BEMERTON VICTORIOUS DESPITE HARDY T&E SHOWING
The Millers were missing central midfield pairing Dylan Gain and Joe Selby as well as Dan Gain and Lewis Fear in defence. Otherwise, a full strength side was out for Totton and Eling.
The game got underway with the visitors being camped in the Totton half for the opening 10 minutes of the game, but resulting in only one noteworthy half chance – Jack Smith heading over following a long throw in from the left hand side. The first real chance also fell to Bemerton, with Daniel Young firing wide after another attack down the left hand side.
Chances were being created fairly well by the visitors, the next being saved by Oli Eyres from a Brandon Munday shot. The Millers weathered the storm in the opening 20 minutes and began to come out and play some attacking stuff themselves, with Ryan Lomax bursting out of defence and playing a quality ball forward for Ethan Taylor to get under control and shoot just wide. In a counter attack, Danny Burns was able to play a classy one, two with Matt Hartmann and put in a cross for Johnny MacAuley, which looped up off the defender and made it difficult for MacAuley to steer goalwards and in turn an easy save for keeper Paddy Creese.
After the half hour mark, Bemerton muscled their way back into the game, forcing Tyler Beech & Eyres into some real stern defending, throwing himself at the ball to make an important block, while Eyres was on hand to save the follow up. But in the 34th minute the visitors would eventually find a breakthrough. Ollie Davies did well down the left hand side before crossing in for ex-Gosport man Justin BENNETT and the veteran striker made no mistake, nodding home the cross from around 10
yards out, a true poachers goal.
Totton tried to respond immediately, but a good block from George Plank saw a shot deflected over the bar. And Plank made inroads shortly afterwards at the other end of the pitch, advancing forward well as a full back and putting in a peach of a cross for Rafa Ramos, who could only fire over the bar where perhaps he should’ve done better. But the visitors were to extend their lead before the break. A corner being headed home like bread and butter from Bemerton’s captain Jack SMITH with a powerful header. HT 0-2
After the break, almost immediately Bemerton were back on the front foot, Bennett forcing Eyres into a fantastic save after an attempted curling shot to the far corner, The Millers keeper was able to shuffle across and make a great diving save to keep his team in the game and it did just that, as moments later T&E would pull one back. With James Matthews and MacAuley combining well down the right, the cross came in from MacAuley which Ethan Taylor was able to pluck out of the air expertly and swivel on a sixpence before bringing out a decent save from Paddy Creese.
After that though Hartmann was very unlucky to see his shot come back off the post and from the resulting corner, Kieran Nagle-Kelly’s header forced Creese into a reactionary save and was so unlucky not to score. The Millers would get their goal in the 56th minute though, but in rather bizarre circumstances. Rian FEAR’S attempted cross into the area found itself heading goalwards and as Creese went to watch it go over the bar, the ball dipped in under the crossbar at the last second and went in, a strange goal but throughly deserved for the hosts endeavours.
Following Totton’s goal, it was almost like the visitors managed to step up into another gear, such is their quality and experience. Ramos headed over from a corner with an hour played. And the two goal advantage was restored in the 71st minute, when Lomax was sent off for his foul on Ramos. Justin BENNETT stepped up and coolly converted the spot kick and bagged his brace for the evening with a low hard strike into the bottom corner of the net, well out of reach of Eyres.
The final opportunity of the game also fell to the visitors with Brandon Munday skewing a left footed shot wide of the post.
This result was perhaps cruel on Totton, who had matched their opponents for long swathes of the game, defended well for long periods and threatened to equalise with the game poised at 2-1. As said in previous reports, the performances are there and the results will surely follow soon. Next up is the FA Vase 2nd Qualifying Round tie away at New Milton Town, this coming (Saturday 10th October – 3pm)
where The Millers will look to chalk up their first win of the season.
Lineup: Eyres, R. Fear, Beech, Nagle-Kelly, Lomax, Lycett, Matthews, Hartmann, MacAuley, Taylor, Burns.
Subs: Clarke, Smith, Moss, Botcherby, Sanger.
Attendance: 114
Adi Rose at Miller Park.
