... After losing our first two games and putting in below par performances we knew how important this game was against a side who had started the season with two victories. We were boosted by the news that our game against Hatfield Social will be replayed, but nevertheless a reaction was needed. Manager Clarke decided to change the formation and brought Ekkeshis and Nash into the starting eleven at the expense of Kettle and Pestell. We had a strong bench of five substitutes. We started the game really well, pressing high and attacking with pace. Fitzgerald should have opened the scoring when clean through on goal and then we did take the lead as a pinpoint free kick from Bartlett was glanced in by McGowan at the near post. After the goal we started to dominate the game and extended our lead through a free kick from Langley who struck his effort into the far corner. Stevenage hardly threatened at all in the first half, with their most likely route back into the game looking to be from set pieces. Fitzgerald was causing many problems for the Stevenage centre halves and he played a key part in our third goal, as he played a clever pass into the path of Nash who calmly guided the ball across the keeper and into the corner of the net with his left foot. We were extremely unfortunate not to go four up just before half time after the young Stevenage keeper dropped a routine cross and Nash smashed a volley towards goal, which was inadvertently blocked by Fitzgerald on the goal line and flew over the bar. Half time – Stevenage Community 0 Hinton 3 A superb first half performance where we defended well, had good shape as a team and created many chances. The second half started in the worst possible fashion as indecision between Stone and Puchalla allowed the Stevenage striker to jink into the area when the ball should have been cleared and he was tripped. The referee waited a couple of seconds and then rightly pointed to the spot. The penalty was struck low to Spittle’s left and our opponents were back in the game. This goal did seem to revitalise Stevenage and soon after they pulled another goal back as their centre forward was given too much space around 30 yards from goal and he hooked the ball perfectly over the despairing dive of Spittle, 3-2. After such a dominant first half display, we knew it would be a disaster to take anything less than three points away from the game. A good save from Spittle prevented the hosts from equalising and soon after we scored a crucial fourth goal, after another cross from Bartlett was flicked into the net by Fitzgerald. Spittle made a good save and Clarke blocked an effort from just inside the area before we added a fifth goal through Samba, who latched onto a good pass from Sawkins and side footed home. Samba, Kojo and Sawkins had replaced Nash, Langley and Bartlett and all three substitutes made a positive contribution. We managed to see the game out and secured an excellent three points. A very impressive performance, with a poor fifteen-minute spell just after half time. Full time – Stevenage Community 2 Hinton 5 M.O.M. - Fitzgerald
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AuthorPublished by Ollie Kettle. Archives
September 2017
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