Hempnall FC

Match Report. 10/9/17 Acle Rangers Res

After a frustrating result last week to Silver Fox, Hempnall returned to Bungay Road to host Acle Rangers Reserves hoping to record their first 3 points of the season.

Without several key players (Browne, Ellis and Taylor to name a few), Hempnall started off brightly, creating a number of half chances, falling to Cullum, Fisher and Kelly which weren't finished.

The defence stood firm limiting Acle to long balls which the centre backs of S.Kelly and Robins easily dealt with by heading clear or back to Bailey in goal.

The first clear chance of the game fell to B.Kelly from distance which the keeper gathered easily, from this moment on Hempnall grew more and more into the game with Gray becoming more of an influence in the middle of the park with his penetrating runs, through balls and nutmegs.

The first goal of the game came through good work by Gray where he picked the ball up, skipped past two opposing players and played a delicate through ball which split the defence allowing Fisher time to set himself and whip the ball across the 6 yard box which B.Kelly tapped in to put hempnall 1-0 up.

This spurred Hempnall on to create more chances and with better finishing would have seen them improve their lead.

Hempnall's pressure eventually told and a second goal of the game came with good play out wide from B.Kelly where he beat the defender and crossed the ball, Craske had made a late run, causing a nuisance in which the defender couldn't clear the ball, which fell to Cullum and he emphatically despatched from 10 yards out to put hempnall 2-0 up and this is how it stayed until HT.

The second half began the same as the first half finished with Hempnall creating several chances that went astray, the finishing left a lot to be desired.

The game took a turn when Acle pulled one back through good work from their winger who cut it back into the six yard box and their striker bundled the ball home despite Bailey getting a hand to it.

Both sides pressed for another goal, Acle to equal the score and Hempnall to restore their two goal goal lead.

The most clear cut opportunity of the half for Hempnall came through B.Kelly who burned the fullback for pace and fizzed it across the six yard box but neither Gray or Fisher could get there.

Acle, pushing for the equaliser, had a few half chances but nothing really troubled Bailey in goal, or the back four.

With minutes to go Hempnall were pinned back with a succession of corners in which they failed to clear and upon chasing the ball down S.Kelly was deemed to have tripped the striker who went down like he'd been shot. To the shock of many, the referee pointed to the spot.

Ex First team GK Ryan Hemmings stepped up for Acle and made no mistake burying the ball into the bottom left hand corner with force despite Bailey going the right way. The referees whistle going just a minute later.

Hempnall will feel hard done having not seen the game out at 2-0 but with key players out and a shortage of subs, tired legs told and poor finishing, its a point on the board against a good team.

M.o.M goes to Keeley Cleverly who had a brilliant game at fullback and dealt with everything thrown at him.