It’s been a while since we’ve had a match report, mostly because of the club’s ace reporter jetting off around the world (and Nottingham) but fortunately his return coincided with a great game for a match report, which appears, slightly out of sync with other games...
So after two games that yielded 0 goals scored and 10 conceded, Hobnob decided to go for broke in their game against Imaan. They knew, with only 2 games left after this, a win would go a long way to securing Division 2 football next year. With that in mind, Ian Pulfer picked a very attacking team that was set up for one thing: scoring goals.
Injury, holiday and spousal birthday ruled out Dan Hare, Thomas L’Heureux, Rob Walker and Mike Terry. Warren Cheng returned to bolster the defence but the other returning players were strikers with Dan Robertson back from South Africa and the manager picking himself to show the rest how it was done in an attack minded 3-4-3 formation. A formation that was beautifully detailed on an iPad which Pulfer, just about, managed to work.
Hobnob’s intent at the start couldn’t have been clearer and they could, and perhaps should, have been 1-0 up within the first minute of the game. Some nice quick passing released Walker on the left who shot across goal and in the immediate aftermath Dan Robertson tested the goalkeeper from a tight angle. With so many attackers there were always going to be gaps at the back and Imaan will be disappointed that they wasted a good opportunity, dragging a shot wide when he should have done better. They were penalised for the miss pretty swiftly. Fitzsimons turned on the gas to beat the Imaan left back and his cross found Dan Robertson who had enough time and space to take a touch and blast in the opening goal. A goal that was personal milestone as he became on the third player to notch 50 goals for the club.
The goal had two effects. There was a sense of ‘job done’ from Hobnob who relaxed at just the same time that Imaan upped their game and within 10 minutes the game had swung the other way. The away team thought they’d beaten the Hobnob defence only to be denied by a great block from Cheng. With the defender lying prone on the floor though, the attacker ran at him again and fell straight over him. The referee pointed to the spot and, although it was soft, there was little argument from the home side. Chapman was sent the wrong way and the scores were level. Imaan quickly doubled their tally and Cheng was the unfortunate party again. This time it was a mistimed clearance that was pounced on and Imaan had the lead.
In previous weeks that would pretty much be game over but Hobnob showed a spirit that hasn’t always been present this season. The equalising goal came from a brilliantly quick counter attack, started by a magnificent through ball from Fitzsimons. The Irishman picking out Robertson’s run with perfection. The scorer of the first goal had enough composure to round the keeper and roll it across goal for Pulfer to tap home. The game was breathless with wave after wave of attacks from both side. Phillips thought he’d scored with a neat header but was denied by the offside flag and Fitzsimons was causing havoc on the right wing. Again he beat his man and drove into the box when he was clipped from behind. The referee waved advantage and when the ball was blazed over the bar he pulled it back for the penalty. It was another soft call but balanced out the earlier decision. Up stepped Pulfer who restored the home side’s lead. Remarkably Hobnob could have scored again before half time with Rimmer twice going close with headers from corners. The first being well tipped over but the second was a great chance that just went wide.
A breathless half which saw 5 goals in 20 minutes was always going to be a tough one to follow and so it proved to be. Both sides tightened up at the back and chances were limited with a succession of niggly fouls being given that broke up the flow of the game. From one of these fouls Hobnob thought they’d double their lead. Pulfer was celebrating his hattrick after volleying in a free kick but the referee (note, not the linesman) had ruled that he was offside, despite not actually watching the ball getting played in. This decision, alongside a lot of petty stoppages led to an increasing air of frustration on both sides and a foul by substitute Tom Robertson, right on the edge of the area, threatened to be the catalyst to something more. However Cheng successfully diffused the situation with the immortal line of “if I wanted to fight I’d get my judo black belt from my dojo”.
It was backs to the wall for the last 20 minutes but Hobnob defended with great discipline. Cheng, Phillips, Cross, Walker and Tom Robertson all made important blocks and challenges to protect the goal and something of a miracle save from Chapman kept Imaan out. After a free kick had thundered off the wall the Imaan player smashed the ball goalwards. It took a deflection on the way through and somehow the Hobnob captain caught the ball between his legs. It was the moment that both sides knew that the result was all be sorted.
There was still time to put a cherry on top though, and once again on the break, Hobnob did just that. Pulfer broke away down the right and his cross was bundled in by a combination of Stephenson, Dan Robertson and defender. It was Dan Robertson who claimed the final touch to little disagreement.
Finally a win against 11 players for Hobnob and hopefully will set the precedent for the last couple of games this season
