This First Division clash at the Athletic Ground lived up to expectations – excepting perhaps for the result from the Nomad’s perspective!
In hindsight it was an evenly matched game with both sides equally sharing the attacking moves on a pitch which held up well considering the level of rain over the past three days. But it was the visitors who took advantage of an early defensive error and Justin Harding latched on to the ball and fired home from close range. Within ten minutes Hakin found the net again via Ashley Bevan and the home crowd must have thought “we’ve been here before – this is not going to be our day”. And with ten minutes remaining of the first period things seemed to substantiate this overview of the game when Bevan struck again to make it 0-3 to the visitors. However with just two minutes remaining of the half, Henry Durrant picked up the ball on the edge of Hakin’s goal area and rifled home a left-footed strike to give the Nomads a lifeline at the break.
The second period gave Neyland an initial wind advantage for the first 10 minutes or so until it subsided altogether. There was an increase in pressure from the Nomads and there was a growing confidence with Wayne Parry, Sean Hannon and Mikey Chandler all having chances to reduce the arrears. However it was a direct run into the box by Gary Power which led to the next goal. Having rounded one of the visitor’s defenders, he was then brought down by the second resulting in a penalty. After some delay for treatment to Power and a yellow card for the defender, Henry Durrant took the spot kick and lashed it in to the left hand corner of the net. And with the scoreline at 2-3 and with sufficient time remaining there was a growing feeling that the homesters could turn the game around. This was reinforced further when Hakin’s Matthew Broome was shown a red card for a second bookable offence. The pressure was maintained by Neyland until a free kick was awarded to Hakin in a dangerous position on the left flank. From the ensuing free kick, Neyland gave away another kick even closer to the goal and from the cross Neyland defenders failed to clear the ball and Justin (skinny) Harding turned on the loose ball and fired home to obliterate any chance which the Nomads might have had of rescuing the ball. So the final score was 2-4 to Hakin Utd.
Next week the 1st X1 is home to Goodwick Utd. and the 2nd X1 is away to Monkton Swifts.
Team: Patrick Hannon, Scott Jones, Nicky Koomen, Paul Hannon, Andrew Kemp, Gary Power, Wayne Vaughan-Parry, Nathan Warlow, Henry Durrant, Mikey Chandler, Sean Hannon, Joe Charlton, Leigh Power, Jarred Campbell
Pictured below is goal scorer Henry Durrant
