The second meeting in as many weeks for Hobnob and Prince of Wales as both teams got their Berks & Bucks Cup campaigns off and running at King’s Meadow. After last week only have 12 players to pick from there was an embarassment of riches available to Hobnob with 15 available on the day. The drama’s of the 3-3 were still fresh and there was only one change from that starting XI with Mike Terry suffering a flare up in his back. James Tiltman came in for the player/manager at left back and so Tom Robertson shifted in to centre half. Terry pulled on the boots to act as sub and with Dan Robertson, Jason Stephenson and Luke Walker also available off the bench there was ceratinly lots of attacking options for the away side.
Given the familiarity between the two sides it didn’t come as much of a surprise that it was an even start the game. Both sides danger men well were known and each were being cancelled out. Hobnob’s midfield inparticular were doing a good job nullifing Prince of Wales’ threat from there and they got there reward for their endeavour midway through the first half. After a bit of pinball in the box Plant shifted his weight and pinged the ball in off his left boot. Those kind of goals from around the edge of the box are becoming something of a trademark for the midfielder and long may they continue. The goal didn’t change the game massivly and Prince continued to try and find their way in. Chapman had to make a sharp save down to his left and Cheng pulled off a fantastic block when they looked all set to claim the equalizer. At the other end a defender took a ball full in the face from and Bolton show and Tiltman and Davies’ forrays forward were looking threatening. Eventually the pressure told and Davies strong run found Hare at the back post who had the easiest of tap ins. With minutes left before half time it was 3-0. Plant was fouled on the halfway line but somehow managed to get the ball away to Pulfer. The referee waved advantage and last year’s golden boot winner slammed in with his left foot to give the Nobbers a commanding half time lead.
A 3-0 lead at half time in Sunday league is not a guarantee of anything and Hobnob know that as well as any team. It was good therefore to see that there was no dip in intensity for the second half and soon it was 4-0. Hare whipped in a nice that was met by a fantastic diving header from Plant at the near post to put the game beyond doubt. The Grimbarian was a touch disappointed with his return of 8 goals last season but only 3 games in he’s now halfway to matching that. With such a big lead it was perhaps inevitable that the pace would drop a little and in an effort to spark things back into life Terry through on Stephenson, Robertson and Walker. The result was perhaps what you’d expect when 136 appearances and 57 goals come off the bench eager to prove a point. Stephenson was a livewire on the left and his good work was creating chances. Paine went close a few times and Dan Robertson put a good chance wide. In all the attacking fervour things did begin to get a little disjointed at the back. Chapman and Cheng were dealing with everything that was thrown at them with ease. The closest Prince came to reducing the defecit was clattering the post from a corner and then the follow up whistling just over the bar. The further goals for Hobnob eventually came just before the full time whistle. Stephenson slipped Paine through and he showed all the composure you’d expect from the club’s all time top scorer to sit the keeper down and roll into the net. They weren’t finished though and right at the end Dan Robertson broke away and when the keeper could only parry his shot even Walker couldn’t miss the follow up.
A comfortable win in the end then for Hobnob and the ghosts and dramas from last week are forgotten. Paine and Pulfer are both now off the mark and there’s a depth to the squad that is really good to see. However if it’s one thing that’s disappointed a little with this side over the years it’s the lack of a cup run so hopefully this year that will all change. With any luck we can even take this form into the league. Indeed manager Mike Terry had this message; “Hopefully, everyone will have the confidence to play like that against Berksalona on Sunday. They're a much stronger team than PoW and offer a different threat.”. So with that message, roll on next week.
