Hempnall FC

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A difficult match report to write, a difficult result to swallow!

We knew, ever since January's fixtures were released, that this weeks game against Sprowston was going to be the most important game of the season to date. With Spowston sitting one place below us and only 2 points behind we knew that a solid performance was vital!!!

After a 2 hour consultation with the Academy Director Matty Oakley (OBE), on thursday night, the squad we had available was strong (especially with Andy Talbot). With a balance of youth and experience, Alex 'drinkalot' Chapman (18yrs old) to Lee 'warhorse' Emmett (38yrs old).

There were 5 changes from last weeks squad with Dean 'turbo'' Mortimer, Chris 'Audi' Easton, Mark 'fatty' Goddard, Rory 'Wrong Turning' Bellis and Andy 'Protein Shake' Talbot all available.

Unfortunately we were without the services of Ali 'twinkle toes' Dick who was on a peace keeping mission in Syria, David 'the enforcer' Storey who was in Brussels all weekend, held up in negotiations about the Greek Debt Crisis and Aaron 'trigger' Haynes who got bitten on the hand by a shark while collecting coral samples in the Indian ocean working the national geographic.

The game began with a highly competitive 20 minute spell, both teams creating some good chances, we hit the post and they forced 2 great saves out of Danny 'the bus driver' Quantrill. We pushed throughout the first half but were unable to put our chances away. Dean Mortimer gave his full back a torrid time with some driving runs down the right and Chris Easton and Alex working well together down the left.

The deadlock was broken by a Hempnall player, unfortunately it was Lee 'Uncle Arthur' Emmett who nodded the ball past our keeper.

We went into the break 1-0 down, but spirits were reasonably high, I think we knew that we would create more chances and the points were still up for grabs.

We started the second half well, we pushed forward mostly through Dean again, who by this time was tearing holes in the Sprowston defence and Rory who was finding space just in front of their back four started creating chances. Kevy Oakley worked well as the lone striker creating numerous chances (and managed to pass the ball too!!). We had 2 or 3 chances cleared off the line and another off the post. At the other end it was Danny who kept us in the game with 3 or 4 massive saves.

In the last 15 minutes we threw everything at them we could (apart from the waterbottles), with Crouchy coming off the bench we bombed the ball forward and sent the Calvary charging in the form of Kemp, Talbot, Emmett and Chapman, but it wasn't to be our day!

The final whistle had gone and the realisation that we were now bottom of the league was tough to take . But I want to make it clear, the performances of every single Hempnall Player were nothing short exceptional, I'm proud of all of them.

There are times when the wonderful game throws challenges at us that we must overcome, the challenge we face as a team (and to some degree a club) is bigger than most.

I've learnt more about the character of our players in the 16 games of this season in particular, than I have in the 20 years i've spent at this wonderful football club. The Hempnall players from the past who are etched in HFC folklore aren't remembered for the goals they scored or the boots they wore. It is the character of a player which is remembered above almost anything else. The will to win, but first of all the will to fight for each other. It's clear which players have this fight in them and it's even more obvious the ones who don't.

No one ever said it was going to be easy and as Yazz so wonderfully put it, 'The Only Way Is Up....baby!'

MOM: Dean Mortimer

Score: Hempnall Res 0-1 Sprowston Wanderers