And so we end another season. Hobnob made the journey to Clayfield Copse knowing that this was to be the final game of the season. The fixture had been rearranged twice and this might go some way to explaining why there were several players missing. Daniel Cross had been added to the growing injury list with a sore pinky that he suffered in training. He was fortunately able to run the line, which is just as well as Hobnob were only able to have 11 available. With so many missing the team picked itself but how to slot them all in? Several formations were talked about but in the end Ian Pulfer settled on 3-5-2 with himself playing the role that required the least running.
The start of the game was delayed slightly whilst the teams waited for Rob Walker to work out how to put his boots on but it was then played in glorious sunshine. Despite being a massive pitch, the game was concentated mostly in the middle of the pitch where the state of the pitch made it almost impossible for either side to keep the ball. Holybrook were looking to get the ball in over the top while Hobnob concentrated more on using the spaces out wide. Early chances were few and far between with the midfield trio of Miles, Pulfer and Luke Walker ensuring that Holybrook had no time to make a decent final pass. Having absorbed one such attack, Hobnob were able to break at pace. Davies found the kind of space out left that he loves and bombed down the flank. His cross into the box was excellent and as Dan Robertson prepared to shoot he was bundled over. Before any decision could be made it ran for Rob Walker who showed great composure to take a touch and sidefoot into the bottom corner.
The ball was behaving very erratically and from one random bounce Tom Robertson was able to break, before getting over excited and pulling an ambitious shot well wide. It looked like things were going Hobnob's way but Holybrook got the luck. Another loose pass from an awkward bounce, this time from Terry gave the ball to the big striker. The former manager recovered well and with Phillips also in close attention, he tried his luck, the ball some how dipping over Chapman and under the bar for the equaliser. Hobnob weren't put off though and they recovered the lead in no time. Again it was a break and a lovely touch from Rob Walker put Dan Robertson away. Most were expecting a drive into the box from the striker but what nobody anticipated was the unerring shot that flew off his left boot and into the back of the net. You made need to read this twice, but Dan Robertson scored from outside the area!
For all their endeavour in the first half, Hobnob were slow to start the second half. They struggled to retain possession and Holybrook began to capitalise. That said, their second equaliser was a gift. A ball was played through the middle, the kind that Hobnob had been dealing with all game but a mix up between Chapman and Terry resulted in the centre back stabbing the ball past the goalkeeper, leaving a tap in for the on rushing forward. Hobnob had the chance to retake the lead again when Dan Robertson fired over but the next goal went the other way. Holybrook exploited some space out wide and a deft finish past Chapman just made it over the line despite Terry's dispairing dive. As Hobnob tired and with no substitutes Holybrook will be wondering how they didn't make sure of the win with another goal. Their left back somehow bundled his way into the box but his shot clipped the post before going wide. They were also denied by a superb save from Hobnob's captain as he palmed the ball on to the bar. Their inability to get that goal almost cost them at the end. With Hobnob finding a second wind, Luke Walker had a great chance to score but just missed the post and Fitzsimons had an equaliser controvertially ruled out for handball. In the end, it just wasn't to be.
