After struggling with numbers last week against Warwick Arms, there was an embarrassment of riches of Ian Pulfer to choose from for the visit of Woodley Wanderers. Dave Miles had fixed his car while Warren Cheng was also available to come back into the starting XI. With the Robertsons and new(ish) signings Chris Bordras and Jason Stephenson also on the bench, there was a lot more strength to the side.
Last week Hobnob has fallen behind after less than a minute and whilst they survived a repeat of that, it was Woodley who almost look the lead in the first five minutes when they clipped the bar from a free kick. It was the home side however who drew first blood. Unusually for Hobnob the source of the goal was a set piece. Luke Walker swung the ball in and when the defender header it clear it fell at the feet of Fitzsimons and the Irishman smashed it into the back of the net. Hobnob were beginning to exert a lot of control on the game with Phillips and Miles in particular pulling the strings in the midfield. Fitzsimons was playing very wide on the left and was finding a lot of space and it was from there that he created Hobnob’s second. Terry went on a marauding run from left back and pull several defenders out of position. He then found Fitzsimons who cut in and swung a beautiful cross to the far post. The ball fell perfectly for Hare who did his best to miss but he put the ball into the roof of the net. Woodley responded well and again hit the bar and forced two good saves from Chapman but their route in was a bit of a freak goal. Chapman took a free kick wide in his own half but with nobody in a yellow shirt able to win it and Chapman stuck in no-man’s land, the Woodley player showed good composure to lob the ball into and empty net. Things could have got a lot worse for Hobnob when shortly after the Woodley striker went clean through. Chapman came charging out of his area and as the ball was knocked past him, the striker went tumbling over. After a lengthy discussion with the linesman, the referee decided to give the Hobnob captain the benefit of the doubt and showed him yellow but it could easily have been a red as the last man. The home side took full advantage of this reprieve and right on the stroke of half time restored their two goal lead. Shockingly it was again from a set piece. This time it was a long throw from Miles which was flicked on by Hare. The ball found Davies totally unmarkerd in the six yard box and he coolly took control on the ball and sidefooted home.
The half time was more of the same and Hobnob did very well to see out the second 45 without too much incident. Davies should have put the game beyond doubt after Miles and Fitzsimons had combined brilliantly to set him up in front of goal. Unfortunately it fell to his right foot and he got into such a tangle trying to switch it back to his left that the goalkeeper had plenty of time to block his effort. Speaking of good blocks, Hobnob did have Cheng to thank for a splendid covering challenge midway through the half from a rare threat at their goal but otherwise the half’s other most notable action was a great introduction from Hobnob’s new Canadian. On for his debut Bordras’ first contribution in the yellow shirt was a quite brilliant foul after jumping, stumbling and falling into the back of his marker. He’ll fit right in! Miles nearly capped the game and his man of the match performance with an audacious long range free kick that clipped the bar on the way over but in the end it was a well worked 3 points for Hobnob.
