f**k me, what a game. I swore the whole way through the game so had to start the report with the same. Sitting here still drunk from the night before it is a game that, for once, the moments escape me. One thing i can remember is that WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!!
Playing against an unbeaten Old Hamptonians side that had quality, especially in the middle of the park, we knew we were going to have to work hard and play well to take the cup home. I'm not going to pretend that we played incredible football and fully deserved the win, i think a draw would have been fair. But we deserved to win because every single player on the pitch played every minute with every ounce of effort they could give and it was this determination and guts that won us the cup after 120 minutes of a pulsating match.
the game...
The game bagan brightly for us, playing the ball around well and winning all the early exchanges, Old Hamptonians were obviously psychologically beaten by our suits when we turned up! Ash, who was absolutely brilliant all day long, was rinsing his full back and was having a field day. He seemed to have the ball all to himself for the first 10 minutes. With Ash ruining the full back and the midfield dictating the game it seemed inevitable that an early goal would come. Ash had a powerful shot from the edge of the box parried away after a couple of minutes and Matt saw an opportunistic volley from the edge of the box dip to early into the keepers hands but a goal was in us.The goal came about 15 minutes in when a lovely lofted ball from Kev was nodded back down by Joe and Dave Hough was there to prod the ball home from a couple of yards. Three goals in his last couple of appearances, he's finally found his scoring boots!!
For whatever reason we let our foot of the gas and the Hamptonians midfield started to get a grip of the game, playing the same system as us with 3 in the middle of the park it was an important battle for us to win. Unfortunately a lack of organisation from a quick throw saw the ball bounce over Sam's head and into the path of their striker who proceeded to smash the ball in at the near post past Jake, 1-1.
Sam's pre match betting tip (to concede a penalty) then came true when, after a mazy run by his old friend Tom from the left saw Sam slide in but not get the ball and Tom flew through the air to ensure the referee saw the infringement and a pen was awarded. The striker then bagged his second of the game, converting the penalty, 2-1 down and in all honesty our heads went down a little.
Having scored first we were shocked by the turnaround and the halftime whistle was needed for us to regroup and get our heads back on. We regrouped and reminded ourselves what was at stake, we had 45 minutes to rectify the situation.
The second half began brightly with the ball being moved about and Ash and Joe coming back into the game. We knew we could score so it was vital that the defence kept their shape and organisation and they did exactly that, working well as a unit and putting in the big challenges when needed. The equaliser came when a corner was put in by Joe and Eric headed superbly past the melee of players and into the corner with Ash desperately trying to toe it in but failing to do so. 2-2 and back in the game.
A header by George nearly put us in the lead but he couldnt get it on target, but then the lead came shortly after the equaliser in contraversial circumstances. A corner by Ash was gathered underneath his crossbar by the keeper but Joe applied some pressure and he was judged to have crossed the line with the ball in his hands. 3-2, cue some jubilant scenes but also some strong words from the Hamptonian players towards the linesman and referee.
With the lead now restored we had to make sure we kept our shape, we were playing well, limiting them to half chances and working hard all over the pitch. Neil Cooper had come on for Dave Hough, who I thought went off because of his groin, only for it to transpire later on in the pub that he went off because of cramp, after 55 minutes at 24! It mattered little as Neil Cooper played a blinder in the middle when he came on, bringing fresh legs and his usual composure and class to the occassion.
The lead was squandered with 20 or so to go when their striker bagged his hattrick after a deflection, so he says, took the ball past jake and into the back of the net. To be fair, Hamptonians then dominated possession but with Charlie and Dave providing fresh legs and playing with fresh vigour we were by no means out of it. Extra time it was...
After some tears were shed at 90 minutes everyone knew they had been in game but we had another 30 minutes to go. No more subs in the bank the players had to see it through. The first half was dominated fully by Hamptonians, but with Matt near enough a passenger and 10 other players who had worked their socks off we simply wanted to stay in the game going into the 2nd half and we did, once again limiting them to no real chances to the massive credit of the back four.
2nd half came and we had more of the ball and the play, Charlie was accepting fouls galore and this was invaluable at this late stage. Finally a ball from Ash saw George homing in on goal, a misjudged header by their porky subsitute allowed George goal side and he rode a couple of challenges before poking the ball past the on rushing keeper with calmness, cue pandemonium. Subs off the bench, fans jubilant, players ecstatic but we still had 5 or so mins to play, something that Stanners reminded the subs! George had been relatively quiet all game but it is a sign of his ability that he was able to take the chance when he got it, its all you can ask of a striker at the end of the day.
With Charlie seemingly stuck to the ball when in possession, the fouls he drew in were a massive contribution and with Dave Ryan providing his usual composure and link up with Ash we saw out the final minutes with relative ease and the cup was ours!!!!
Every single player played a huge role, but not only the 14 that were used. Every single player that has played in the cup run deserves huge credit for getting us here in the first place from Kew through to the final. We had some absolute classics, scoring 24 goals in 6 games and conceding 12 we certainly made sure there was a show. Thank you to all those that came down, it made a huge difference to have that vocal support, you out shouted the Hamps supporters with ease! My hangover is going to last though to our next game in 2 weeks I think. What a day, what a win.
P.s if it wasnt for Dave Hough holding a 15 year old girl in a head lock on the high street in the wee hours of the night the cup would have been lost after George was mugged by them, how and why I do not know and Im not sure if I want to know.
