Rawlings Finally Cracks Hampton’s Resistance
Hampton FC 2-5 GNP Sports
Seven goals, a few close shaves at both ends but eventually this encounter was deservedly won by GNP, who were denied more goals by fine goalkeeping from Hampton’s Lee Garghan. Oddly, GNP’s offense often utilised a through-pass for the very active and channel-running Raiders’ forwards Stuart Hendrie and Tommy Rawlings, who netted all five goals between them. Yet Hampton worked the ball smartly in midfield on occasions with Chris Hill, Curtis Thomas and Cameron Sievwright particularly creative, well supported by Aaron Anderson and Ainsley Sievwright. Left-back Dale Hewitt showed some fine work on the flank too and his deliveries were generally posers for the GNP defence to deal with, especially as home central striker Scott Morrison was a ‘big bugger’ and he ruffled feathers aerially.
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| THE OFFICIALS AND THE HAMPTON SKIPPER WAIT FOR GNP'S BRYSON TO COMPLETE HIS PEE... |
Rawlings though won the match for his team with a smart finish, a superb free-kick and a lashed drive, following a neat one-two with Hendrie. Rawlings had miscued one shot wide in the opening half and then powered a low shot off Garghan’s legs to win a corner, before he lobbed an effort onto the roof of Garghan’s net at the start of the second period, then forced the hard pressed goalie into a fine parry with a left-booter. Following a shock opening for GNP when Anderson shot low from 12 yards into the right corner of the net, before the Raiders had even flobbed their first sputum onto Field Lane’s green turf, Rawlings regained parity by converting Jason Evans’ left-side centre confidently and first time, although the focus on my camera failed me on that occasion and for that I apologise to the tall forward.
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| MORRISON KICKS OFF... |
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| 1-0: ANDERSON (7) THE SCORER... |
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| 1-1: RAWLINGS HAS EQUALISED... |
Hendrie took over then, having already clipped two angled shots off target and failed to nudge the ball into goal at the right upright, albeit from an offside position. Hendrie was eventually played through the inside-right channel and slipped an easy finish past the advancing but helpless Garghan. Goal three was a spot-kick, won by GNP defender Lewis Cosgrove, who was apparently shoved from behind by home defender Simon Hinsley. Hendrie rolled a calm penalty to Garghan’s left, as the ‘keeper lunged away to his right.
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| 1-2... |
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| HENDRIE FOR GNP... |
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| 1-3... |
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| HENDRIE'S PENALTY... |
Cosgrove just failed to get a touch at the left post to Rawlings’ deft deflection of the effective Lewis Marston’s free-kick but with the guests 1-3 ahead, little was seen of Hampton, bar the occasional Hewitt centre, some enterprising possession by the aforementioned playmakers and an offside effort by Ainsley Sievwright. But then the hosts netted a shock goal from a deep right side centre by Hinsley and Morrison simply bullied the GNP defence, getting in a looping 8 yard header which arced over visiting goalie Scott Davis, who is actually a tall guy. Hampton took heart, the Raiders looked like they had just lost their Ark and began to dither in defence, allowing Anderson to fire centimetres wide of the right stick from 15 yards, before Davis rushed at Cam Sievwright, criminally unmarked in the defensive left-back position and blocked the Hampton man’s low drive with his torso. Cam Sievwright’s late lobbed shot into an empty net was also cancelled out for offside and in truth, after recovering from an early blow, then dominating, GNP had ended an error-riddled half on the back foot, with their opponents threatening.
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| HEWITT CHECKS ON HIS PREY... |
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| 2-3: MORRISON THE SCORER FOR THE HOSTS... |
Little was seen of Hampton as an attacking group after half-time though, as their guests forced the pace. Only a couple of angled crosses which flew from side to side, one simple low shot, plus one header to Davis and a disappointing Hewitt free-kick from 25 yards which he lifted too high, really caused any consternation for Davis and his defence. The GNP back-line still often succumbed to hasty, inaccurate hacks away however and on occasions the unit seemed to lack self-assurance. Maybe substitute Jordan Andrews caused a few chills in the Raiders’ defence late on too but little came from his rushes.
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| RAWLINGS STARTS THE SECOND PERIOD... |
Certainly GNP ought to have settled the game between the 46th and 60th minutes, for apart from Rawlings’ lob onto the net and Garghan’s good save from the same man, Hendrie’s low effort was also superbly saved by the flying Garghan, although Evans skied the 8 yard rebound over an unguarded net. The impressive Raider skipper James Bryson clipped a fine shot with the outside of his right boot from 18 yards, left of centre but Garghan did brilliantly to claw the ball against his left post as he leapt.
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| BUSY AND GOOD AFTERNOON FOR GARGHAN... |
Subsequently though he was beaten twice by Rawlings and both were excellent goals. A push by Hinsley brought a 25 yard free-kick for GNP, inside-left channel and Rawlings struck a fierce curling effort beyond even the gallant Garghan and high into the right corner of the net. Later, Charlie Cook appeared as a replacement for the Raiders but although he simply couldn’t get into the rhythm of the game after his brief stay at Coventry Copsewood (why do people write ‘Copeswood’???), misplacing well meant passes and misreading runs by colleagues, Cook hacked a clearance from his own 18 yard line, left to right, the ball bounced up ridiculously over the unfortunate Hewitt’s head just inside his own half and the lurking Rawlings needed no further invitation.
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| RAWLINGS CLAIMS A FREE-KICK... |
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| ...& CRACKS IN A FINE GOAL... |
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| 2-4 NOW... |
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| CAUTION FOR PARCHMENT, ON YELLOW CARD, NOT ON PARCHMENT... |
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| 2-5... |
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| RAWLINGS HAS COMPLETED HIS HAT-TRICK... |
He played a languid pass inside to Hendrie, who returned the feed and Rawlings evaded Hewitt’s last-ditch sliding challenge before ramming a strong shot past the hapless Garghan. Hendrie saw another low drive well turned past his right upright by the alert Garghan and Cook nicked a left-side corner wide of the near post, although earlier Bryson had slipped another Marston corner into goal at the near stick, only for it to be disallowed while the referee spoke to the hassling Rawlings and Hinsley.
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| RAWLINGS TAKES A BREAK... |
Home substitute Benet Parchment was the only cautioned player in a reasonably good tempered encounter. Ben Everett, Hinsley and Joel Baudet-Ralphs battled hard in the home defence whilst counterparts Cosgrove, Jin Dhaliwal and Luke Swinnerton took some while to achieve composure, leaving Rhys Lyons with the awkward job of attempting to deal with Hewitt’s sorties from deep and then those of Andrews on the Hampton left. Hampton’s passing approach was laudable and it took time for the active Marston and the powerful Corey Brooks to get a grip in the trenches for the Raiders. Bryson was imperious on occasions in front of his defence and seems destined to make that role his own. The inconsistent Cook looked isolated on the left flank though and he surely needs to be more involved, playmaking and moving into goalscoring positions from deep, for when his confidence is high, he can cause extreme damage to any defence.
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| DAVIS IN THE NET... |
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| GARGHAN IN THE SUN... |
Simon Hinsley? Last time I saw him was at Redditch Borough last May. He was dismissed for an innocuous challenge on a Boro’ striker in the opening minute and thus conceded a penalty. His team was 3-0 down in 15 minutes and finally lost 6-0, effectively keeping Redditch in the division. Against GNP? Gave the penalty away which Hendrie converted for goal three and conceded the free-kick from which Rawlings netted goal four.
Simon, I’d better not watch you again until the ‘Curse of the Mowdog’ has been lifted…
It was however good to chat to Dale Hewitt after the match, for he impressed me, along with Hill, Thomas and Cam Seivwright…
TEAMS:
HAMPTON FC:
LEE GARGHAN, BEN EVERITT, DALE HEWITT, JOEL BAUDET-RALPHS, SIMON HINSLEY, CHRIS HILL, AARON ANDERSON, CURTIS THOMAS, SCOTT MORRISON, CAM SIEVWRIGHT (CAPT), AINSLEY SIEVWRIGHT.
SUBS:
BENET PARCHMENT, JORDAN ANDREWS, JOE BENNETT, STANFORD STEWART.
GNP SPORTS:
SCOTT DAVIS, LEWIS COSGROVE, JIN DHALIWAL, RHYS LYONS, LUKE SWINNERTON, JAMES BRYSON (CAPT), STUART HENDRIE, CORY BROOKES, TOM RAWLINGS, LEWIS MARSTON, JASON EVANS.
SUBS:
TOM DYKE, BRENNAN KING, CHARLIE COOK.
