Totteridge FC (24/03/2002)
2001 - 2002 Season, Hithercroft Under 15s



At last the sun was shining for our return match against Totteridge. The ground was in good condition following a few days of good weather. Our previous game against Totteridge had ended in a 3-3 draw, Hithercroft scoring the equaliser from a penalty awarded in the final minute of the match.

The game kicked off at 10.35am and started with a series of attacking moves from the home team. They missed many chances when balls were crossed or played up-field but there were no Hithercroft players in positions to run onto them. Totteridge broke through the Hithercroft defense early in the game but Matthew Stone gave chase and hooked the ball clear of the player in possession. The ball travelled across to a Totteridge player who had the open net at his mercy but he completely missed the ball! Hithercroft resumed their attacks and were rewarded after 23 minutes when Richard Sunderland, who had just come on as a substitute, slipped the ball through to Jason Guy on the right and Jason’s subsequent tightly-angled shot ended up in the visitor’s net. More shots followed, some being long shots and others being from awkward angles, but without success, until Duane White’s shot from a similar angle to that of Jason’s goal found it’s way into the net to put Hithercroft 2-0 ahead at 11.04am. The established pattern continued for the remainder of the first half with Hithercroft doing most of the attacking but Totteridge occasionally attacking on the break.

The second half continued in similar fashion to the first half , the initial excitement coming when Totteridge’s Jamaine Hockley took the ball down the right wing into the 18-yard area. Phil Lines came out but Jamaine pushed the ball wide and then took a shot at the open goal. Fortunately for the home team a defender managed to rush back to the goal line and push the ball clear for a corner. Later Hithercroft were awarded a free kick and Shahid Ahmed floated the ball a good 20 yards over the keeper’s head and into the net but the goal was disallowed (the reason not being apparent). After 15 minutes of this half Totteridge attacked and played the ball from the wing into the centre of the field. Phil came forward and got his hand to the ball but was unable to gather it, pushing it across goal for Jamaine to tap it into the net to reduce the visitor’s deficit to just one goal. However, within sixty seconds Hithercroft had restored their 2-goal lead when Dewayne Dublin scored from the right-hand side of the field after receiving a good ball from Richard. Jason then dropped back into defence, using his speed and strength in the tackle to keep Totteridge at bay until the final whistle.

Hithercroft had dominated most of the first half but allowed Totteridge to come more into the game in the second half. It was a very exciting game to watch and the home team just had the edge to deserve the win. Unfortunately, after the final whistle had blown a Totteridge player called the referee ‘a cheat’ and was then ‘red-carded’.


Hithercroft’s goals came from Jason Guy, Duane White and Dewayne Dublin.

Hithercroft’s Man of the Match was captain Jason Guy.

Totteridge’s goal came from Jamaine Hockley.