Report: Bournemouth FC 0-3 Lymington Tn - Wessex Premier

DISAPPOINTED:
Scott Joyce

THE new football season is a time for optimism, the level playing field at the outset giving everyone the belief this could be their year.

But as two new look sides kicked off at Victoria Park it was the visitors Lymington Town who left with that belief firmly intact thanks to Luke Watts’ treble after both sides took their time to settle.

Both Poppies boss Ken Vaughan and his Lymington counterpart Andy Leader faced the prospect of bringing in several faces over the summer, and it showed during a first half that lacked cohesion, especially in the attacking third.

Bournemouth had their chances – Max Cream threatened to light the blue touch paper after 11 minutes, cutting inside and pelting the post with a fizzing low drive while Jack Swann should have done better just before the break, smashing his finish over the bar after some clever movement saw him peel away at the far post.

As the match went on the warm weather as well as a difficult pitch drained two sides that lacked impetus to begin with, and the first goal became increasingly important.

Poppies were left to rue their profligacy early in the second half as Lymington, showing more courage and conviction in possession took their chance when it came.

Midfield lynchpin Martin Harris caught the Poppies back four flat and latched onto a ball over the top, cutting the ball back for Watts to finish across Max Frampton.

The host’s heads dropped and Bournemouth looked ragged, static defending almost handing Town a second shortly after, but Alex Blake’s shot was saved one-on-one by Frampton after Watts’ throughball.

Poppies huffed and puffed, but were laboured in their efforts to equalise – a corner flashed across the face of goal and the returning Scott Joyce drew a full stretch save from George Passingham with ten minutes to go, but in reality, Joyce should have found the bottom corner.

CLOSE CALL: Bournemouth Poppies were left to rue missed chances against Lymington

Lymington’s workmanlike approach was rewarded late on as Jack Iggleston crossed from the right for Watts to bundle home at the far post, and Watts’ third soon came, dashing in behind a static backline to lift the ball over Frampton from Harris’ flick on.

It’s hard to know what would have been harder for Ken Vaughan to watch – the disintegration of his side, or larger than life Leader swinging his shirt round his head after the third, but the message afterwards will be much clearer for Poppies – must do better.

BOURNEMOUTH: Frampton, Wilson, Jackson, Llewelyn, Crutcher, Leadebetter, Cream (Maguire 73), Phillipson-Masters (Molyneaux 70), Joyce, Swann (Saadi 54), Lockyer.

Unused subs: Clarke, Vaughan (g/k)

LYMINGTON TOWN: Passingham, Horner, Randall, Baker, Ansell, Pancaldi, Harris, Wiltshire (Evans-Hunt 89), Iggleston, Watts (Kapinga 90+2), Blake (Butler 83).

Unused subs: Fairhurst, Williamson.

GOALS: Watts 54, 85, 90+1.

STAR MAN: Luke Watts (Lymington Town)

Who else? Not only for the goals, but for making the ball stick up front in a first half when the visitors were under pressure. His well taken first gave Town a platform to play with confidence – the catalyst for a solid away performance.