Wednesday 15th January 2025
Venue: M.A. Hart Stadium
Attendance: 130
Debutant Dan Bartlett shone on his debut for the Brickmakers in front of a crowd of 130 as New Milton Town cruised to a 3-0 victory over a Verwood Town team that struggled to pull goalkeeper Ollie Bull into action.
The three points extended the club's record unbeaten league run to seventeen games.
Matt Maybury said:
"With it being our game in hand, we spoke before the game about how important it was to win the match. I thought the lads worked their socks off and were dominant from start to finish, it was a real complete performance.
We were probably good for a couple more goals, their keeper made some great saves and we never really looked like conceding."
In the opening stages of the game, free kicks were plentiful, with former Verwood winger Callum McHale taking the brunt of the challenges. Left-back Ben Beard also was victim to a strong challenge after attempting to carry the ball forward.
Elliott Pearce-Eavis—who put in yet another strong performance—made sure the game burst into life on 21 minutes. With the ball at his feet midway through his own half, he looked up to spot Brad Snelling peeling away from defender Sam Bentley.
New Milton's club captain brought down the floated ball on his chest before placing the ball into the far corner with his left foot. Snelling's goal was his tenth in six games, scoring in each of his last six appearances.
The remainder of the half saw more shots at goal from the home side, with Toby Colmer and Harry McGrath coming closest, but Dan Bartlett, on his first appearance for Matt Maybury's team, netted the second goal. He carried the ball forward before a burst of pace allowed him to caress the ball into the far corner from just outside the box.
It was the last kick of the first period as New Milton went into the break ahead.
Verwood Town goalkeeper Toby Dinnivan was in exceptional form in a one-sided second half. He first saved from Harry McGrath after he was played through one-on-one. He also saved well from Bartlett on a number of occasions and denied Toby Colmer and Ben Beard.
The third and final goal had come on the hour mark, with Elliott Pearce-Eavis heading the ball into the net from within the six-yard box. It was a goal he had deserved following a strong performance at right-back.
The Brickmakers travel to Amesbury Town next for a 3 pm kickoff this Saturday afternoon.
New Milton Town: Ollie Bull, Elliott Pearce-Eavis, Cam Smith, Billy Maybury, Ben Beard, Jack Broad, Toby Colmer, Dan Bartlett, Harry McGrath, Callum McHale and Brad Snelling
Substitutes Used: Stone, Thornton, Mayo, Foden, Kerney
Goals: Snelling 22, Bartlett 45, Pearce-Eavis 60
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