Wycombe Hermits (19/11/2006)
2006 - 2007 Season, Afc Hithercroft

The game kicked off at 10.36am with Afc Hithercroft having most of the possession and territorial advantage but were initially unable to make this count. On 21 minutes Baz took the ball down the right and crossed it into the 6-yard box where Kevin Howell dived to head the ball just outside of the left-hand post. Three minutes later Jamaine Warner sent the ball down the right wing to Tyrone Francis, Tyrone crossed it to Baz on the left and Baz took it round the keeper and slotted it into the far side of the net from very close to the bye-line to put Hithercroft 1-0 ahead. On the half-hour mark Hithercroft went further ahead when Baz collected the ball on the left, took it into the 18-yard box and threaded it between the keeper and the post. Three minutes later Kevin Howell, on receiving a return pass from Richard McKie, headed the ball just wide of the left-hand post from 28-yards out. In the 38th minute Baz down the middle and, from 20 yards, chipped the ball over the advancing keeper but it passed just over the crossbar. Two minutes later Richard pushed a Hermits’ player who had brought him down, and so ended up in the referee’s book.

At 11.27am the second half got underway and Hithercroft had a great opportunity to extend their lead two minutes later. Baz had pushed the ball out wide to Frank Smith and he sent the ball back into the middle about 6-yards from the goal-line but Tyrone slipped as he went to tap the ball home and ended up full-stretch on the grass, the ball going out for a goal-kick. In the 51st minute Hermits had a chance when the ball was played back to the Hithercroft stand-in keeper, who failed to gather it, and the loose ball defied the defenders’ attempts to clear it and Hermits’ attempts to put it in the net, the ball eventually going out for a corner which Dougie Carswell then headed clear. Two minutes later the ball touched a Hermit defender’s arm and the referee awarded a free kick to Hithercroft just outside the 18-yard box. Richard McKie took the kick and curved the ball round the defensive wall into the left-hand side of the net to put the home team 3-0 ahead. Hermits sent on all three of their subs in the 60th minute but, three minutes later, Hithercroft scored their 4th goal when Baz sent the ball in from the left-hand corner and Richard rose up to head the ball past the keeper. In the 68th minute Jamaine Humphrey was replaced by Leon Browne for Hithercroft. The referee awarded a penalty kick to Hithercroft in the 73rd minute following a foul but Richard sent his shot wide of the right-hand post. Three minutes later Tyrone handed over the captain’s arm-band to Baz as he left the field following a knee injury and Dan Birch came on as a replacement. Hermits came close in the 77th minute when a head-height ball was sent in from a corner kick but their No.8 headed the ball just outside the post. The referee evened-up the bookings in the 79th minute when the Hermits’ No.15 went into his book for dissent. Five minutes before the end Hithercroft displayed their best move of the game when Dan, Richard and Frank inter-passed the ball down the left wing, crossed it to Baz on the right, and he entered the 18-yard box to strike the ball into the far side of the net for his third goal. When the final whistle blew Hithercroft had ended with a 5-0 win.

Dougie Carswell had played a superb game in defence for Hithercroft, using his head (in both senses) and high kicks to clear any threats; Baz had scored a hat-trick on his return but the Man-of-the-match was awarded to Richard Mckie.

Hithercroft scorers: Baz David (24 mins, 30 mins and 85 mins), Richard McKie (53 mins and 63 mins)

Hithercroft team: Dewayne Dublin (GK), Jamaine Warner, Jamaine Humphrey, Dougie Carswell, Kris Clark, Kevin Midgley, Richard McKie, Tyrone Francis, Baz David, Kevin Howell, Frank Smith.

Hithercroft subs: Leon Browne replaced Jamaine Humphrey (68 mins), Dan Birch replaced Tyrone Francis (76 mins)