Another big game in prospect, Hadlow not only beat us in the League and cup last year, they were hot on our tales going into the game and we knew we would be playing them in next round of the cup.
The team had a slightly different look to it as the boys lined up. With Meat away on holiday and Sergeant Bayley out injured it was all change in the middle. Paul Hathaway returned from his exile in the reserves and was given the nod and young Ferg made his return after a lengthy lay off with a penis injury.
It was a shaky start for the B&A and everyone took their time settling down and getting in to the game. Hadlow were looking more likely to score early on using the ball over the top to Car-Door. This appears to be their only tactic.
It got worse, less than 10 minutes in Baggo played a lovely inviting cross into the box and Gozzy collided with the oncoming Hadlow keeper. He tried to run it off but it was no good, Assistant Manager Bayley made the change. Gozzy came off and Hobbit, fresh from his round the world trip came on in his place.
The game slowly started to turn on its head. Hathers and Ferg had a lot more possession and started to get forward and Baggo was making great runs down the left. After some great work from the Slug out on the right Hobbit managed to latch on to a deflected cross and poke home for his 4th goal in 4games. It’ll be another story to tell his kids, how he scored in his first game back after his long adventure in South America.
Baggo made it two before the break. He received the ball wide on the left, beat his man looked up to pick out someone in the box but the cross curled straight in over the keepers head. 2-0
In good old Blackham style we decided not to make it easy for ourselves and gifted them a goal back. A long throw into the box was missed by everyone accepted their man at the far post who was a surprised as anyone to see the ball drop at his feet.
It was a tight affair for the next 30 minutes or so before Hathers opened his account for the season. Winning the ball on the edge of the Hadlow area he then dribbled through unchallenged and calmly tucked the ball low into the bottom right hand corner to restore the 2 goal cushion.
