Hempnall FC

For the second week running, Hempnall met one of the top two teams in the division, this time it was Dussindale and Helleson Reserves.

With a stronger squad overall than the week before, Hempnall were expecting a tough but manageable game, needing to be at their best to win. Anything less would see them falter.

In horrible drizzly rain, on a wet but even pitch, the teams looked evenly matched, though Dussindale looked strong, and we were treated to end to end football, all very exciting for the supporters.

With a few hesitancies in the Hempnall defence, the threat from Dussindale always looked dangerous.

With Mortimer coming in to support Womack up front, we were expecting a very significant goal threat, though given the quality on show, we were left a little disappointed, the service to them was perhaps lacking at times, though all the Hempnall players worked very hard and we certainly had as many half, and decent, chances as Dussindale.

Hempnall’s best first half chance came from Womack, but he managed to screw his shot wide of the upright. Then Mortimer came close, but just could not convert his chance.

At the other end, the excellent Reserves keeper, Ryan, deputising for Davis, was looking very strong, quickly off his line on more than one occasion to snuff out the opposition.

Another half chance fell to Hayden Marjoram, but his volley went agonisingly wide of the upright, then Leather snatched at a shot and screwed the ball well wide of the goal.

Half time came and no goals tfrom either team.

The game was still very even in the second half, and it looked as though a scrappy goal might win it. The goal, when it came from Dussindale, wasn’t scrappy, but Hempnall had paid the penalty for again losing the ball when attacking the opposition penalty area, and a good break out saw Dussindale beat the Hempnall keeper for 1-0.

Hempnall kept playing, and for the last quarter of an hour, we had a couple of free kicks, corners and a decent effort from Mortimer but Hempnall just could not break through.

Whilst it was a close match, Dussindale just seemed to shade the play, and in fairness, a narrow win was probably a reasonable result, though Hempall were unfortunate not to score themselves.

Another enjoyable match at Bungay Road.

Again, it is difficult to pick a MOM, nobody had a bad game, but I think this week, I feel Shaun Kelly is my MOM.