After letting the lead slip 3 times last week, the A team were looking to improve on that by beating Horsford B at home to record the first win of the season.
Missing from the previous week's squad was Nick Talbot (Stag Do), and 2 of the young lads, Arthur Sauverin and Mark Goddard, making their debuts for the Reserves.
This meant a return back to the squad for Aaron Haynes, Jordan Batterham and Jamie Kerry. With Talbot away, this resulted in a new centre back partnership, that of Matt Oakley and Michael Manser to keep the Horsford attack at bay.
With a no show from a referee, Jordan Batterham's father was a saint and agreed to take charge of the game for us, something which the team were very grateful for as it is a job that many people would not stand up and do.
The game started off with both sides trying to take the early advantage. But it was Horsford who had the chances and come close on a couple of occasions by hitting the woodwork and also Michael Ayton in goal pulled off a fine save to keep the visitors out.
With the wind and the slope in Hempnall's favour, we started to create some chances ourselves with some long balls being played over the visiting back four, which Kev Oakley and Aaron Haynes made the most of and tested the Horsford keeper.
Kev Oakley then got the breakthrough from one of these long balls after getting the better of his marker, and beating the keeper to the ball, he slotted home into and empty net.
Horsford then pushed for an equaliser and nearly got it if it wasn't for a fantastic block from Manser on the line to send the ball spinning out for a corner.
This was one of the last plays of the half and for a second week running the young A team side found themselves leading at the break.
The halftime talk was pretty straight forward as we knew what tactics Horsford would use in the second half, pretty much the same as we used with the wind in the first and as they had 2 big men upfront we would have to keep a high line.
Hempnall looked to have sorted out the front men and the long ball tactics for about 20 minutes until a long ball was allowed to bounce a couple of times and found the head of one of the strikers to flick the ball over the onrushing Ayton to level the score.
If this had happened last season the lads heads would of dropped and the game would have run away from us, but we still pushed to reclaim the lead.
Alex Chapman, who is improving every week, was causing a lot of problems for the visitors down the left and one of his runs created a chance for Jordan Batterham who had an open goal from about 7 yards out only to be denied by a very strong but fair last ditch tackle from a Horsford defender.
Horsford then looked more likely to score with the conditions in their favour, but also used tactics only found on the continent by seemingly falling over on every attack with no defender making any sort of challenge.
This was particularly used by one of their forwards who seemed to lose his sense of balance every time he received the ball, meaning we had to duck and take cover as the toys were well and truly being thrown from the pram.
This didn't last much more as a 50/50 fair but hard challenge from Dave Storey left said striker on the floor and he limped off.
With around 10 minutes left, the killer blow arrived, as a Horsford player was allowed to turn on the edge of the box and fired a shot past Ayton to give the away side a slender lead.
Hempnall then looked to find the equaliser but in vain as the final whistle blew and we recorded our first defeat of the season.
Next week should see some more of the regular players returning as we try and get the first win against Reepham A again at home.
Matt Oakley
Hempnall FC
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