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27 Apr 2008: East Hoathly 2:2 Grasshoppers May 5, 2008

Posted by editor in : Uncategorized , trackback

This was another close game between the two best teams in the division.  The game drew a crowd which would have flattered a lot of professional teams, including most of the Uckfield U16 squad, who turned out in force to repay Cian’s unfailing support of them throughout the season.  We went into the game knowing that a win would all but guarantee the league title.

 

 

 

The first half unfolded well.  We were clearly the better team and we created a number of chances for Connor to miss.  Finally, a mixture of Max and Tom released Cian who drove to the bye line and pulled back to create the simplest of chances from 6 yards which even Connor couldn’t miss.  Except he did.  In one of the most bizarre things I have ever seen on a football pitch, Connor took an almighty swipe at the ball, two East Hoathly defenders desperately threw themselves into the projected path of the ball, and the ball spun gently off the outside of Connor’s boot/ankle/shin right into Robert’s path.  Now the mean spirited among us might say that this was a fluke, but those who know better will realize that the unselfish and sumptuously talented Connor was merely toying with the defenders and setting up his teammate to demonstrate his sense of team spirit and his sympathy with Robert for having to live with Thomas all the time.  Robert didn’t care.  He just hammered the ball into the net.  At the next team meeting, I will be giving a lecture on the subject of irony!

 

 

 

At half time, the team was rightly confident, but we had missed a hatful of chances and Keith knew it was only a matter of time before

East Hoathly came back at us.  But did the boys listen?  Of course not.  Within ten minutes of the restart they were level.  A simple ball down their right wing was not dealt with and Danny had little chance with the finish into the far corner.  Both Nick and Harrison were struggling to stay with the pace and the midfield couldn’t get back to cover quick enough.

 

 

 

Things got worse a few minutes later when we failed to clear down their left flank and the ball was crossed for the simplest of finishes.  At 2-1 down, things were in danger of going badly wrong.  Robert couldn’t continue, so we were down to 11 fit players.  Fortunately one of them was Miles, who worked hard in midfield all afternoon and who late on embarked on a mazy run, resulting in an unstoppable shot from the edge of the area to get us back on level terms.  From then on there were still a few more chances at both ends, but the game ended in a second honourable draw, making East Hoathly the only team we have not beaten this season.

 

 

 

Goals for Robert and Miles.  Keith awarded MoM to Thomas Miller, with honourable mentions for Max, Harry and Cian and the CRAP award goes to Nick, because he let something bounce! (in joke which Nick will get!).

 

 

 

So we go into the last 3 games of our season knowing that 2 wins will be enough to win the league.  Bring it on!

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