A well-taken goal by Brandon Smalley just before half-time was enough to take all three points in Wimborne’s first-ever game against Gloucester.

Tim Sills called up club captain Scott Arnold and new signing Joseph Ryan to augment his injury-ravaged squad. With Harvey Wright moving to right-back, the inclusion of Billy Walker was the only change to the eleven who started against Winchester three days ago.

Gloucester’s tactics were evident from the first minute: hit the ball over the Wimborne back-line. But with Ross Flitney acting as a sweeper-keeper, including heading the ball clear, Sam Roberts extending his legs to heights only gymnasts reach, and Billy Walker winning every header, Wimborne repelled the early attacks. Going forward, Wimborne created chances too with Harvey Wright and Sam Jackson joining their team-mates at every opportunity: Cam Munn found Matty Burrows whose shot brought a low save by keeper Thompson at the near post; Josh Carmichael fired the resultant corner over the bar; the willing work-horse Will Fletcher played a delicate one-two before being illegally blocked – Matt Neale’s free-kick was blocked by the defensive wall and Burrows’ follow-up shot was at a comfortable height; Fletcher flashed a header from Neale’s free-kick just wide of the post; and Burrows shot past the far post after Neale came out best in a midfield tussle.

The home side looked dangerous when they attacked, and on forty-one minutes they took the lead. Receiving the ball wide on the left, Smalley cut inside before wrong-footing Flitney with a shot from fifteen yards which was perfectly-placed inside the near post.

Play ebbed and flowed after the interval. Walker bravely blocked a shot from Gloucester’s first attack; Wright set-up Roberts for a shot from Neale’s corner; Walker ended the next charge by the home team with another brave block; Burrows’ cross-shot was punched away by Thompson and Wright’s follow-up was blocked; Jez Bedford timed his tackle to perfection to stop a goal attempt in the penalty area with Flitney catching the resultant corner under pressure; Wright fired over from twenty-five yards.

Wimborne survived a spell of Gloucester pressure, with Flitney not having to make a save in the second-half, and, looked the more energetic team as the clock ticked past eighty minutes. Manager Sills sent on Connor Cocklin to join Fletcher up front, and the substitute fired Wright’s cross wide on eighty-seven minutes. Next Fletcher raced onto Neale’s pass and had his shot saved by the advancing keeper; Joe Ryan’s cross created chaos in the home penalty area before, in the third of four minutes added-on, Wimborne won a central free-kick thirty-five yards from goal. Neale’s strike evaded the defensive wall and was heading for the top corner before the flying Thompson’s finger tips deflected the ball for a corner. Although Flitney came up for it, Wimborne were unable to force an equaliser, and a relieved Gloucester greeted the final whistle ecstatically.

This was always going to be a marker for the season as we came up against a team who had been in the National leagues for 15 seasons, and were two division above us last season. The bad news is that we lost for the first time this season; the good news is that we competed well, didn’t look out of place, and were disappointed not to get a point. The result came down to fine margins: The Tigers made the most of their best opportunity, while The Magpies couldn’t quite find that extra quality when it mattered. Interestingly, five of the ten games in our division were decided by a solitary goal. The boys have a week to recover before two tough games next week-end. It’s a challenging league – but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Six points from the first three games – that’s a good start.

Wimborne: Flitney, Wright, Roberts, Walker, Jackson, Carmichael (Ryan 77), Neale, Bedford, Burrows (Cocklin 83), Munn (Scorey 67), Fletcher

Unused sub: Arnold, Mdlalose

Attendance: 986

Match stats: