Geoff for his troubles was booked.
 
From the ensuing free kick, Taylor’s shot was stopped by Matthews, the ball flew off the crossbar, the rebound was hit against a Weymouth body and the next shot was hit against Matthews. With the ball bouncing free, a Weymouth foot hoofed it clear.
 
With the clock running down and Weymouth still looking for a break, Phillips won the ball on the half way line instead of running forward and into the corner, he laid a suicidal back pass into the face of the marauding Hawks. Taylor was the first to the ball he turned goalwards and shot, Matthews gratefully gathered.