Fully seven weeks since their last fixture, Hobnob returned to Reading & District Sunday Football League action with a trip to unbeaten league leaders Atletico Forest at Cantley Park, Wokingham.
With the wind of four straight victories in their sails, Hobnob hit the soggy and boggy ground running. While the statistics may show even possession in the first period, it was the away side that looked the most likely. Ian Pulfer was finding space in the hole, Dan Hare was making the Forest centre halves know they were in for a game and the wide men, Rich Paine and Clifford Davies, were able to run at their full backs. More often than not, however, ring-rustiness from the long lay-off came into play and the attacks fizzled out.
At the other end of the pitch, the Hobnob back four and goalkeeper were mopping up Forest's one-dimensional attacks with little drama, with Warren Cheng and eventual man of the match Joe Hare winning almost every header and cutting out virtually every pass. The home side were also feeling the effects of a long lay-off and it showed in their touches. Only their midfield play-maker really looked comfortable on the ball but he lacked attacking support. In many instances, his lack of options allowed James Plant and Matt Bolton to recover possession for the Nobbers and set up another attack, with Plant in particular dictating much of the play. One such attack was sprung down the left throught James Tiltman and Davies, allowing Bolton a skewed attempt at goal in the thirty fifth minute. His misfortune was Paine's gain as the forward pounced upon the loose ball to fire into the Atletico net. One shot on target, one goal. But it was ripe reward for persistent passing play.
Player-manager Mike Terry's half time team talk was a simple one: do the same again, lads. And while the message seemed to be received well by the players' ears, their bodies plainly ignored the message. Within minutes of the restart, Forest broke down the right hand side. Their fast forward steamed into the box, held off Cheng and powered the ball high into Chris Chapman's net. This should have been the wake-up call for blue and whites but they remained sluggish. On the hour, Luke Walker replaced the tiring Davies on the left hand side as Terry sought to reinvigorate the team. Unfortunately this didn't have the desired effect and Hobnob were quickly on the back foot. On seventy minutes, Forest earned a corner, following a suspect decision by the match officials, and slack marking allowed one of the Forest centre backs a free header, which he duly dispatched.
Frustrated and keen to recapture the free-flowing passing of the first half from the kick-off, Terry called for the pass in the right back position. However, he dilly-dallied and slipped, gifting possession to the table-toppers. They rushed at the Hobnob goal, swathing through the defence. Chapman valiantly halted the attack, but could only palm the low, stinging shot away, leaving the net untended as Atletico's spare man tapped in. 3-1.
This clearly hurt Hobnob more than the first two replies and tempers flared. The referee blew for a head injury, but Bolton already had his sights set on his man. He was fortunate to not be dismissed for the lunge by the referee but manager Terry had seen enough, replacing the midfielder with James Philips. Minutes later, a rare foray into the Atletico box resulted in a penalty following a handball. Up stepped Pulfer but last season's top goal-scorer slipped and passed the ball tamely to the home goalkeeper. While there was no lack of effort left from the Nobbers, all belief had left them. In one last roll of the dice, Terry took himself off, changed the formation and threw recent goal-scoring hero Rob Walker into the mix. Forest, however, were playing with confidence while Hobnob were barely playing at all. In the final minutes, Forest broke again and settled the affair once and for all.
So a disappointing recommencement of proceedings for the Hobnob boys but it's not all bad at all. There were signs, particularly in the first half, that the pre-Christmas form was only a moment away. Frustratingly, the Nobbers seem to be able to produce only one good half a week and manager Mike Terry was overheard voicing plans to petition the League to do away with half time! While that rule change remains unratified, attitude and application will be the drivers for success for Hobnob this season.
