Hucknall
Sports 2 Clifton AW Blue 3
Saturday 21st
February 2009
Whites Close
to Upset
Finally, we awoke to decent whether and
Whites could get back to league action with a match against Clifton AW Blue
who are currently third in the Division. Hucknall were looking to redress the
balance after dominating the first meeting, only to go down to a late winner -
surely it could not happen again!
Clifton started the better of the two teams and
showed exactly why they are as high in the league as they are by playing some
great first-time passing football that
cut the Whites defence apart. Hucknall Goalie Brown could do nothing to stop a
well worked move from resulting in Clifton taking a deserved lead. Things
looked ominous for Hucknall and Brown effectively kept his team in the game
with a fine save to tip the ball around the post (Van der Sar would have been
proud). Then Hucknall found their rhythm and the midfield of Smith, Evans and
Bowley started to create openings in the Clifton defence, one of which
presented a chance for HALLAM to score the equaliser. With half time nearing,
a late substitution by Hucknall saw them take the lead when BARLOW shot low
with his right foot score. Half-time
Hucknall 2 Clifton 1.
Clifton played
with the wind at their backs in the second half and showed their intentions to
shoot on site from earlier on. Hucknall had to be at their very
best to close down the ball in midfield
to stop the shots from raining in
on the Hucknall goal. Chances were created at both ends of the pitch
but it was the All Whites who found the back of the net to level the scores at
2-2 and then after failing to clear the ball Clifton took the lead 3-2.
Hucknall were not ready to throw in the towel though and Hallam, Evans, Orton
and Smith all had chances to level the score, but a combination of good
goalkeeping and difficult chances
meant the goal just would not come.
The final whistle blew with the score at 3-2 to
Clifton. The All Whites Manager was
gracious enough to concede that Hucknall where probably the better team and
offered us his congratulations on a game well played. We can be proud of our performance
and battling qualities, but
sometimes you just don't
get what you deserve out of a game and that
was true of today. I am sure we will all learn from our mistakes (Manager
included).
With any luck we will get a chance to finally beat
Clifton in the final of the Trophy - wouldn't that be sweet! Man
of the Match goes to SMITH for a great performance in midfield both going
forward and tracking back.
Hucknall
Sports 3 Clifton AW Blue 0
With defeat still ringing in our ears
Hucknall took to the field once more for a friendly game.
Both teams made drastic changes in personnel
from the league game and half time arrived with the scores level despite
some good work from Newton and Johnstone for Hucknall.
In the second half Sports got the measure of
Clifton and three quick goals by HALLAM put the game beyond the reach of the
opposition.
Final score - Hucknall Sports 3 Clifton 0 Man
of the Match goes to JOHNSTONE for continuing to work hard, listening to the
coaches and showing great improvement each week.
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