ST BLAZEY 0 HAMWORTHY UNITED 2
(F.A.Cup 1st Extra Preliminary Round)
Despite a long tireing four hour trip before the game, the Hammers had enough left in in their legs to win this difficult tie quite comfortably in the end. The game was played in torrential rain on a very lush, but beautifully prepared pitch.
St Blazey were the better team in the first ten minutes taking the game to their visitors in the early stages. Hamworthy could have gone behind early on, had not Man of the Match Ryan Dovell made a brilliant goal line clearance. It was United however who took the lead when the St Blazey Keeper did not deal very well with a free kick, and only palmed the ball down. Ryan Dovell who was following up kept his cool to rifle the ball ino the net to give Hamworthy the lead. This was slightly against the run of play with fifteen minutes of the game gone. The Hammers were denied what looked like a certain penalty when Richard Jackson was sent sprawling in the box by a St Blazey defender. The Referee allowed play to continue however, waving away all protests. Hamworthy were now on top, stretching the home defence with some good passing football. They were once again denied what looked an even more blatant penalty with two minutes of the half remaining. A St Blazey man on the goal line made a hash of trying to clear the ball, and clearly prevented it from crossing the line with a combination of hand and knee, but once again the Referee saw nothing wrong.
Hamworthy continued to have the better of things in the second period. A trade mark Nathan Walker thunderbolt header from a corner looked goal bound, but it hit a defender’s shoulder on the line. Martin Peters dived to make a crucial save to keep his Team in front when he was left one on one with a St Blazey striker following a quick break. The Hammers doubled their lead on the hour when Ryan Dovell did well to collect, and keep in a ball out on the far right.. His cross completely fooled the St Blazey Keeper, and the ball dropped into the far corner of the net. Hamworthy threatend to increase their lead still further with a series of near misses . Dovell went close on two occasions to getting his hat trick, and substitute Ben Osborne was out of luck when twice his good approach work went unrewarded, thwarted by some last ditch defending by the Cornish side. To their credid St Blazey tried right to the end, but some good defending and a little bit of bad luck prevented them from getting a late consolation. It was Hamworthy however who ran out worthy winners after 90minutes, and now go on to play Brislinton FC in the next Round at the County Ground on 30th August.
Team: M. Peters, M. Crow, N. Walker, O. Cherrett, S. Gilbert, R. McCabe, R. Dovell, M. Dean,S. Cannie (B. Osborne), W. Byerley, R. Jackson.
Unused Subs: M. Grimason, M. Dancer, M. Claremont, L. Thomas.