‘Rockies’ on the money with another Pitman hat trick’
Velocity Wessex League Premier Division – Saturday 30th March 2024
Bournemouth 1 (Smith 7)
Shaftesbury 5 (Pitman 21, 40 (Pen), 45+4, Beard 11, Satterley 41)
Shaftesbury manager Jim Milligan may well be picking up a manager of the month award with five straight wins in March with victories over AFC Stoneham, Lymington Town, United Services Portsmouth, AFC Portchester and now the team faced a trip to Bournemouth FC.
Poppies boss Phil Brown cited in his programme notes that we were the ‘money men’. Ok, well let’s get on with the game and see if we could cash in here today that was our target net gain.
After an untidy start it was Bournemouth who got the ball down and burst forward with Marcus Smith to unleash an unstoppable shot past a diving Shane Murphy into the top corner. It’s one of those goals you have to say jolly well done lad, and in a way I was quite glad it did as it kick-started us into action.
With his new navy style haircut on display and looking very much the mean machine Cam Beard pushed up minutes later and got through the Poppies defence. Surging on he rounded Jacob Lewiarz to level the scores. It was a fast response from Milligan’s side.
Brett Pitman was looking to continue his goal scoring totals and Eddie Perrett made inroads getting wide and delivering in a cross that ricocheted up to Pitman to slam in his 49th league goal of the campaign to put us ahead.
The former Ipswich Town legend almost added to the tally when the ‘Engineer’ Dan Bartlett created a chance which Lewiarz blocked superbly. Shaftesbury were now on a very high press and Beard clean through and brought down. Pitman calmly from the penalty spot scored and his 50th league goal was in the net.
Bartlett and Ben Satterley were linking up well. The former found the latter to finish his second goal of the campaign from close range in the 41st minute.
Ash Wells, Perrett, Bartlett and Liam Farrugia were all now on the press and it was Farrugia who supplied the cross that allowed Pitman to head in the fifth in first half stoppage time to go in 5-1 ahead at the break. Perrett’s long throws causing the home side to clear the ball back which we picked back up and exploited.
Brown did obviously not looked pleased as the teams came off. His side had turned in a few good decent results to move away from the bottom places and secure 38th season in the Wessex League top division since it’s conception in 1986 as a single division.
Asa Philips came on for the hard working Stuart Green to lead the attack and fashioned out a couple of chances along with a stinging effort that Lewiarz tipped over the bar. Perrett then had another effort that cleared the bar and has been a real bright light since returning with his long throws causing chaos in the opposition box.
Bournemouth still were giving it a go with Lewis Sainval pushing up and 25 goal striker Joe Freak having an effort blocked by Murphy. We had some defending to do and did this well. Pitman was sitting deeper and looking to supply Philips with Callum Sweeney as ever doing a lot of work in midfield.
Sweeney fell foul off referee Mark Bradley who was running a tight ship and very much the boss of this game. Sent to the sin bin he was not happy. Milligan sensibly gave him a rest as at 5-1 up we need him for the tricky Tuesday night trip to Portland United.
With Lewis Kellaway and George Bennett both on for Sweeney and Farrugia who had another fine game it provided an opportunity for some needed minutes for two players that along with Philips have had their seasons affected by injury.
Kellaway only recently with a ham string has been out. His performances this season have been fully committed and aside Pitman’s goals and Beard’s relentless form he has been a definite player of the season.
Scoring goals is Pitman’s bread and butter though. He has played in many important games such as the Norwich City v Ipswich Town derby. A Tuesday night trip to Portland United though will be up there amongst them! If he can do it there then we have truly given ourselves a chance in the play offs.
Bournemouth – Lewiarz, Jay Burgess, L. Freak, Carkeet (Capt), Sainval, Spink, Smith, Nevill, J. Freak, Cheshire, Adams
Subs used – Spencer Perkins, Dacombe, Knight, Middlewick
Shaftesbury – Murphy (Capt), Farrugia, Davidson, Wells, Beard, Bartlett, Green, Pitman, Perrett, Sweeney, Satterley
Subs used – Philips, Kellaway, Bennett
Officials – M.Bradley, D.Burke, S.Gilby
Match Sponsor – Triple A Gas ⛽
Attendance – 73
Report/Photos – Avril Lancaster 🐌
Photos – Liam Farrugia in action on Saturday.
There it is. Pitman. 51 League goals, 2 in the cups. Total 53.
Callum Sweeney shakes it up in midfield at Bournemouth at the weekend.
