Hempnall FC

After a disappointing 4-1 away defeat last week, Hempnall were looking to continue their fine home form against mid table team Blofield Utd Reserves, hoping to avenge their close away defeat to the same team earlier in the season.

Hempnall were missing a few regular players but managed to assemble a strong squad.

From the off, Hempnall were looking to go forward with pace at every opportunity, and Etherington and New were looking particularly dangerous, having the beating of the defenders at will.

Hempnall came close early in the match, a dangerous corner was sent in by Billy Kelly which his brother Shaun just failed to get a head to, and the ball flashed across the goal. Another corner soon after saw the ball just fail to get a touch, Hempnall were feeling unfortunate.

New then couldn’t quite reach a ball finally intercepted by the opposition keeper, but Hempnall kept the pressure on with Blofield limited to the odd breakaway dealt with by the Hempnall defence.

The, as usual, dangerous Jack Herbert couldn’t get the power behind a shot from the angle, but with his partner in midfield, Lake, they were running the show, releasing Etherington and Cattermole at will.

Again the Hempnall defenders were playing their part in setting up some excellent front running, some superb balls from Kelly should have been finished off, but Hempnall couldn’t quite finish off the early chances.

Hempnall’s first goal came from a good finish by the excellent Lake following good work by Cattermole.

Blofield responded and looked dangerous for a while, but Hempnall were still looking the better team, but couldn’t finish off their several decent chances, until awarded a free kick at the edge of the 18 yard box which and Billy Kelly fired in (was it a cross or just a well directed impossible to defend effort), which a defender just nicked, but we are giving it to Billy.

Hempnall then did what Hempnall regularly do, and that is fall asleep for a minute allowing the opposition to steal in and score.

Half time – 2-1 though it should probably have been three or four at least, with Etherington somehow missing an open goal with the last kick of the half – the ball bobbled and he shinned his shot past the open goal. 

The second half saw both Lake and New come close, Lake’s shot not really troubling the keeper, and New just failing to beat the keeper to a bouncing ball.

More half chances, but then the inevitable switch off saw Blofield almost score but for a world class save from Swatman (regrettably missed by the camera), which kept the score at 2-1. 

Hempnall then went on and scored a third through Cattermole after more excellent work from Herbert.

Hempnall looked well in control until an uncharacteristic blunder by Shaun Kelly saw his back pass speed past a bemused Hempnall keeper, to gift Blofield a way back into the game at 3-2.

Hempnall kept the pressure on though, playing some very good football, and the Blofield defence were finding it difficult to control the fast moving Hempnall forwards, and more good work, this time by New, saw Cattermole again steal in to score his second of the afternoon, and Hempnall’s fourth.

On came Hempnall supersubs, three of them contributing heavily to the final stages of the game, with Marjoram almost scoring, hitting the crossbar, before finishing superbly for Hempnall’s fifth. 

Hempnall had several further half chances, before the referee called an end to an exciting game for the spectators.

MOM was difficult to pick this week, there were strong performances all round, particularly Cattermole, Lake, Shingles, Kelly (Billy), Jillings. I think Cattermole shades it for his two fine finishes.

We had another fine refereeing performance at Hempnall, this time from Mr. Tobias.