Hallen’s opponents for today were, once again, Whitchurch United. This was the third time already this season that the two teams had pitted their wits as it took a replay for Hallen to become victorious in their FA Cup meeting. Again this was a sporting and good natured contest but, in this match, our boys provided the far better team performance and thoroughly deserved their victory despite once again missing goal scoring opportunities. Perhaps we should consider sending a few to Roedean or another finishing school should one be closer to hand!

Hallen came at their opponents from the first minute with Digby sending Collett down the right wing to deliver a ball that was put behind for a corner to deny Bament a tap in. With a stiff breeze in their backs, the boys in blue were on the rampage as Collett did well to create space for a shot that just missed the post. But Hallen should have taken the lead on nine minutes as a run past three players saw the mercurial Collett slide the ball into the path of Corrick but the chance was squandered. Three minutes later Hallen took the lead as they turned defence into attack when Allen made an excellent goal-line clearance from a corner for Corrick to race the length of the right flank and deliver the ball into the danger area where Collett was arriving to knock the ball home. Hallen then produced some excellent passing movement that left their opponents mesmerised as Collett shot just wide and shots from both Bennett and Collett were blocked by defenders. With the interval approaching, we should have increased our lead but the ball was blasted wide.

The second half started like the first with the Hallen greyhounds bolting out the traps as Corrick charged down a clearance to enable him to combine well with Collett and it needed an excellent last minute clearance to stop the lead being increased. As heavy showers started, the visiting forwards gave Hallen concern for the first time as they were denied by an excellent save from Burgess as he refused to commit himself in order to employ his excellent reflexes so as to get a glove on a goal-bound shot. But on sixty-five minutes Hallen increased their lead when Corrick ran at the heart of the defence before putting the ball into the path of Bennett whose intelligent running saw him in the area. Across came the defender who wiped out our captain together with the kitchen sink and Collett stepped up to score from the spot. Whitchurch now had a short spell when they produced their best football of the game but it was too little too late as Hallen soon got back on track with Collett and Crewe bringing saves from the keeper.

Match reports deal with the action during the game but it would be amiss of me not to mention that, in addition to a hard working squad, we have an excellent job being done by everyone who is in the dugout on match days. There is no need to name names but I will mention young Frankie Dicks who goes about his duties with pride and dedication. If you wonder who puts up the flag behind the goal we are attacking – that’s one of Frankie’s many touches.

Report by Paul Bywater

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