Team huddle ahead of this JSMS cup tie

Salisbury FC Dev 2 v 0 Newport IOW FC Reserves

This John Stimpson Memorial shield 2nd round tie was played at the new Tidworth 3G where the 1st team and the development squad will be training this winter. This was the 2nd Saturday in a row the 2nd string have played on this pitch, and they seem to be enjoying it.

Despite the weather Newport made the journey across to Tidworth, all be it a bit delayed by the traffic. And with a return ferry to catch the match kicked off on time. It was probably excusable for the islanders to be a bit slow off the mark with a rushed warm up and the game starting just 30 minutes after their long journey.

The whites started strong and where mostly dictating the play which was for the most without endangering the opponents goal. And that was really the story of the first half, plenty of opportunities but no end product. In quick succession around the 15 min mark, flying left back Nathaniel David had two good opportunities, one in open play when cutting inside but despite the keeper being 6ft 4, he was not troubled as the shot sailed very high and very wide. In fact the ball went completely out of view. Thankfully some young locals watching the game and cheering on the Whites jumped on their bikes and retrieved the ball. No sooner had they got back, David was lining up a free kick which was 20 yards out, and the perfect angle for a lefty. ‘Off you go lads please, there is another ball to retrieve’ as this effort although not wide it must have been at least 30ft over the bar. It was definitely not the last time though our ball boys on wheels would be called into action.

Despite the Whites being on top in this game it was Newport who got the closest to scoring first when a speculative cross come shot shaved the top of Duff’s cross bar but never had the whites stopper panicking. On 30 minutes another Butt break down the left wing saw him cut inside 30 yards from goal and slide in a perfect pass through the opposition centre backs for striker Ruben Smith. Now 1 on 1 with the huge keeper, he failed to score and put his effort wide.

Half-time 0 v 0

The Whites played well enough in the 1st half to be ahead but that counts for nothing if you don’t score. The half time message was keep going and do what you have been doing, just be more clinical.
4 minutes is all it took before the Whites took the lead. A throw in deep in the oppositions half was expected to be thrown in the mixer, however, Rob Jones had other idea’s. Leaving his run late he received the ball back in midfield right in line with the home dug out. Jones spotted striker Timerley peeling off the back of the massed defenders and attackers. A sumptuous dinked cross was right were the no 9 would have wanted it, and he met the ball and headed it down and under the keeper to make it 1 v 0.

The second goal came just 10 minutes later and saw Timperley involved again. A move that started with the home keeper and a goal kick out to the right channel was met 1st time by winger Kelvin Lichowe. His 1st time touch inside was perfect for the Whites no 9 to run onto. With 3 touches he beat his marker and got away to the edge of the box from where a perfect cross behind the retreating defence was perfectly weighted for his strike partner Ruben Smith to slot it first time into the bottom corner. 2 v 0. I think that was 6 touches keeper to back of net and under 10 seconds. When this side gets it right, the speed in this squad is almost impossible to defend against. This goal was a prime example of that.

At this point though, the Whites had the taste for goals and just 1 minute later Butt could have made it 3, but for a fantastic finger tip save from the impressive Alex Ramm in the visitors goal. And that was pretty much the story of the remaining 25 minutes or so. Waterson, David, and Smith has chances to add to the lead as did Harry Boulton on numerous occasions with his rampaging runs down the right wing, but Ramm stood strong and kept it at only 2 for the home side. His opposite number Duff in between the sticks for Salisbury put in a fine display all be it mostly with his feet. Newport where kept to really only shots from distance during this tie, and like the Whites in the first half, they too kept our mobile ball boys busy.

Newport got to this 2nd round by knocking out AFC Stoneham on penalties after the game ended 2 v 2. The whites where smashed by Stoneham 3 weeks ago in their only heavy defeat. That emphasises that in this league you just don’t know what sort of team your going to face each week. Newport to their credit put out a U23 side and are determined to develop young players. The Whites as I have mentioned on more than one occasion still have only one player that has reached the grand old age of 20.

The team will need to wait until the 7th November to see who they will be battling it out with for a place in the quarter finals when the tie between two west div outfits Lyndhurst and New Milton town who currently sit 1st and 4th in their league both meet to play out their postponed 2nd round match from this weekend.

Whites Squad:
Duff, Boulton, David, Hawke (c), Tosdevine, Davis, Lichowe, Jones, Timperley, Smith, Butt,
Subs: Waterson (62), Thomas, (70), Tulk (75), Williams (76), Feest (81).

Mark Winter
October 5, 2020