Norreys put on another good display for the 90 minutes against Premier League opposition Q Associates, but were rocked by an injury time equaliser in normal time!
Norreys first cup game of the season was away to Premier League opposition Q Associates so a good oportunity to see how the team would shape up against a higher level opponent.
The game started well and Norreys were playing some good football without really being out played by the opposition. Both teams had opportunities early on, but the closet anyone came to scoring was when Q Associates hit the woodwork 18 minutes into the game.
The deadlock was broken on 25 minutes when Q Associates scored from the edge of the box, and their lead was doubled only 2 minutes later with a scrappy second.
Norreys then replied on 30 minutes with a delightful goal from Brad from just outside the box. Brad then followed up with his and Norreys second on 38 minutes after playing a one-two with Smarty outside the box and cooly slotted home passed the Q Associates keeper.
Brad was then on a roll and took him only a further 3 minutes to get his hat-trick and put Norreys 3-2 up when he put the Q Associates keeper under pressure from a back-pass and the keeper got the ball trapped between his feet, Brad took full advantage by taking the ball off of the keeper and even a despairing full-blown rugby tackle on Brad could not prevent him from putting the ball into the back of the empty net and gave Norreys a deserved half time lead.
The second half started in similar vane to the first, however Q Associates were upping the work rate in midfield and Norreys were having to do a lot of work to try to keep them at bay. For all Norreys work it was Q Associates who managed to get an equaliser in the 50th minute. The game was then pretty even with good approach play from both teams and some good work on both wings for Norreys.
Both teams were searching for a winner and a terrific stop from Norreys stand in keeper Stoney on 86 minutes from a deflected effort kept Norreys in the game. Norreys took full advantage of this great save by going straight down the other end and a precise through ball from Karl found Ali in space on the left hand side of the box to calmly slot the ball passed the keeper to take the lead again with only 3 minutes left of the 90.
Q Associates stepped up the pressure again and Norreys were being stretched all over the pitch and were denied their first victory of the season when Q Associates grabbed an equaliser in stoppage time to force the game into extra time.
Norreys were feeling the pace after all their efforts in the 90, and Q Associates were taking advantage of their superior fitness and took an early lead in extra time and followed up with another 12 minutes into extra time which they held on til half time.
Norreys went looking for a way back into the game but it was Q Associates who were having all the run of the game and added another on 109 minutes making the score 7-4. The game was then put to bed when Q Associates scored again with only 5 minutes left to play.
There was a late Norreys surge with a good solo goal from Ali with 3 minutes left to play and a towering header by Garvy from Karl's corner with only a minute left to play making the score 8-6 to Q Associates but the game was sealed with one furthe goal from Q Associates in injury time of extra time with a final score line of Q Associates 9 - Hampstead Norreys 6.
Managers man of the match was Brad Simpson
