The pre-season is done and it’s time to play some games in anger as Hobnob welcomed Mapledurham Cavaliers to Palmer Park for the first game of the new season. Fair to say last season’s match up was mixed with a 4-0 defeat and a 10-4 win over the Cavaliers and after a decent summer there should have been a positivity from the side going in to this.
With Warren Cheng’s annual absence from the opening game the main decision was over who to partner Mike Terry at the back and it was Tom Robertson who got the nod over Ed Bargent. James Plant overcame a knee injury to start and with Luke Walker on holiday Dan Hare slotted in on the right. Summer signings Robs Walker and Tan were on the bench with the experienced Bargent and Jason Stephenson.
There was an appearance at the start of the game from Johnny Hare who was all uniformed up and Hobnob must have been wishing he’d been around to play. There was barely a minute on the clock before Cavaliers got the opener as Robertson could only get studs on an interception and the runner coolly slotted into the net. Whether it was shellshock or what but the first 20 minutes or so became a real barrage. It was all the defence could do to get their foot on the ball and Chapman was called upon several times to make some real top drawer saves and Cross made a great clearance off the line. There was nothing he could with the second goal though. With no defenders seemingly interested in closing down the ball Cavaliers were allowed an inordinate amount of time to whack the ball in. Two soon became three after a mix up with Terry and Robertson left the striker with the formality of hitting the back of the net. There was a rallying of sorts from the home side as Davies fired Hobnob’s first effort at goal on the half hour at the goalkeeper and the ball wouldn’t quite sit down for Bolton as he fired over.
It had been a poor start but at 3-0 the home side weren’t totally out of it, certainly they’d come back from there before. Any hopes soon evaporated though when the ball was lost directly from kick off and it was worked forward and smashed in off the bar. It looked like a long half ahead of them but there was at least the consolation of a goal. Davies crossed in to the far post from the right and Bolton met it with a brave low diving header to pull one back. Hobnob were off the mark. However being he charitable lot that we are we quickly gifted them a fifth as Tiltman was unfortunate to head the ball straight into the path of an unmarked forward who nodded in. That was the cue for some changes but the horse had long since bolted. Plant got himself on the scoresheet with arguably the goal of the game as he sent a perfect lob into the top corner but the traffic was still one way. Cavaliers wasted no time in making it six and then seven but the goals still weren’t dried up as Plant grabbed his second with a sweetly struck hit from the edge of the box. Still time for drama as late in the game Tiltman was denied a penalty after he tried to stay on his feet but there was no doubt about the shout at the other end. Chapman can count himself very lucky not to have seen red when he took out their striker when he was clean through on goal. The penalty was duly dispatched and a goal filled game finished 8-3 to the visitors.
There will I’m sure be many post mortems about this result but for what it’s worth I think it’s best forgotten. Chris Chapman kept the score from being truly embarrassing but let’s not dwell on it and move on. Season starts next week!
