First Half
After a very entertaining game Horndean Hawks came through the first round of the Portsmouth Cup with a hard fought game against a strong Petersfield side with a 9-5 win in extra time. It didn't start well for the Hawks finding themselves 2-0 down within the first 5 minutes. With the defence at sixes and sevens and the midfield very lack lustre Petersfield found themselves 3-0 up and cruising. The Hawks were creating chances but couldn't find the finish until Jacob Lynch took the game by the scruff of the neck, picking the ball up on the left hand side ghosting past 3 petersfield players and smashing the ball into the top corner from the edge of the penalty box. Two minutes later Jake had his second with a rasping volley from a full 35 yards that took everyone by surprise. After pulling two goals back straight from kick off the Petersfield forwards walked through the Hawks defence to go in 4-2 to the good at half time.
Second Half
At half time Charlie Fry came on at sweeper and Morgan Moret in the centre of midfield with Dec Martin and Duncan Hewitt making way. Harry Fairclough moving into the back three, Will Codling pushing into the centre with Jamie Emery coming onto the right wing. Straight away the Hawks looked more of an attacking threat and within five minutes Will Codling had burst into the box and pulled a goal back to make it 4-3. All of a sudden the Hawks started to dominate playing some mesmorising football but couldn't get the equaliser. with 15 minutes to go Jake Lynch sent Will Codling down the left hand side beat the full back and whipped the ball in with his left foot for Lewis Harrison to smash the equaliser in at the back post. With everyone pushing forward to stop extra time the hawks let Petersfield attack again and their forwrard put them 5-4 up. With time running out Jamie Emery Came off for Dec Martin to step back in to centre half and Charlie Fry pushed up front to try and get the equaliser. With 2 minutes to go the Hawks had their chance with a corner on the right, with Harry Mansfield whipping the ball in and a goal mouth scramble and a shot into the top right corner the Petersfield number 16 punched the ball away giving Euan Condron the chance to eqaulise from the spot and was given a straight red card for hand ball. With the pressure on Euan stepped up and tucked the penalty away to the joy and relief of all involved with the Hawks.
Extra Time
Extra time was complete domination from the Hawks, within 2 minutes of kick off the ball was played through to Euan Condron and the keeper closing him down a neat little lob put Horndean into the lead for the 1st time in the game. The flood gates opened with Will Codling getting his second and third goals for his first Hawks hatrick and in the closing stages Harry Mansfield, after all of his hard work and effort, got the goal he deserved with a cool finish to end a great comeback.
