Saturday, 28th September 2013
Second Round Qualifying
Hemel Hempstead Town v Witham Town
Hemel Hempstead
HP2 4HW
K.O. 3.00pm
Half time 1-1
Final score 1-1
1-0 David Pearce 10
mins
1-1 Kris Newby 45+1
mins
Attendance 425
Miles travelled approximately 60
What can I say? St Margaretsbury passed on the baton and
Hemel Hempstead picked it up. More accurately, Tony Conway picked it up and
didn’t he run with it. When I first contacted Hemel, it was Tony that replied,
the bad news was that they weren’t going to sell tickets for the FA Cup it was
going to be pay on the gate. By the time I’d got home on Friday night, there
was a ticket waiting for me. Ticket No. 001. Back of the net…
I woke on Saturday at 7.30am to a stunning sunrise. The mist
and haze rising up from the two rivers created a lovely orange, pink, tint to
the air, while the sky was bright light blue with vapour trails criss crossing
the sky like a huge white fishing net. It all looked very similar to the
artwork from War of The Worlds (the album – ask your Dad…).
As I walked around the wasteland that is Hemel town centre,
I received a text off a mate of mine who’d seen the Walsall team coach at the
hotel in Waltham Abbey. We were playing Orient away, who were riding on the
back of eight league games unbeaten. What, do they think they are Hemel
Hempstead or something?
I got to the ground just after noon and parked the car. The
first thing I noticed was the vibe. The atmosphere was different. You could
tell that I’d stepped up a level or two.
The second thing I noticed was that the local residents must
get very miffed on a match day, especially if there is a half decent crowd. You’ve
got to love that tree in the middle of the island. Now that’s an entrance to a
football ground.
The third thing I noticed was the slope on the pitch. Bloody
hell fire. I’ll bring a pair of skies next time. It wasn’t until I read the
programme that I realised Sir Chris Bonington was guest of honour (OK – I lied
about that bit – but the club is missing a trick here – they should get
sponsored by the local mountaineering club). Still, the pitch looked in
fantastic condition.
Into the ground. The now usual walk around the pitch taking
photos. God the pitch looked good. Really good. Stupidly good.
Somewhere I heard a voice asking if I was Noggin. “Are you
Tony?” I asked offering my hand. I thanked him for all of his help in getting
me a ticket. We had a really good chat. The now usual answers about how he got
involved in the club. It seems to be a running theme. More stories of getting involved with their local club
and doing it for the love of the game, for the greater good of the community. I
continue to fell really cheap for following a professional team.
He told me to keep an eye (and ear) open for the One
Direction boys who are regulars on the terraces.
Strange but true event of the day. Hemel decided to have a
team photo taken in the goal mouth, in full kit, with two Cups/Trophy’s on
display, just as Witham Town turned up. I later asked if they had done that
deliberately. Obviously they said no, and I believe them, but it was a master
stroke in psychological warfare.
Into the bar to watch the football on TV. Three screens. Two
showing Spurs v Chelsea while Forest v Derby was on the other. So a TV all to
myself then…
I found my spot on the terrace behind the goal. True to
Tony’s word, there were the One Direction boys, strange, they looked different
to how they look on TV. Still, I wouldn’t mind bumping into Caroline Flack on a
quiet evening by a roaring fire, or a brightly lit car park for that matter…
hahaha…
Some of the Hemel fans recognised me from the St
Margaretsbury game. One bloke told me that his work mate was a Walsall fan.
Bizarre. As I spoke to more Hemel fans we all agreed that this should be a good
game and should easily go in favour of Hemel who were top of the league and
riding in on the back of nine games unbeaten. What, do they think they are
Leyton Orient or something?
The predictable happened. Hemel were kicking down the slope.
Pass it and move. Triangles. Defence splitting passes. Total domination. Chance
after chance time after time. Hemel only lacked that final touch. Don’t misread
this. Witham’s defence did their job. It wasn’t just as easy as Hemel not being
able to score in a house of ill-repute, Witham held their shape, did their job.
To be honest, it’s all that they could do. It was just a question of how long
could they keep it up and when rather than if Hemel would finally score.
This really was a good standard of football from both sides,
as I said, including the defence, because frankly, as a game, it should already
have been into double figures, in their bright red ADIDAS strip, Hemel looked
like a team from Germany. What, do they think they are Bayern Munich or
something?
If I lived locally to this team, I’d pay to watch this every
week.
Eventually, after 10 minutes, David Pearce got the goal that
had simply been coming. Everyone settled down to watch the oncoming slaughter.
In your own speed. Whenever you’re ready. See those three white sticks with a
net on it? Now put that round ball shaped thing in there. Don’t be shy. You’ve
done it once. This wasn’t looking good. We all knew what was coming and so do
you.
Eventually, Witham forced a corner right on the stroke of
half time with a stunning save from Hemel’s keeper who clawed the ball out of
the top corner like an Eagle plucking a salmon from a river. Over comes the
ball. The usual scramble that we’ve all seen before. GOAL! I double blinked.
Was that an overhead kick?
A few seconds later it was half time.
Into the bar. Orient 1 Walsall 0. *SIGH* Off for a Bovril.
Why don’t Bovril sponsor the league? Any league. Bovril, if you’re reading
this, YOU’RE MISSING A TRICK!
During half time I bumped into a small TV crew from BT Sport
who were following Witham Town and basically doing the same as me.
By the time the second half had kicked off everyone had walked
around to the other end of the ground. One Direction were in good voice. Hemel
stayed in the dressing room. Witham grew in strength and confidence as they
kicked down the north face of the Eiger (meeting Sir Chris Bonington coming the
other way… see what I did there?). It was now a question of which team would
lose concentration and slip up. In the end neither team did. Both teams
conspired into forcing a stale mate. I started to think about the possibility
of a replay and my heart sank. I don’t suppose there’s any chance of next goal
the winner…?
No. The Ref blew for full time. GUTTED! I already know that
I can’t make the replay. I stood on the terrace behind the goal trying to work
out all the possibilities. I know that I should wait until 5am on Tuesday
morning, I mean, you really don’t know what’s going to happen until it happens
right, but it’s over and I know it. The only thing I can do is get in 15
minutes earlier and try to manipulate my tacho breaks.
Heartbroken I make my way to the bar. I can’t even drink
because I’m driving. *SIGH* Just as I walked into the bar I saw on the TV
Leyton Orient 1 Walsall 1. “YES! RESULT!” I shouted. Just me then is it… How
weird is that, both Hemel and Orient on club record breaking winning runs draw
1-1.
Lots of chatting and making of plans for Tuesday. The lovely
people at Witham Town said if I get there on Tuesday then they’ll have a ticket
for me.
Before I finally left I went looking for Tony to say goodbye
and thank you. He came towards me with a large plate of food which he offered
to me, strange, he never said he was Jewish.
As I drove home what should pass me coming the other way,
yes you guessed it, the Walsall team coach. I was so busy looking at her that I
almost missed my junction. I just laughed like a drain.
It wasn’t until I got home that I found out that we had
played over 70 minutes with 10 men (10 men, you couldn’t beat 10 men, you
couldn’t beat 10 men…) and St Margaretsbury won 2-4 away.
Today had been a good day.
Noggin xx
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