Hampshire Senior Cup, Round 1
Tuesday 7th September 2010, 7.45pm

Not really a match report this, more a summary and my personal musings on what was a very good team effort last night in the first round of the Hampshire Senior Cup.

As the great Greevsie says, "it's a funny old game". I went along not frankly expecting to see anything too different from our defeat at home to Brading Town on Saturday in the FA Vase. Although Brading, like Blackfield, play a level higher than us and have started the season well, and we are currently without several first team regulars - so it all pointed to the formality of a Brading win - I didn't feel we did ourselves justice on Saturday. Brading looked to me like a team taking us a little for granted, and at only 1 up at the break (it should have been more) they played with a surprising shakiness and lack of composure in the early part of the second half. With more commitment from certain players, and a bit more conviction up front (i.e. taking a pop at goal instead of the extra touch), we might have caused them an upset. I didn't want to say anything and sound critical of a team that, on paper, would have been expected to lose by more than the odd goal against Brading... but I came away from that game frustrated and was happy to leave Drummie to put more of a level-headed gloss on the performance with his match report on the forum.

Last night proved to me that, as a squad of players, we did have more in us than we showed at the weekend. Blackfield were narrowly beaten 3-2 by Brading in the league recently, so you might say after losing 1-0 against their victors, beating them 1-0 sounds about right. But in truth the two performances were very different and, had we played like that against Brading, we might have done the same to them. Last night I saw a fully committed performance from almost every player, including those who came off the bench.

Ian Daniels was back in defence after being unavailable at the weekend and that was a crucial factor, but Keiron and Paul Mas were missing, as well as still Jermaine, Jon and Simeon. And yet we still played the way I think most of us would want to see us playing - moving the ball well, not too many long balls, holding the ball (well, a good part of the time) and a good tempo to our play. The fact that players are coming in and fitting in to that way of playing is a credit to them but also to Nev and Whopper. It bodes well for the future and last night's performance suggests we have more depth in the squad than I thought.

Mario's goal in extra time was a lovely solo run across the edge of the penalty area before hitting a fierce left foot drive into the corner. There were a lot of good, committed performances right through the team. Matt Turnbull's and Nick Kingston's workrate was phenomenal and I was well impressed by young Simon Annetts up front. Jack ruled the central midfield - some wonderful passes - with Phil taking it on at every opportunity, and Ian and Victor were solid at the back and Dan looked confident in goal and handled crosses well all night. Blackfield's shooting was mostly restricted to shots from some way out - most way off target. They hit the post with one gilt edged chance, but I can't think of too many other good chances despite a lot of possession in attack.

If there was one player that showed for me the difference between Saturday and last night, it was Ashley Charles. Ash was anonimous in the game on Saturday, and I hope he won't mind me saying and would agree. I tried to encourage him from where I was standing, but he seemed totally out of his depth until eventually taken off. Last night he came off the bench and was a different player, sharper, quicker to the ball, holding it up, more confident; he played his part in the victory. Well done Ash, well done lads. [kob]

TEAM: Dan Smith, Nathan Stamp, Matt Turnbull, Victor Sesay, Ian Daniels, Phil Grove, Jack Smillie (captain), Nick Kingston, Simon Annetts, Dwayne Winter, Mario Nurse. Subs: Tom Lovett, Ashley Charles, Ryan Warner and (sorry, I'm missing a name).

Hartleys bad run of form continued on Saturday as they went down to another late goal at home.

After two comfortable wins over Knaphill this season the psychological advantage was with the home team. The game got off to a scrappy start but no one knew the turning point in the game would come so early, John Rimmer tangled with Knaphills Ricky Hodgsen just 12 minutes into the game and Hodgson was shown a straight red card for a violent conduct. This killed the flow of the game as Knaphill shut up shop.

Hartley were well on top and the midfield trio of Brunt, Bevins and Warwick were dictating the game and starting to make the extra man count. The deadlock was nearly broken on 25 minutes but a fine save from Shelly in the KH goal kept out Hamilton then Neville Roach had his volley from 10 yards instinctively saved by the legs of the keeper. Stamp and Spence also having decent chance to score. Hartley continued to press and were kept out again but this time it was the post from a Danny Bevins header. KH never really tested the home goal but the teams went in level at the break.

After the break Knaphill came into the game more and Hartley were not dominating as they did in the first half. Rimmer and Daniels, coming in for the suspended Theo looked comfortable at the back and limited KH to few chances, Baker and Parrington had half chances from distance but didn't have enough power to test Bledian. Hartleys best chances came from a Matt Brunt cross down the left was headed wide by Hamilton. and Scott Warwick's was one on one with the keeper but again Shelly in the KH goal kept his side in the game. On 85 minutes some slack defending by Hartley led to Baker being brought down right on the edge of the area. He then stepped up to drill the ball into the bottom corner of the net and secure the 3 points for the away side.

Another game where 3 points should have been in the bag but missed chances costing us.

Hartley Team

Fetzullahu, Stamp, Daniels, Rimmer, Kingston, Brunt(c), Warwick, Bevins, Spence, Roach, Hamilton(Small 75)

Crescent Rovers away next Saturday.

After last Saturday's loss to rivals Staines Lammas, the team needed to get back to winning ways. Louie, who recently took over from Pete Gray, kept the same side that played so well the previous week.

It was a scrappy encounter, with both sides creating half chances during the first period without really testing the keeper. The best chance of the half fell to the ever reliable Neville Roach after he was sent clear by Danny Bevins, but he dragged his effort wide from 12 yards with only the keeper to beat.

Hartley started to get control of the game and looked like the team most likely to score, and were rewarded for their patience just before half time when, after some neat football down the right hand side, Nathan Stamp found Scott Warwick, who cut inside on to his left foot and hit an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner with the keeper rooted to the spot. Hartley looked comfortable and went on to dominate until the half time whistle.

Only one change for Hartley, with Spence coming on for the injured Hamilton.

South Park regrouped at half time and started brightly after the restart and, on 55 minutes, Hartley's midfield was stretched and a fine through ball found the SP number 9 who fired passed Bledian to level the game at 1-1.

It went from bad to worse for the Hartley when Nick Kingston was shown a straight red card for a two footed tackle. This led to a change, Simon Rushe replaced Matt Brunt. The game had opened up and both sides were creating chances, and on 76 minutes, Ray Spence took on the SP right back, skipped passed him to fire a low cross into the box which was turned into his own net by the SP centre half.

However, the lead didn't last very long as, with 10 minutes to go, SP got back on level terms. A low cross from the left hand side left Bledian stranded and it was the simplest of goals for the SP striker.

Hartley were hanging on but couldn't hold out as, with 5 minutes to go, the ball played in from the left was met again by the SP number 9 to poke the ball home. There wasn't long for Hartley to respond and the final whistle went with SP coming away with a 2-3 win.

2 losses in two games that could easily have been 2 wins. Next game Knaphill at home, who are on a good run so will be a tough game.

Hartley Team

Fetzullahu, Stamp, Theo, Rimmer, Kingston, Brunt(c)(Rushe 55), Warwick, Bevins, Small( Touray 76), Roach, Hamilton(Spence45)

Subs not used - Daniels, Francis

Goals

Warwick - 43
OG - 76

Cards

Yellow - N/A
Red - Nick Kingston

Report by Smudge

Firstly I must say how wrong I was about the standard of Officials in Div 1, maybe moaning on the CCL Forum works the trick. Mr WELLS, ROCKET RON, AND ASSOCIATE WERE ABSOLUTELY SUPERB TODAY. Only 2 bookings, and a superbly controlled game, I even bought the officials a drink after the game in appreciation.

Back to the match - a game of 2 halves. Farleigh had 4 gilt edge chances in the first half, but they were spurned, which later in the game they would regret. 0-0 half time. Hartley appeared in the 2nd half a much different outfit, fluid passing had Farleigh on the back foot, and the inevitable came in a funny way, an overhead kick was handballed by the tallest Farleigh defender who, for some inexplicable reason, had his hand above his head, a cast iron penalty, disputed by no one in the ground. This was duly dispatched by Jermaine Hamilton sending Richie Bull the wrong way.

Richie Bull then produced 3 great saves to keep Farleigh in the game, the best being a flying fingertip save to push over a Hamilton piledriver. Farleigh pushed for an equaliser but this was to be their undoing, as Anton Small broke free from the offside trap and fired a shot at the Farleigh goal that Bull somehow saved with an instant reaction save, but the onrushing Small converted.

Man of the Match by a country mile Richie Bull, superb handling and kicking throughout, and the best 'keeping performance I have seen so far in C.C.

As Shinner and I left the ground after this 3rd round tie in the Division 1 cup, we were fighting for the dubious honour of filing a report on the game. I lost.

This was a match we'll want to forget, and I hope no one tries to blame the conditions. And yet, if it were not for three wasted 2nd half chances, the result could quite easily have been 4-2 in our favour... if only because, at 2 up at half-time, Croydon seemed to struggle with the concept of simply seeing the game out.

I have to say it was a very poor game in the first half, with a strong wind blowing diagonally across the pitch, but what sustained football was played came mostly from the visitors. They went in 2 up thanks to two goals just before the break, both well worked and well executed. They didn't seem to mind the conditions as much as we seemed to - or was it that they just wanted it more than us. Sound harsh? Perhaps it is, but that's how it looked at times. They were more incisive all around the park and only really troubled when Razor had the ball and ran at them.

Croydon started the 2nd half well enough but, as the game went on, they seemed to get jumpy at seeing the winning post and opportunities came our way and were missed. Razor was booked for back-chat and nearly talked himself another red. Jermaine Hamilton was brought on, and the front three of Jermaine, Anton and Razor looked threatening but it wasn't until the last minute that Jermaine found the net, too late to affect the result.

We were poor tonight and still could have won, though it would have been harsh on Croydon. Jermaine did well when he came on. Brunty patrolled the back line well. My MOM would come from those two. Not too much else I can say that's positive. Let's move on and hope we play 400% better at the weekend, as that's probably what it'll need.

Farnham Town 2-3 Hartley Wintney
COMBINED COUNTIES LEAGUE DIV 1

SAT 21 NOV 2009

With the amount of rain we have had over the past week, there was only one Memorial Ground that Hartley would want to play on.  Unfortunately it wasn’t the one that you play football on, it was the field at Farnham where they graze the cows! 

Hartley started off the brighter of the two sides with Anton heading against the post and Nath having his shot put over by their keeper.  Farnham soon got back into the game and looked at home with the conditions, passing the ball and looking sharp in the middle of the park but were unable to produce anything of real quality up-front to threaten Bledian. Then on 21 mins Anton played through Razor on the right who opened up and his shot rifled in off the far post. 1 up. Soon after, Brunty took a bad knock, and after a few minutes on the sideline came on limping and didn’t really look like he was 100% for the rest of his game.

Second half got underway with both Jamie Davis and Brunty being subbed due to injury and Adam and Jermaine Hamilton coming on. Farnham started to pile on the pressure but Bledian and the defence were holding out. Then on 65 they broke through the ranks and it was 1-1, they were on the up and it didn’t look good.

On 80 mins a penalty was awarded to us that only the far lino saw (I’m not going to mention the other lino in this report!) for an innocuous hand ball. Razor steps up but there wasn’t enough pace it and it was easily saved. Three minutes later and he made up for his miss. Jermaine showed some silky skills and un-selfishly put in Razor to make it 2-1. Only a minute later and A Razor strike on goal wasn’t held by their keeper and Jermaine slotted the ball away to the keeper’s right for his fist goal in a Hartley shirt. 3-1 up and surely that was game over.

Farnham still didn’t lie down and two minutes later were awarded a penalty after Anders was judged to haul their striker down. The penalty was saved by Bledian but the lino (who I will not be mentioning) waved for an infraction and the penalty was taken again to make it 2-3. Hartley held on to win against a decent side, which is also looking for promotion this year but for us not to play that well and beat them looks good for us.

Three players had a mark of 9/10. Peters, Bledian and Razor.

MOM went to Bledian

Hartley Wintney 5 v CB Hounslow 1
COMBINED COUNTIES LEAGUE DIV 1
SAT 14 NOV 2009

A very good performance in extremely wet and blustery conditions, with Hartley going 3 up within the first quarter of an hour.
First Nathan Stamp fired in a free-kick, from what must have been all of 30 yards, that sailed over the keeper who stood helpless. This was soon followed by the first of Scott Warwick's brace when the keeper didn't get enough behind his clearance and Scott, after one touch and good control, fired it back into the open net. Just a few minutes later and Rob Deacon blasted the ball home after confusion in the Hounslow penalty box.
Despite the set-back and appalling conditions, Hounslow continued to play their football and credit goes to them for that. Indeed, we took the foot off the pedal a little at 3 up and the visitors should have got one back but the striker didn't look confident and sliced his shot well wide. The home side also missed several other chances, the last of the half falling to Piodr Zygier who failed to connect with the loose ball when it looked certain he'd roll the ball in the net.
A fourth goal was always likely to kill the game off, and after Hounslow had started the half reasonably well, a shot from distance by Nick Kingston skipped off the wet surface and somehow found its way through the diving Hounslow keeper. Scott Warwick was having another good game and danced through the Hounslow defence, using his strength to work himself into a shooting position to the right of the goal before firing towards the near post from a tightish angle - the finish was good but the keeper will be disappointed to have been beaten at his post.
Hounslow grabbed a consolation when a slip let in their striker. Bledian parried the first shot well but another Hounslow player was on hand to finish the rebound. Other chances came and went for the home side and it finished 5-1.