Hobnob extend their winless streak to five games in an eventful 5-4 defeat at Arborfield Rec against their great rivals Arborfield.
With some players nursing hangovers from the Christmas party the night before, Hobnob went into this game in good spirits. Games against Arborfield have in the past resulted in tense, exciting affairs that have usually included controversy. Perhaps with this in mind, the decision was made to stick with the attacking look to the side but with a few changes in personnel. With Dan Hare missing with a knee injury, Clifford Davies came back and Rich Paine switched to the opposite flank. Tom Robertson and Ed Bargent also dropped out with Daniel Cross and Warren Cheng coming in.
The game started very tentatively but the large pitch suited Hobnob’s style of play and they edged the opening exchanges without creating anything clear cut. It was against the run of play when a corner was only half cleared and from the edge of the area the Arborfield player somehow managed to contrive to loop it over Chapman in the Hobnob goal. The response was almost immediate. Plant and Paine revelled in the extra space and the latter was allowed to run past the full back before pulling it across the area for Pulfer to score a smart finish from close range; a first goal for Hobnob’s record, £6 signing. Only minutes later Plant swept a beautiful ball in behind the full back for Paine who found Dan Robertson on the edge of the area. With time to settle himself Robertson was able to slide a cool left foot finish under the keeper. The lead lasted a matter of minutes as Arborfield broke from kick off and the cross from the left was headed just beyond Chapman who was only able to push it the wrong side of the post. There were clearly still goals in the first half and it was Hobnob that were doing all the running; Robertson coming close with a header after more good work from Paine. The lead was finally restored after a bit of pinball in the box fell kindly at the feet of Plant who deftly pulled it back for Bolton to score from the edge of the area with a powerful strike.
Hobnob had dominated the first half and would have been disappointed not to have gone into the break with a bigger lead. That was soon rectified when, seconds after the restart, Paine again broke clear of his man, played it to the feet of Robertson who turned it into the path of Plant who slotted it in at the near post. Hobnob were cruising and playing some wonderful attacking football. It was shortly after the goal that controversy followed. Pulfer broke free of his man and bearing down on goal was pole axed by the onrushing goalkeeper on the edge of the area. There was nobody within yards and it seemed an inevitable red card. The referee, perhaps mindful that the setting was a Sunday morning game rather than a Premiership clash, opted to just show the yellow. The resulting free kick was placed just over by Plant. Encouraged by their good fortune Arborfield began to grow in confidence and were handed a major slice of luck when a pull back across the area was turned into his own net by captain Warren Cheng; a disappointing way for the Hobnob stalwart to celebrate his 50th competitive game for the club. At 4-3 the game was very much up for grabs but perhaps the biggest turning point came when Paine was forced off after the hour mark with a hamstring strain. Veteran Adam Turner came on for his 50th game but was unable to provide the directness that the influential Paine had. Shortly afterwards Arborfield got their equalizer when they doubled up on Tiltman and were able to tap in from close range. Hobnob were still creating chances and Pulfer was agonizingly close to curling his shot into the top corner but it wasn’t to be. The winner followed shortly afterwards when Tiltman was again left isolated and the tall centre forward was able to head in.
The game ended on a further sour note when a late challenge from Davies on the opposition full back resulted in a shoving match in which punches were thrown. The referee was left with little choice but to send both players off.
For an hour of the game Hobnob dominated, playing some of their best football of the season and looked dangerous every time they got forward. Today however, it just wasn’t to be and it is now five defeats in a row, all by one goal, that leaves them midtable in 6th, albeit with games in hand. Nobbers should however take heart from, not only the performance for the first hour, but also from the fact that prior to the winless streak they won five games on the spin. A good omen going into next week’s game at Chalfont.
