Robin Hood Colts 3 Hucknall Sports U13's 4

Saturday 6th November 2004

 

HIGH OCTANE FOOTBALL SEES SPORTS THROUGH TO ROUND 3.

If you want to see top flight football, week in – week out; forget the Premier League, forget the Champions League, start following Hucknall Sports Under 13s!

With a goal difference of 53, a total of 10 hat tricks from 4 players, and 67 goals scored, you’d be forgiven in thinking that the end of the season was upon us, think again…  This team has played just 10 matches, and is not half way through the season yet. 

This Saturday, Edwinstowe was the place to be.  A brand new strip from sponsors “Dream Consoles” was fashioned for a team photograph before the start, and then the “Dream Team” got on with the job in hand.  Hucknall’s new signing Michael Ortaga collected the ball deep on the left to bring a strong advance up the wing, sending Sam Sims who connected smartly for Vijay Digpal to swell the Robin Hood Colts net in just under 10 minutes.  7 minutes later and the travelling fans were enthralled when an awesome 22 yard Ross Lamb cross from the left curled with pace and precision to find the perfectly poised forehead of the advancing Digpal on the right post to bag his second. 

Robin Hood Colts, a substantial 1st Division Side, proceeded to demonstrate what the challenge in “The Challenge Shield” was all about, and switched on some strong and impressive football; pressuring the Hucknall midfield and keeping right back Harry Beal very busy for a sustained 10 minute spell.  One such attack resulted in a corner being lofted high into the goalmouth area to be tipped by a header past the hands of Hucknall ‘keeper Josh Priestley.  Despite the home side’s presence on the field, the visitors responded 5 minutes later, when an inspired 1-2 manoeuvre sent Digpal chasing swiftly down the right wing, hooking it back across goal to the athletic Sam Sims acrobatically connecting to score on 31 minutes.  This hotly contested match was illustrated when Colts rattled the Hucknall goal post virtually on the stroke of half time, but it was Hucknall who were commanding the 1-3 score line at the interval. 

The siege of the Hucknall penalty area continued after the break and Colts managed to reduce their deficit down to one goal on 46 minutes, and this seemed to raise the pace of the game even more.  Some tricky defending from Hucknall on this heavy uneven pitch resulted in an arguable penalty decision on 55 minutes, giving Robin Hood Colts a deserved equaliser with just 15 minutes to go.  Hucknall’s response was swift and decisive, and as usual came in the form of Vijay Digpal, spearheading a defence splitting attack to deliver the winner just 2 minutes later.  An exuberant display of character, skill and solid determination sustained the winning score line to the end of this closely fought contest.  Every one of the travelling eleven put in performances thoroughly deserving of “Man-of-the-Match” honours, but it was Sam Sims who had the edge to lift the actual trophy on the day.