28^th Oct. 2007 Flamingoes 2 – GroundHoppers 4

The second meeting of these sides showed that Flamingoes had done their homework after the first encounter, where they were well beaten by a rampaging Hoppers side. In this game, Flamingoes took the game to Hoppers from the first minute, their desire to get forward and movement causing problems from the off set. But it was Hoppers who were to open the scoring; an in swinging David Rose corners, found Hoppers twelfth man, A guy call “Big Mac” that site just below the chest if Billy Bateman. He was on had to put the sauce on the ball to steer it into the net.

Flamingoes weren’t jaded by going a goal down and were soon to get back into the game, Hopper conceding space, allowed their forward to get in behind the defence, he took his shot early, steering the ball into the to corner. Flamingoes went on to hit the bottom of the post, as stand in goalkeeper Paul Patten, confidently let it go. J

In the second half, both sides continued taking the game to the opposition and it was Flamingoes who were to make the break though, a quickly taken free kick, leaving the Hoppers players stunned, as it bent into the top corner. At this stage manager Paul Patten, was looking at his bench trying to work out how to get his team back into the game. Oluka Takan, was beginning to think that his number was on the board to come off. He collected a ball on the edge of the box from Sean Hinchions excellent run down the left, he decided to have a go, he span and spanked the ball into the net, from the edge of the box, in of the cross bar. He never looked back from this moment. Hopper went on to take the lead in the game for the second time, Stephen Wright on hand to tap home after a save from the Flamingoes keeper.

Flamingoes were never out of this game and continued looking for that one goal that would make the difference, they were to score another great strike, cataching the Hoppers stopper flat footed. 3-3, five minutes on the clock, Hopper were thinking a point would be good and continued to work hard to keep out a hard working Flamingoes side. Hoppers fortunately don’t know how to shut up shop, in fact just the opposite. That desire to go forward would get Hoppers all three points, another David Rose corner, was headed onto the cross bar, by Andrew Huggins, as the ball came down it struck onto the cross bar again, by a Flamingoes defender, the ball coming down, fell nicely for Billy Bateman, he sliced his shot high and looked like going out of play, the wind kept it in play and as it came down again, if fell nicely for Bill again, who made no mistakes from two yards.

Everyone was in agreement, a great game to watch for the neutral. Flamingoes left feeling unlucky not to get something out of the game. Hoppers are happy, as they stay top for another week. Woohooooo.

TEAM: Patten, Eames, Burgess(Kenneth), Bateman(2), Canfield, Huggins, Hinchion(Searle), Rose, Brown, Wright(1,(Gadsdon)), Takan(1)