Immanuel have talked about promotion for months, for weeks the calculators have been out working out what was needed, but today was simple. Win and Oswaldtwistle Immanuel, just 12 months after finishing bottom of the third division, would be celebrating promotion to division 2.
Hyndburn Youth stood between Immanuel and jubilation. This was a different Hyndburn Youth to the side that was pulled apart by a James Leech inspired Immanuel in September and nobody was expecting a result like the 9 goal victory recorded that day.
Immanuel started in the best possible way though, and recent signing Graham Harrison created an opportunity to deliver a cross in the 6th minute. Whether he went for the cross is a mystery only Harrison has the answer to but it is irrelevant. The ball sailed over the keeper and in off the bar, bringing the net down with it. There was a delay as the net was reattached which allowed Matt Cook time to consider how many light years he would have been away from saving a similar shot.
Immanuel were playing some attractive football and were a joy to watch. But it wasn't just the passing that deserved credit. They were alive, alert and tenacious. Matt Malonie and Graham Harrison in particular not letting the Hyndburn Youth defence settle on the ball.
Hyndburn Youth were able to hold Immanuel off though until the 29th minute when Simon Hodgkiss found himself 1 on 1 with the keeper and kept a cool head to double Immanuel's lead. The pride on Bryan Hodgkiss's face was clear for all to see and it wasn't hard to see why Simon was his favourite son.
Joy was short lived however, Hyndburn Youth took advantage of some slack marking from a corner and made it 2-1. This was a reminder to Immanuel that they had a real match on their hands and they had to stay focus. Manager Parky, whom many are now referring to as the hairy Mourinho, missed the goal as he had unfortunately engaged in conversation with Clayton-Le-Moors' Village Idiot. To Parky, it was like being at work!
That goal woke Immanuel up and Simon Hodgkiss and Matt Malonie both found the net to to give Immanuel a deserved 4-1 half time lead.
They were 45 minutes from promotion. A promotion they have thoroughly deserved.
Hyndburn Youth hadn't read the script though, and a lacksadaisical 10 minutes from Immanuel at the beginning of the second half allowed Hyndburn Youth to claw back at Immanuel's lead with 2 quick goals of their own. 4-3 and game on.
The nerves were now visible and Immanuel needed big characters to step up. The sober Fergus Heyes did this. Winning tackles and picking out passes, he brought a calmness and assuredness that Immanuel needed and as they began to take control of the game again, Malonie and Harrison forced a mistake from the Hyndburn Youth keeper and Harrison finished his second to make it 5-3.
A late penalty brought Hyndburn Youth back to within a goal of Immanuel at 5-4 and made it a tense finish but Immanuel held on. They had made hard work of it but they had done what they needed to.
The celebrations could finally start, and every player who had been involved throughout the season had played their part and deserved to celebrate and enjoy what they had achieved. There will always be individuals that are picked out as stars but Immanuel's success has been a team effort and not one person has got anything more than they deserve.
