There are some weeks where you know beforehand that you're in for a tough game. This was one of those weeks. Facing a side a division above in the cup, coming off the back of a disappointing defeat was always going to be a hard work, but when the number of injured players on the touchline almost out numbered those starting the game, it was nigh on impossible. By my reckoning there were 9 players absent. Dave Miles and Warren Cheng both missed out after knocks in the previous game against Arborfield while Clifford Davies and Dan Hare were unavailable. James Phillips' swingers holiday with the Walkers was unfortunately timed and Will Rimmer and Daniel Golder remain long term absentees.
After some behind the scenes work, Johnny Kelsall and Dave O'Neil were able to be signed on late and come in for their debuts. They joined a patchwork side that welcomed back Dan Morris up front and had Matt Perkin making his first start for the club in 5 years. Matt Bolton started for the first time since he damaged his ACL and just to highlight how untested the side was, Dan Robertson started at centre back for the first time in nearly 15 years (this is Dan's estimate).
The game couldn't have started worse for Hobnob with FC Woodley taking the lead inside the first minute. Dan Robertson got a head on the shot but the ball somehow got through an impossible gap at the near post. Goals 2 and 3 swiftly followed before the 10 minute mark and the game was effectively over. Even a nasty looking knee injury to one of the Woodley players didn't really stop the flow and in truth, it was only down to some wayward finishing that it waws only 4-0 at half time.
Woodley used the opportunity to move some players about and the game was made even easier for them when Bolton received his marching orders for a ridiculous leap at his opponent, followed by an altercation that saw him shoving the guy in the face. In what had been an otherwise even tempered game, it came out of nowhere. In fairness to Hobnob they rallied round after this with Kelsall, Fitzsimons and Perkin working hard in the middle. Indeed Yorkshireman Kelsall impressed with his work rate on debut and it was him that got Hobnob going forward. With the defence weary from spending the game up against the ropes, it was a blessed relief that toward the end of the game, Hobnob were at least able to threaten the opposition goal. Morris managed to get himself on score sheet after finding the top corner via a deflection. Some neat interplay between Kelsall and Tom Robertson set up Morris for his second late on but in the mean time Woodley had found the net four more times.
It may seem like clutching at straws to find positives in such a heavy defeat, and in truth there aren't many (how can there be when you lose 8-2?!) but the two debutants played well and the negativity that often creeps into our games didn't really materialise. In the main this is one to put to the back of the mind. Concentrate on the league or some similar cliche!
