21/04: WALPOLE SCRAPE DRAW AT WOOLPACK
Category: Match Reports
Posted by: Dan
The Woolpack FC 2 - 2 Walpole Community
Starting Line-up: L.Stanger, Kirby, Herbert, Shaw, Turpin, B.Ramsden-Reilly, Campbell, Cosgrove, Arnold, Ro.Hawkyard, Ri.Hawkyard
Subs: Linford on for Kirby, Martin on for Campbell
Subs not used: Battye
Goals: Arnold, Ri.Hawkyard
Man of the Match: Ro.Hawkyard - Another fine game in a new role. He won everything in the air, held the ball up well, and posed an attacking threat.
With the season drawing to a close this came as a massive game. A win for the Woolpack would almost ensure a 5th place finish, yet defeat would see them stuck in 7th, where they finished last season.
With Dave Ginty injured from last nights FA Cup final with Aimbry, and Scott Newburn and Andy Battye both struggling with injuries sustained at the weekend it meant that Sean Cosgrove came into midfield, Luke Stanger returned in goal, and Calum Campbell moved onto the wing (where he scored on Sunday) and Will Herbert returned at full back. James Turpin also came in for Daniel Martin at centre back.
The first half was a fairly open game, Walpole only really going close from long range efforts and the Woolpack attacking both fullbacks and causing problems. Early on Ritchie Hawkyard was finding himself the centre of the attacks down the left, and it was him who eventually opened the scoring with a perfectly hit left footed volley into the bottom corner, a definite contender for goal of the season.
At the other end Walpole should have scored when one of a few mix-ups between keeper and defence saw Stanger drop the ball and the Walpole striker somehow shot wide. The main talking point of the half however was the referee. With the sun glaring down on the play he managed to miss a blatant handball in the Walpole box and called Woolpack players offside when clean through on at least 3 occasions where they were quite clearly onside.
The second half was going to be a big test as Walpole would inevitably pile everyone forward in search of an equaliser, but before they took this tactic Dean Arnold managed to pop up and score a second with a lovely little chip. At 2-0 the Woolpack were looking comfortable, and then it became the referee show again.
Walpole scored their first goal after Will Herbert was fouled in the middle of the park when he came forward to make a challenge. The referee allowed play to continue stating no advantage was gained and Walpole broke down the now open left back position. With ample time to finish in the box they made it 2-1. The Woolpack complaints went on deaf ears and it began a period of two-footed tackles, handballs and pushing from Walpole all going unpunished, yet the Woolpack were pulled up on the slightest of things. The worst being when Ross Hawkyard held up the ball brilliantly and played an exquisite through-ball to Dean Arnold who was scythed down by the keeper one-on-one and nothing given. Not only was was Arnold in clear pain, but the impact of the challenge was heard through-out the pitch.
The Woolpack then brought Adam Linford onto the wing and moved Calum Campbell back into defence with Kirby coming off. And almost straight away the Woolpack got two lucky decisions where the referee judged players to be offside for Walpole in very close conditions. But on the third such occasion the decision didn't go the Woolpacks way and the scores were levelled at 2-2.
The Woolpack now enjoyed a dominant spell of about 10 minutes before Walpole pushed everything back onto them. Campbell now visibly struggling with a calf strain was replaced by Martin and he was on the pitch long enough to be at the centre of a Walpole penalty appeal waived away by the referee.
In the end a 2-2 result in the conditions was possibly a fair result, although the Woolpack will definitely leave feeling the most hard done by - especially if Walpole go on to finish above them. With the final game of the season next week against rivals Helion, a win can moved the Woolpack above Huddersfield Irish Centre who are currently only above them on goal difference and with one game left to play against Field Head. Field Head can also do the Woolpack a favour by beating Walpole, who have 3 games to play and are 1 point behind with a better goal difference. Their other 2 games are tricky matches against Pak Rangers and Britannia.
Starting Line-up: L.Stanger, Kirby, Herbert, Shaw, Turpin, B.Ramsden-Reilly, Campbell, Cosgrove, Arnold, Ro.Hawkyard, Ri.Hawkyard
Subs: Linford on for Kirby, Martin on for Campbell
Subs not used: Battye
Goals: Arnold, Ri.Hawkyard
Man of the Match: Ro.Hawkyard - Another fine game in a new role. He won everything in the air, held the ball up well, and posed an attacking threat.
With the season drawing to a close this came as a massive game. A win for the Woolpack would almost ensure a 5th place finish, yet defeat would see them stuck in 7th, where they finished last season.
With Dave Ginty injured from last nights FA Cup final with Aimbry, and Scott Newburn and Andy Battye both struggling with injuries sustained at the weekend it meant that Sean Cosgrove came into midfield, Luke Stanger returned in goal, and Calum Campbell moved onto the wing (where he scored on Sunday) and Will Herbert returned at full back. James Turpin also came in for Daniel Martin at centre back.
The first half was a fairly open game, Walpole only really going close from long range efforts and the Woolpack attacking both fullbacks and causing problems. Early on Ritchie Hawkyard was finding himself the centre of the attacks down the left, and it was him who eventually opened the scoring with a perfectly hit left footed volley into the bottom corner, a definite contender for goal of the season.
At the other end Walpole should have scored when one of a few mix-ups between keeper and defence saw Stanger drop the ball and the Walpole striker somehow shot wide. The main talking point of the half however was the referee. With the sun glaring down on the play he managed to miss a blatant handball in the Walpole box and called Woolpack players offside when clean through on at least 3 occasions where they were quite clearly onside.
The second half was going to be a big test as Walpole would inevitably pile everyone forward in search of an equaliser, but before they took this tactic Dean Arnold managed to pop up and score a second with a lovely little chip. At 2-0 the Woolpack were looking comfortable, and then it became the referee show again.
Walpole scored their first goal after Will Herbert was fouled in the middle of the park when he came forward to make a challenge. The referee allowed play to continue stating no advantage was gained and Walpole broke down the now open left back position. With ample time to finish in the box they made it 2-1. The Woolpack complaints went on deaf ears and it began a period of two-footed tackles, handballs and pushing from Walpole all going unpunished, yet the Woolpack were pulled up on the slightest of things. The worst being when Ross Hawkyard held up the ball brilliantly and played an exquisite through-ball to Dean Arnold who was scythed down by the keeper one-on-one and nothing given. Not only was was Arnold in clear pain, but the impact of the challenge was heard through-out the pitch.
The Woolpack then brought Adam Linford onto the wing and moved Calum Campbell back into defence with Kirby coming off. And almost straight away the Woolpack got two lucky decisions where the referee judged players to be offside for Walpole in very close conditions. But on the third such occasion the decision didn't go the Woolpacks way and the scores were levelled at 2-2.
The Woolpack now enjoyed a dominant spell of about 10 minutes before Walpole pushed everything back onto them. Campbell now visibly struggling with a calf strain was replaced by Martin and he was on the pitch long enough to be at the centre of a Walpole penalty appeal waived away by the referee.
In the end a 2-2 result in the conditions was possibly a fair result, although the Woolpack will definitely leave feeling the most hard done by - especially if Walpole go on to finish above them. With the final game of the season next week against rivals Helion, a win can moved the Woolpack above Huddersfield Irish Centre who are currently only above them on goal difference and with one game left to play against Field Head. Field Head can also do the Woolpack a favour by beating Walpole, who have 3 games to play and are 1 point behind with a better goal difference. Their other 2 games are tricky matches against Pak Rangers and Britannia.
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