Hempnall FC

Hempnall, on a very windy day, visited CEYMS on their lovely pitch.

The wind was directly across the pitch making quality football very difficult.

However, with 5 changes again to the Hempnall team, it was inevitable that CEYMS would settle in to the game more quickly.

We knew, at least, we had a quality replacements for the absentees, in the Mortimers, Docherty, Griffiths and Etherington.

In fact, the performance was virtually a replica of the previous week’s home match when Hempnall didn’t really turn up for the first half, but this week, they were punished for their fragmented and disjointed play, and CEYMS easily used the wind better to cause Hempnall great problems.

CEYMS went 2-0 up and to be honest, it could have been more, but like the previous week, a 10% improvement would see Hempnall back in the game.

It happened, and one piece of real quality from Hempnall came by way of a good move involving several players, culminating in Etherington’s shot parried by the keeper and falling to the ever willing Womack to finish.

Soon after, Etherington had a golden chance, but maybe still a bit rusty after his few games absence wasn’t able to finish and the keeper gratefully found the ball in his hand.

Largely due to the excellence of keeper, Davis, Hempnall went into the half time break only 2-1 down though with a bit more luck it could have been even-stevens, though this would have been somewhat unfair to CEYMS.

Hempnall decided to step up a gear during the second half, their general play was much improved, CEYMS were limited by a much more stable Hempnall defence, the midfield, led by the captain, Watts, were competing far better, and the forwards, Mortimer, Etherington and Clarke, were seeing a lot more quality ball enabling the CEYMS defence to be pierced more frequently.

Hempnall were well in the game and now, probably shading the play, looking much more likely to score, but CEYMS themselves were still causing issues, Davis was called into action on occasions, so it was still very open and anyone’s game.

Hempnall were awarded a free kick 25 yards out, taken by Deano, and slammed into the bottom corner of the net for 2-2.

It was end to end, both sides had half chances, Hempnall came closest through an Etherington shot that sailed over, then Griffiths almost put a chance away following a superb moved involving the whole midfield plus Deano and Jutty, though it ended up in the side netting dampening the sideline celebrations of Tretty and Kelly who could have sworn it went in!!

At the other end, the ball flashed across the goalmouth, but that was about it, and in the end, it was stalemate.

Given their first half performance, Hempnall did well to get back into the match and were worth their point.

For me, there were several very decent performances, but my overall MOM is Taylor Davis.