Hempnall FC

The Hempnall contingent braved the journey to stand in the pouring rain to watch a much changed Reserves side, welcoming back Batterham after an injury, and as importantly, his dad to run the line, so with one of their best defenders and definitely their best linesman back, things were looking up for manager Oakley.

Regrettably, the lack of goalkeepers in the club and the fact that this was a league cup match meant that the current first team goalkeeper had to stand on the sidelines to watch the manager take his place between the sticks.

Fortunately, Hempnall first team were without a game, and their manager Greg Dimsey was on hand to lend his advice and support.

The number of changes showed in the early stages and Newton played the better football, soon going into a 1-0 lead, and a defensive lapse allowed them a second.

Hempnall were still in it, but could not convert their half chances; indeed, two golden chances went begging; the killer instinct wasn’t there and we knew it wasn’t going to be Hempnall’s day.

That thought was reinforced when Newton scored what would, in any other season, have been offside, the Hempnall assistant being over-ruled by the ref following a flick on by a Hempnall player to to an offside Newton player – well done to the ref, by the way, who actually took the time to come across and explain the decision and another somewhat dubious change in the laws of the game which doesn’t exactly help defences organise themselves.

Hempnall were finally awarded a decision that led to a penalty, well converted, though it was only a consolation.