Hempnall FC

Hempnall travelled to Eaton Park on Sunday to play Newsman Celtic.

Having never played them before, the boys didn’t know what to expect but were more than up to the task.

As has become the norm with us we started slow, giving up possession easily, with Newsman keeping the ball better, however a loose pass fell to Melton who played a ball into the feet of Sam Fisher, who did what he has done countless times already this year and beat his full back with ease and stood a cross up to the edge of the six yard box which found Kelly who volleyed into the back of the net to put us one up.

However, Newsman came straight back at us, a shot from range was tipped round the post by Bailey, and the Ref gave a goal kick, and minutes later, another good save by Bailey wasn’t cleared by the defence and fell to the striker who 6 yards out made no mistake, 1-1.

The rest of the half was a good midfield battle with the odd chances going to both sides, our most notable fell to Cullum who inside the box could only shoot straight at the keeper.

HT 1-1, the team talk was on how we needed to speed up our play and use the ball better.

The second half was completely different to the first as Hempnall started the brighter and 2 minutes in, after excellent work from Fisher out wide, delivered a ball into the box for Cullum, he took one touch with his right and smashed the ball into the net with his left to put Hempnall 2-1 up.

Hempnall really had their tails up now and it was the wingers, Kelly and Fisher, in particular who were finding the most space and with better end product could and should have seen more goals added.

Melton in the middle of the park was playing very well and was linking up with the wide men and Cullum, who found himself unmarked in the box but headed wide from 6 yards.

The second half was a generally more comfortable affair for Hempnall as the back 4 of Taylor, Youngs, Kelly and Cleverly stood strong and cleared or played their way out of trouble easily; Newsman had the ball but couldn’t find a way through and it was from them pushing bodies forward that gaps started to appear.

A long ball from Fisher found Kelly in space, hed squared to Melton who unfortunately got the ball stuck under his feet and couldn’t finish.

The game fizzled out and Hempnall finished the game winners and picked up their first 3 points of the season, hopefully this will push us on!

M.o.M was tough for this one, but with him being the difference in the game and being a constant threat it goes to Sam Fisher again!