Laverstock & Ford
Velocity Wessex League Premier Division – Tuesday 12th March 2024
Laverstock & Ford vs Shaftesbury
Away Day match Sponsor – SESC Solutions Ltd
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This game was postponed and has now been rearranged twice. The match reviews are flexible though and in a season that has been hit by extreme weather it has to be!
So where are we at?
⛱️ ‘Rockies’ View
We have negotiated a difficult trip to Lymington Town winning 3-1 and sit in 3rd place with 69 points. Though Moneyfields have had three points deducted they are currently unstoppable and demolished Cowes Sports 4-0 on the Island. No mean feat.
We drew 2-2 there and know the Fareham Town, Sherborne Town and that have somewhat derailed a title bid, yet the games have been caught up now. Manager Jim Milligan will be looking for another three points in what will be a very testing environment.
🔫 There’s still work to do.
The top four is looking pretty much set and we just have to do our work. We face AFC Portchester here on Saturday 23rd March and they have the Indian sign on us though the pressure isn’t really on either of us. We just have to see what happens and keep winning.
Laverstock & Ford will be hurting after a 1-5 defeat to AFC Stoneham on Saturday which was a reaction to their recent defeats by Brockenhurst and ourselves. They apparently played better than the scoreline suggests and Tuesday night will be a different kettle of fish.
We beat them 5-0 here in September when we were on an amazing run of form with a Brett Pitman hat trick, Asa Philips and Cam Beard on the scoresheet. That was a long time ago and much has happened since.
🗝️ Key factors
Cam Beard found his scoring appetite had returned with two goals in the victory at Lymington Town. With Dan Bartlett ‘The Engineer’ (as I call him now) showing the obvious quality that time at the New Cuthbury with Wimborne Town brings out in a player. We are a different team now. Liam Farrugia has also looked good since returning along with Ash Wells.
Brett Pitman will be hungry after being provider more at the Sports Field to get his 50th ‘Rockies’ goal at Church Road. Pitman currently has 48 in the league and 49 in all competitions.
Asa Philips made his 75th ‘Rockies’ appearance as a substitute at Lymington Town. Callum Sweeney will be looking to return along with Steve Devlin.
♠️Aces In The Pack
‘We’ve got a pocket full of Stuey Green!”
Laverstock & Ford – Justin Bennett an experienced striker will be a man to watch. Obviously skipper Adam Bourner is a ‘Lavvy’ talisman and will be loving it! Definitely in the top list of opposition players in the Velocity Wessex League.
Shaftesbury – Stuart Green has two goals in two games against Lymington Town and AFC Stoneham. Like Bennett a seasoned poacher.
📖 Recent Form –
Laverstock & Ford are currently in 9th place and one of a cluster of sides that are looking to push for the fifth play off spot. They are on 45 points four off fifth placed Brockenhurst.
They were defeated 5-1 by AFC Stoneham on Saturday so will be like a wounded buffalo and ready to charge. Since their 3-0 win at Sherborne Town they have lost 2-1 at home to Blackfield & Langley, 2-0 at Portland United, 2-1 at Petersfield Town and held 2-2 at home by Bournemouth.
Laverstock & Ford tend to go on runs though and where as they won’t have been happy with recent form and dropped points to strugglers they have the players to really give us a hard time tomorrow. They need the points as much as we do.
Last season – Sam Lanahan scored a hat trick as we won 3-2 there in a barnstormer of a match. We then defeated them 4-0 in the Wessex League Cup before they got revenge with a 4-1 win at Cockrams.
Review – Avril Lancaster 🐌
Photo – Louis Kellaway has been a rock in midfield for us.
Photo – Ben Chandler Photography.