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| Wycombe
Hermits (01/10/2006) 2006 - 2007 Season, Afc Hithercroft  The weather was mainly overcast but with both showers and sunny periods breaking out throughout the game. There was a strong breeze blowing along the Shelley Road pitch which had long grass but was not as muddy as expected. Kieran Bailey took charge of the game with Pam Ife and Russell Page running the lines. Hithercroft had sixteen players turn up for this game, making a pleasant change from the previous two weeks when they had no substitutes available. The game kicked off at 10.33am, Hithercroft having the wind behind them and playing downhill on the slight slope. The visitors had their first on-target shot after 2 minutes when keeper Neil Stretton sent the ball down the left wing to Frank Smith, Frank crossed it into the middle and Tyrone Francis had his 25-yard shot saved by the Hermits’ keeper who leapt to his left to collect the ball. In the 4th minute Tyrone took the ball out to the right wing, pushed it infield to Paul Morgan who rounded an opponent before crossing it to Ashley Anderson. Although Ashley found the back of the net his'goal' was disallowed, the linesman having flagged for an off-side. However, one minute later Frank took the ball down the left, sent it inside to Matt Seaton who entered the 18-yard box and struck the ball into the far right-hand side of the net to put Hithercroft 1-0 ahead. On 8 minutes Ashley played the ball out left to Kevin Howell, he crossed it into the middle and Tyrone ran onto it but saw his shot pushed round the post by the Hermits’ keeper. In the 17th minute Hermits were awarded a free-kick in the middle of the pitch and 30 yards from their opponent’s goal-line. Their No.12 blasted the ball at the defensive wall and then hit the ricocheting ball high over the crossbar. Ashley then ran down the left wing, tempting the keeper to charge out of his area and then he crossed the ball inside to Tyrone. The keeper scrambled back onto his line as Tyrone went up to head the ball and they collided, the ball ending up in the back of the net but the 'goal' being disallowed as the referee ruled that the keeper had been impeded. On 24 minutes Frank sent in a low corner kick, Tyrone's shot was blocked by the keeper but the ball went loose across the goal-mouth and Kevin Howell ran in to tap the ball into the net for Hithercroft’s second. Five minutes later Paul won the ball and sent it out to Tyrone on the right, Tyrone played the ball back into the middle and, as the keeper went down on it but failed to gather the ball, Kevin sent the ball to Frank on the left who hit it inside the far side of the net for Hithercroft’s third. Just 3 minutes later Kevin crossed the ball from the left, Frank sent it into the middle and Ashley ran in to score and put Hithercroft 4-0 ahead. The visitors maintained the pressure, winning throw-ins and corner-kicks galore whilst the Hermits kept blocking their attacks. On 40 minutes Frank crossed the ball from near the left corner flag to Kevin but his shot was blocked. The ball rebounded to Paul and his powerful shot from 35 yards went just over the crossbar. Another near-miss came sixty seconds later when, from Tyrone’s throw-in, Kevin turned and also hit a shot just over the bar. The second half began at 11.24am in the middle of a shower, that had begun shortly before the end of the first half, and the Hermits had made a substitution at the half-way point. Hithercroft were playing some attractive football, stringing their passes together rather than relying on the long ball that they had used in some previous matches. Eight minutes into the half Kevin sent a diagonal cross from the right, Ashley took the ball into the 18-yard box and crossed it towards Tyrone. Although a defender gathered it, Tyrone regained the ball and struck it inside the far left side of the net to put Hithercroft 5-0 up. On the sixty minute mark Hithercroft made their first of two substitutions, sending on Baz David to replace Kevin and Baz was soon into the action. Paul, after a tussle with the Hermit’s defenders, managed to dig out the ball and send it to Matt, who passed it on to Baz. He tried a shot but the ball went just outside the left-hand post. Wycombe Hermits had their best opportunity of the game in the 66th minute when their No.5 brought the ball down his right wing and hit a shot that keeper, Neil Stretton, pushed up onto the crossbar. Baz then gathered the ball and took off down the left wing and was then brought down by a Hermits’ player. However, he regained his feet and, with the referee allowing advantage, ran on and turned into the 18-yard box, only to be brought down again as he prepared to take a shot. Mr Bailey awarded a penalty kick and Baz scored Hithercroft’s sixth as he struck the ball to the right of the keeper in the 67th minute. Within a few minutes Baz almost added another goal when Tyrone sent the ball out to Baz on the left but his shot was pushed wide by the Hermits’ keeper. On 74 minutes the Hermits’ No.5 gathered the ball on the left side of the 18-yard box and struck a shot that hit the left-hand upright. Four minutes later Matt brought the ball into the 18-yard box from the left and sent it across to Paul. Paul’s shot rebounded from the post but Baz struck the ball back into the net for a 7-0 lead. Matt had received a leg injury as he had crossed the ball and was replaced by Dewayne Dublin. In the 84th minute Tyrone won the ball and sent it out to Baz on the left. As the keeper came out Baz jinked past him and sent the ball across the face of the goal for Ashley to run in from the right and push it into the net. Three minutes from the end Frank played a high ball in from the left and Baz’s header went just over the crossbar. On the 90-minute mark Dewayne’s shot was pushed out by the keeper only for Ashley, running in from the right, to strike the ball into the back of the net to bring him his hat trick and give Hithercroft an emphatic 9-0 victory. Hithercroft scorers: Matt Seaton (5 mins), Kevin Howell (24 mins), Frank Smith (29 mins), Ashley Anderson (32 mins, 84 mins, 90 mins), Tyrone Francis (53 mins), Baz David (67 min penalty and 78 mins) Hithercroft team: Neil Stretton (GK), Jamaine Warner (RB), Kris Clark and David Blackman (CB), Dan Birch (LB), Tyrone Francis, Paul Morgan, Frank Smith and Matt Seaton (Midfield), Ashley Anderson and Kevin Howell (forwards). Hithercroft subs: Baz David replaced Kevin Howell (60mins), Dewayne Dublin replaced Matt Seaton (78 mins) Hithercroft M.o.M: Ashley Anderson |
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