CRFC Hares 3 v Nottsborough Partisans 2 - Cup Round 1

It’s not often you go away to the holders of the cup (sort of) and take the honours in a 5 goal thriller…. Calls for a match report I think!

The Hares arrive at Kingston University Sports Ground and the 1st thing we notice are the pitches. They look absolutely immaculate. The type of pitches you can only dream of playing on at our level. Like excited little school kids we started our half-hearted groin lunges whilst keeping our eyes firmly peeled on the green carpet like pitches we were about to become heroes on. Matty T was drooling at one point, also very fascinated by the electric clock which he’d noticed had already been put back an hour…. Mind blowing to Matty.

But like a raincloud of doom Chris P strolls over to bluntly advise us we’re not playing on these pitches…. In his words “we’re on the sh*t ones at the back”. We know our place and over we trot.

Gav’s doing Pilates on the soaking wet turf whilst casually confirming beers were still on at the H&H, Jonny A is putting shots 20 yards over the bar (get them out of the way Jonny) and Ali is on the wind up. It’s good to be back!

The gaffers call a huddle and name the starting 11. Looks like we have a central midfield of 6 foot something powerhouses…. If we’re standing on each other’s shoulders!! Now I know height is not the strong point of Ali, Pete and Myself….. But….. Errr….. Nope, I can’t think of something that IS a strong point. Sorry chaps.

Tactics sorted, It’s time to go. Get ready Notts, The Hares are up for this one.

Notts start brightly, clearly a team who can play a bit. They’re knocking it around and probably have the better of the first 5-10 minutes. But The Hares start coming in to the game soon after. We hold our shape well, cutting out the spaces and hurry Notts into some wayward passing.

I finally get a touch of the ball having been out for over a month. A lovely first touch allows me to get my head up and look for a teammate. So many options, numerous Hares chomping at the bit for the ball from me. After weighing up my options I end up spraying a lovely 25 yard pass….. straight to their striker. Sh*t, all of a sudden I’ve put Notts through on the counter!! Thankfully Price, Emmins and Gav tidy up my mess and we go again.

I think it’s Mike D who starts the move for our first goal. Punting a goal kick straight as an arrow to the head of Napper. Typically our big centre forward causes the chaos he so often does and flicks it on to Jonny A. The Notts goalkeeper comes rushing out but it doesn’t faze Jon – who puts a beautiful lobbed finish in to the back of the net and puts The Hares 1 up. GOAL!! After going 20 odd games without a goal, he’s now got 2 in 2 – it’s a crazy game!

Like groundhog day, a carbon copy then follows. A long ball is played up to Napper – who again flicks it on to his strike partner (who needs Quinn and Phillips when you’ve got Napper and Allen?!) Jonny is through again but this time his lovely lobbed attempt bounces up on to the CROSSBAR! SO CLOSE!

After surviving the scare, Notts put a lovely move together and their blue booted centre midfielder dances past the midfield and all of a sudden runs at The Hares defence. He’s in to the penalty area in a flash and gets taken out by Gav. PENALTY??! NOT GIVEN!! Like butter wouldn’t melt our Pilate loving centre half shakes his head and gets on with things. CLOSE CALL THAT ONE!

The Hares are growing in confidence and start to have the better of the game. Pricey and Gaz putting some lovely moves together down the right. Gaz also doing some great talking to ensure The Hares remain disciplined whilst attacking. However Notts are experienced and string a move together which gets them the equaliser. A ball down the right puts the winger through and the blue booted centre midfielder glides past me – not a hard task as I was running in treacle – and puts Notts level. Good goal.

We muster another couple of chances whilst ending the half the stronger team. A lovely passing move down the left involving Jonny H who slots it through to Napper. He squares to Jon but the ball just goes under his feet. Napper is then put through on goal – having just been absolutely clattered for the 3rd of 4th time in the half - and shoots straight at the keeper, SAVE! On another day The Hares could be 3-1 to the good.

HALF TIME LADS.

We make some changes – notably putting Gav in the holding role – and the talk centres around the game being there for the taking. 2nd half begins.

It’s at this point a dodgy looking man walking his dog comes up to me on the side-lines. Oh… it’s Smithy. He asks me where the Notts Lino is but I tell him we haven’t got lino’s today. Without saying a word he walks away and I don’t see him again until the pub after the game. Strange.

A scrappy moment not long in to the half put Notts 2-1 up. But perhaps this was the turning point as The Hares well and truly kicked in to gear. Led brilliantly by Pete and Ali in the middle. I think Notts had the ball out on the right but like one of those annoying Jack Russell’s Ali goes after it, and after it and after it again. He wins it but he’s not done there. He has the composure to take on 2 Notts defenders in the corner and squares it to Gav who is steaming in! GOAL! THAT’S WHY YOU DO POSTURAL ALIGNMENTS IN YOUR WARM UP!!! 

2 apiece and it’s anyone’s game.

Yes, clearly Notts play some good football and are a tidy outfit but for me The Hares were fitter and had the better of the chances. Matty T and Chris C having some lovely moments down the right hand side. Both slotting the ball through to Jonny A numerous times but our goal hungry striker is caught offside more often than not… very close calls. When Notts do get through Emmins is there or safe hands Mikey D is at the ready. It’s looking like extra time is on the cards…. OR IS IT?

Pete plays a ball over the top and either Napper or Jon hurry the Notts defence in to playing it out for a corner. We gamble and send up the big guns. The ball is whipped in and Gaz causes absolute chaos with the Notts goalkeeper. The ball is bouncing all over the place and it’s poked home. GOAL!!!! Gav has put the Hares 3-2 to the good with minutes left.

Surprisingly I think we see the game out quite comfortably. Pete making one final chance by sprinting (well, I say sprinting, it’s Pete after all, more hurried jogging) in to the corner. He fools everyone and turns majestically to head in to the area and forces a brilliant save from the Notts keeper.

FINAL WHISTLE, THE HARES WIN IT!!

Now you hear the clichés about football being a squad game but this was exactly that. Shout out to Matty T, Chris C and Sadz who had to come in to a fast paced cup game and did brilliantly getting up to speed straight away. I also thought Napper and Jon linked up superbly throughout.

Notts were great. Played the game the right way, respectful and very gracious in defeat. We wish them all the best for their season.

Hares are through to the next round and an away day to Essex could be on the cards. Izzit? Shu’up! Well jel.

Good game lads, onwards and upwards to the next.