Those Were The Days; 14th April 2007

[Les1949]

Not around tomorrow, so....

THOSE WERE THE DAYS
14th April 2007

Isthmian (Ryman) League Premier Division

Staines Town 2 HRBFC 2 (Yaku, Wells) Att; 404

HRBFC;-
Matt Lovett; Graham Harper, Ryan Lake, Marcello Fernandes, Rob Paris (Glen Harris, 66’), Dean Wells, Stuart Lake (Alan Inns, 67’), Lawrence Yaku, Ian Hodges, Barrie Matthews (Elliott Frost, 54’), Kelvin McIntosh.
Unused Subs; Marvin Bartley, Victor Asombang

Manager Alan Devonshire asked his players to be cool, calm and collected with the championship so close. But, on a baking hot day, a hard, bumpy pitch – no watering by Staines due to a breakdown, it was difficult to keep calm and carry on. The first half was all one-way traffic as Hampton piled on the pressure but found ex-Beaver James Courtnage in resolute form, making saves from Hodges and Stuart Lake. Courtnage also had some luck going his way when he just managed to grab a Yaku effort before it crossed the line. In the second half, Hampton then found themselves 2-0 down before the hour was out. Jordan Kiffen struck home a loose ball, after Lovett (ex-Staines!), had beaten Mark Nwokeji’s shot away, then Nwokeji set up Kevin Warner for the second. Devonshire went on the attack, replacing Paris with Harris and the gamble paid off. In the 78th minute, Yaku held off a defender and poked the ball home. Three minutes before time Ryan Lake and Frost combined, and Harris sent over a cross which was lashed in by Wells at the far post. There was still time for Hodges to have a goal scrubbed out, after a dubious offside flag.



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