Hempnall FC

Hempnall visited Swaffham for their Senior Cup third round match, hoping for, but perhaps not expecting, victory against their illustrious opponents playing football several divisions higher in Step 6.

However, for most of the match, Hempnall were at least the equal of Swaffham.

Swaffham started well and the Hempnall goal was under threat for a while, but Hempnall eased themselves into the match and Mortimer, Rocastle and Amis were causing the Swaffham defence many problems. Hempnall went close on a few occasions before Rocastle slipped the defence, rounded the keeper and eased the ball into the net for 1-0.

The unlikely now looked very possible, and with half time over, for the next 25 minutes, Hempnall looked perfectly capable of keeping, or even adding to, their lead.

Then two penalites sealed the Hempnall fate. The arguments and discussions about the referee's decision(s), especially the second, can rage on, but the outcome was ultimate failure for Hempnall and a 2-1 defeat.

The game was marred by two sendings-off for Hempnall players, up to then the game had been physical but an enjoyable watch.

For 75 minutes, the Hempnall players showed what the Collisons and Paddy have been trying to achieve with the team, and the boys can count themselves unlucky to lose the match.

We could pick all of the 11 starters for particular praise.

The back four, superbly marshalled by captain Wones, kept out a high quality attack, the midfield were ultra competitive, and Halsey, since his return, has looked quality – nobody is quite sure how he wins virtually every ball in the air, but he does.

Mortimer attacked Swaffham on the flanks, and Rocastle and Amis had the measure of the Swaffham defence and caused no end of problems.

The pitch played it's part – with a massive lean, it normally must favour the home team, but Hempnall managed to get aquainted with it fairly quickly.

Back to League business, if this perfomance is anything to go by, Hempnall will be causing all teams in the Division problems.

Trevor