Hempnall FC

With Hempnall still missing key players, and Dimsey having to make enforced changes again in defence (as he seems to do every week), Hempnall benefited from Andy Talbot being available to slip seamlessly into the centre half vacated by last weeks MOM, Browne, and Puttock up front replacing Radvilas.

We welcomed our new keeper, Ryan Hemmings, formerly of Blofield, and thank them for speeding through the transfer.

Two very decent subs in Shepherd and the manager himself made up a good looking 13, and whilst we didn’t quite hit the heights of the previous week’s performance in the first 20 minutes, Hempnall could, and probably should, have been 3 up despite a more forceful opposition themselves looking dangerous.

This led to a good game of football between two equally matched teams looking to play the game in the right way.

The pitch was slippery after the rain, controlling the ball was made more difficult, but Lambe and Etherington (how many time did we hear ‘well done Jamie’ from the Hunnies, out in force today) were creating problems out wide, the midfield working extremely hard, and the front players just failing in their efforts on goal.

After 18 minutes, a foul in the Caister box saw the excellent Bliss step up to slot the penalty in the corner, and we could see the spirits rise.

Unlike last week, whilst Caister did manage to get their goal just before half time, heads didn’t drop and we enjoyed a game that could, in all honesty, have gone either way.

MOM is once again difficult to pick. There were several contenders, but for his hard tackling and general excellence throught the game, I think Andy Talbot deserves special praise and MOM. 

Hunnies ‘supporter of the day’ was, without doubt, Bethany. 

I’d like to praise the Caister lads, including the dug-out, where the banter was always friendly.

The referee was, I thought, very good today, he didn’t resort to the book despite occasions when others may have – well done to him, keeping the game under control and the players and dug-out both happy with the balance shown.