Hempnall FC

Hempnall Reserves put in a much improved performance, probably their best of the season, with the return of players and new players signed on the day.

The Manager couldn’t get a place on the bench and had to settle for running the line, and with his assistant away for the day, his managerial skills during the game were inevitably less effective - we may have seen more in the way of rolling substitutions through the game, but as assistant referee, at the far side of the pitch, he was unable to influence the side’s performance.

Whilst they lost 0-2 to a decent Thetford team, the manager was extremely pleased with the effort shown, and whilst Thetford certainly deseved their victory, Hempnall had a few half chances, and when the new players settle in, things will improve and the team will undoubtedly gel.

With a little more positivity in the opposition goal area, we would have seen a much closer scoreline, though with Thetford likely to be one of the stronger teams in this division, the lads can be pleased with their performance.

Hempnall did have a good penalty shout themselves when a player was manhandled in the opposition penalty area, but the referee decided the holding wasn’t sufficient to give a penalty – the BRF, of course, disagreed.

Again, the young keeper, Alex Harvey, was excellent, though conceding a penalty for Thetford’s first, we on the touchline felt the decision was a little harsh, but ‘giveable’. Otherwise, his saves and speed off the line were excellent.

The defence were generally quite comfortable, with Millican having an particularly good game, and was the writer’s joint MOM with Harvey.