Much improved Sports narrowly miss out

16/10/10
Saturday U12's Division One
Hucknall Sports 1 Greenwood Meadows 4

In a reverse of last weeks fixture Hucknall Sports hosted Greenwood Meadows at their home ground in Newstead Village. A great pitch, bright sunshine and blustery winds made for perfect conditions for both teams.

Sports new found confidence and team spirit showed immediately when James Hallam created a chance for strike partner Ellis Evans in the first 5 mins. But unfortunately the Welsh Wizard just couldn't get enough on the ball to fully test the keeper from close range. Greenwood were rocked and Sports took a deserved lead when a masterful strike from the versatile Ryan Towle flew into the back of the net from all of 30 yards out.

Sports needed to weather the storm and were happy to see a Greenwood free-kick clip the cross-bar and go over. However, Greenwood capitalised on a mistake in midfield by Sports to work a clever equaliser that Kal Orton in the Sports goal could do nothing about. Soon after more bad luck (we have had plenty this season) when a shot bound for the safety of Sports Keeper Kal Orton's hands deflected off of Bowley and into the back of the net.

Hucknall are nothing if not resilient and showed great belief in themselves. Both sets of supporters held their breathe as Towle stepped up for a trademark free-kick. But unfortunately the blustery wind took his great shot off target and as Bowley lined himself for a rebound shot the referee blew for an infringement. Another chance for Sports to equalise arrived from a looping cross where Hallam was sent sprawling and Jacob Barlow narrowly avoided forcing the ball into the net. With Sports in the ascendency the half-time whistle blew with Greenwood in a narrow lead.

Half time Hucknall Sports 1 Greenwood Meadows 2

Second half changes for Sports made sure that the same energy levels and intensity were maintained. Hucknall's defensive line of Towle, Saxton, Newton and Eastwood covered everything that Greenwood could throw at them and it was going to take something special to score. Sports mistakenly thought they had been awarded a free-kick on the edge of their own area only to see the decision go the other way. Keeper, Kal Orton, looked to have made a great save from Greenwood's shot but their strikers were first to react to the rebound and bundled in the net from a position that, on a different day, might have been flagged for off-side.

Greenwood took their score to 4-1 after an outstanding free-kick from 30 yards from Adrian Lang, but once again Sports management were puzzled at the decision for what appeared to be a 50/50 challenge. Hucknall still had chances to get back into the game and William Brown went close for the second week running, but eventually time ran out on Sports and the whistle blew for a victory to Greenwood.

Full time: Hucknall Sports 1 Greenwood Meadows 4

This was a great effort against one of the best teams in the league. Sports refusal to roll-over and hand the game to Greenwood was commendable and all the players deserve much credit for giving maximum effort throughout.
Choosing a Man of the Match was extremely difficult today with Towle, Hallam, Evans, Saxton, Newton and Eastwood all doing well. But today's winner was Mitch Davies.
Mitch has been wonderfully consistent and close to winning the award on many occasions - well done kiddo and keep it up.

After a very difficult start to the season the signs are that Sports have turned the corner. Stick together boys and the rewards will come.