A first pre-season friendly for Hobnob as they took on new Division 4 side Southbank Reserves at Burghfield and an encouraging start to the new campaign. The team had to survive the toxicity of the port-a-kabin changing rooms (a gift on a veteran forward who shall remain nameless) and Mike Terry named an interesting starting XI. With Clifford Davies serving as godfather for former Nobber Dave Harris (well his son, no church would accept Harris) and Luke Walker on holiday, there was a lack of wingers and Matt Bolton, Rob Tan and Joe Hare’s availability convinced the manager to start with a 4-3-3. Warren Cheng was, as ever, late so the starting centre back pairing was Terry and Ed Bargent and the decisions over full backs was made easier by James Tiltman’s involvement with the Olympics so Daniel Cross and Tom Robertson began the game. Up front the experienced trio of Dan Robertson, Ian Pulfer and Rich Paine linked up leaving the only real choice as to who to go in between the sticks. Chris Chapman’s ill-timed holiday opened the door for either Dan Hare or Matt Bargent to don the gloves, in the end both would get about a half with the former starting the game.
It’s probably fair to say that the game couldn’t have started worse. Southbank kicked off, got the ball forward and before anyone in blue could touch the ball they were through on goal and Hare had charged out and slid in, taking the striker out. Penalty. The Southbank player got up and easily tucked it away. If it they thought that this would rattle Hobnob then they couldn’t have been more wrong. Direct from kick off the Nobbers retained possession for about a minute. It was some fantastic football with the ball being played around confidently and quickly, nearly all eleven players had a touch and eventually Joe Hare whipped the ball in for Dan Robertson to tuck in the equaliser. A truly great goal as the ball was worked around the pitch and all the more so for the fact that it was immediately after conceding. After the electric start both teams settled down but Hobnob were creating the better chances. Tan and Hare were linking up beautifully and Robertson was unlucky to be flagged offside when put through by Tan. Paine was also finding space and forced a smart save from the keeper whilst at the other end Southbank should perhaps have done better with a far post header.
On the half hour Maulini and Cheng came on for Pulfer and Bargent but neither side could find the upper hand going into the break. With the centre of midfield being dominated by Hobnob’s trio in enabled some nice football to be played. At times there was perhaps not the width that could have added real penetration but in a 4-3-3 that may be expected. Hare though could have topped of a big performance with a goal but he opted to place the ball and saw the keeper pull of an excellent save low to his right. He had to be at full stretch to keep out a Paine curler shortly after that was heading top corner.
There were more changes on the hour with Matt Bargent going in goal and his brother Ed returning with Pulfer for Tom Robertson and his injured brother. It quickly worked and after some initial confusion the referee evened up the penalty count after a clear hand ball. Pulfer stepped up and did as he so often does and made it 2-1. Ed Bargent thought he might have made it 3-1 with a long ranger and his brother Matt went from the sublime to the ridiculous after a good reaction save was followed with a comical dive over the ball. In the end Hobnob couldn’t quite hold on for the win after a deflected cross somehow arced over into the top corner.
In many ways it was a perfect friendly and certainly a good way to start thing off. Some good football was played and against a decent side. If the side can reproduce that performance all season then I’m pretty confident that we’ll be winning a lot of games.
