Normally I’d begin a match report with a run-down of the teams etc but this week it seems more apt to start by expressing our best wishes to Prince of Wales’ Steve Johnson. Today’s game was abandoned on 81 minutes after a sickening clash of heads between Johnson and Hobnob’s Mike Terry. Both players were making an honest attempt at winning a header but came of very badly. Terry suffered a nasty cut to the head (as the pool of blood on the pitch will suggest!) but the Prince of Wales man was knocked out instantly by the impact of Terry’s head, his condition wasn’t helped by landing on a rock hard pitch. He regained consciousness and was taken to hospital but it was agreed by all parties that it was best for the game to be abandoned. It wasn’t a nice sight to see on any football pitch and everyone at Hobnob Football Club wishes him all the best.
Before that however there was a game played and whilst events might make it seem a bit inconsequential this is still a match report. This was Hobnob’s final home game of the season and they were up against Prince of Wales, a side who have followed a very similar trajectory as Hobnob over the years. The record between the two sides has been pretty even but it was the Nobbers who came out on top earlier in the season with an 8-1 win at King’s Meadow. This time around there were a couple of changes with Daniel Cross and Dan Hare coming in to replace Tom Robertson and Luke Walker. Warren Cheng meanwhile was missing for the first time since the opening day of the season meaning a return for Johnny Hare at centre back for his first start in over a year. The change in personnel also meant a return to 4-4-2 and with the end of season awards voting slips handed out pre-game, more than a couple were perhaps wanting to put out a reminder of their talents.
Hobnob certainly started as if there was a trophy riding on it. Rich Paine’s run from kick off almost brought an immediate goal and he was unlucky to have a goal ruled out for offside only a few minutes later. It seemed to set the tone for the half though. Hobnob were producing waves of attacks, Plant seeing his corner almost float straight in. The opener finally game midway through the first half after a Davies corner wasn’t cleared properly. Pulfer’s shot was sliced but Johnny Hare had the awareness to stop the ball flying out of play and laid it on a plate for Bolton to tap in from close range. It was just the break that the side needed. Dan Hare almost doubled the lead with a ferocious effort from range that hammered against the crossbar. For all the quality on show though, the second was a total fluke. Plant aimed an inswinging cross from wide and had pretty much written it off as over hit when it somehow curved into the top corner. Hobnob were looking rampant but this being them, they still had time to switch off. Prince of Wales pulled one back totally against the run of play when their man was left unmarked at the far post to head in a corner. The two goal deficit was restored almost immediately though. With the opposition defender taking goal kicks, Pulfer was alert to the space it suddenly gave him and when one goal kick came back to him, Hobnob’s top goal scorer had all the time in the world to slot home his 23rd of the season. With only 5 minutes of the half remaining both teams might have been forgiven for looking to just get off the pitch and get some water on board but that wasn’t the case. Chapman made a fantastic double save at his near post, first to claw the ball off the line and then to block the rebound. The ball then went straight down the other end and Bolton saw his piledriver well savedll.
After a frenetic first half the second was going to go one off two and there was an early indication that it was going to be more the same when Pulfer had a goal ruled out for offside. It looked suspiciously like the defender had headed it into his path but the referee stuck with his lineman’s decision. Just 10 minutes later Hobnob produced the goal of the day though and a real contender for goal of the season. Davies had made good ground on the left and pulled it back for the Tiltman. He played a little one two with Paine who was at full stretch to find the full back again. A nice touch out of his feet meant the ball was perfectly placed for a whipped in cross. Pulfer’s shot was blocked and it fell to Plant who smashed in a great effort from the edge of the box to make it 4-1. That was the signal for some changes with Tiltman (knackered from his efforts in the build up to the goal) and the impressive Bolton making way for Luke Walker and Joe Hare. The latter changing meaning that Hobnob had 3 Hares on the pitch for the first time since January 2011 and the infamous ‘Bremen draw’. The changes disjointed the side a little though and they were limited to long range efforts that never tested the goalkeeper. Prince of Wales showed signs of a comeback when they pulled it back to 4-2 when a long throw got pocked in. Shortly afterwards thought there was the clash of heads that led to the game being abandoned.
It was a very unfortunate end to the game but it shouldn’t detract from an excellent performance from Hobnob. Prince of Wales have always been dangerous from set pieces so whilst it was frustrating to conceded twice, they are a side who are adept at doing it. The major positive was just how well the team controlled the game. Bolton and Plant were really dominate and the latter’s man off the match award was thoroughly deserved. There’s now a few weeks before the trip to Caversham and the end of the season but it’s great to see the side really playing well and enjoying themselves in the sun. The injuries will obviously dominate people’s thoughts but there was also a very good performance from Hobnob.
