Hempnall FC

Hempnall welcomed high flying Sprowston to Bungay Road. Sprowston have an unblemished 6 win record so far this season, so Hempnall were under no illusions as to the difficulty of their task.

On a sunny afternoon on a good pitch, the game started evenly with both teams playing some good football. Hempnall’s defence was resolute, and the home team were hitting the opposition well on the break, playing some excellent one touch, quick moving football.

With Etherington again enjoying a free role up front, the midfield were able to often bypass the Sprowston defence, and with the defence, notably Billy Kelly, who was having his best game at left back, not letting anything pass, we were enjoying a really good performance.

Hempnall were a little unfortunate when, after a good attack, the ball was lobbed into the goal but the referee had just stopped the game for an injury to the keeper. 

Undaunted, Hempnall kept playing their football, though Sprowston were showing why they are where they are, and Swatman was called into an excellent save from close range.

At the other end, Hempnall’s Cattermole went close, and then the Sprowston keeper was called into a brave stop at the feet of Etherington.

The game was evenly matched, and with Hempnall looking confident, a good move saw the keeper caught out a little, and Cattermole finished beautifully for 1-0.

Sprowston weren’t finished, and good closing down by Kelly saw the number 11 rush his shot and Swatman made a comfortable catch.

Hempnall again were looking forward, Gent shot but didn’t really trouble the keeper, Etherington was then just thwarted, and Shaun Kelly would have been disappointed to see his header pass the post when on another day it would have been in the back of the net.

Gent then brought a great save out of the Sprowston keeper, then Etherington had a shot which was not powerful enough.

Hempnall were given a bit of a let of when the Sprowston number 11 blasted over.

Jack Herbert lined up a direct free kick to see it sail past the post. The Hempnall number 9 then hit a cross shot which was tipped around the post.

Sprowston themselves had a good effort but we went in 1-0 at half time, with Hempnall fully deserving their lead.

The half time team talk was around ‘much of the same’, though it was inevitable that the top team in the Division would not lie down, and so it proved in the second half.

Sprowston were doing most of the attacking and came close but a miskick let Hempnall off and the defence, now reorganised following the departure of their most consistent defender, Shaun Kelly, through a longstanding injury, were still managing to cope well.

The referee decided that a Hempnall challenge in the area was a penalty, but was superbly saved by Swatman, a real turning point.

After that, play was again even, and chances were limited to half chances both ends though Sprowston did come very close on a couple of occasions, but so did Hempnall when Kelly could not convert a wonderful cross from Goldie, and Etherington could have done better when through one on one with the keeper.

This was easily Hempnall’s most impressive performance of the season, the workrate never slackened.

Picking a man of the match is difficult, there were many excellent performances throughout all areas, though for me, the choice was between Billy Kelly and Asa Swatman, so I think a joint MOM is a good choice.