Elms vale is a pitch that the Hope Inn notoriously play badly on, and unfortunately this was no exception. This coupled with an unsympathetic referee saw the Hope Inn go down 3-0 to an average Fulchester United.
The Hope Inn were missing players through injury and educational commitments, but now have a squad that should cope with the pressures that the modern day Dover Premiere league brings. However from the start of this game you got that feeling it wasn’t going to be the Hope’s day. An early injury to the returning Dave Marconi in defence saw him carried from the field. Soon after the Hope Inn’s wiry left back Rory Martin was pulled back in his own box as he cleared the ball, the referee awarded Fulchester a corner, instead of a Hope Inn free kick, from which they scored their first goal.
Fulchester played a 4-3-3 formation that the Hope found difficult to cope with and it put constant pressure on the Hope Inn’s defence. If it wasn’t for the acrobatic and fearless keeping from the Hope’s forward, turn defender, turn keeper, Steve Smith, the Hope could have found themselves 3 down by the interval.
At half time the Hope Inn re-grouped as they munched on some freshly cut oranges and decided a change in tactics was needed. The manager opted for a 4-5-1 formation, enabling a defensive midfielder to combat their 3 pronged attack. From the kick off the change certainly improved the Hope Inn’s game and they forced a number of early corners. Their best chances fell to John Muir who saw his shot from a low cross come off the bar, and then Steve Miller who’s strike beat the keeper but again saw it bounce back out off the post.
However it wasn’t long before the Fulchester hard man was in hot water again, this time flinging the Hope Inn’s Ben Leberl to the ground. Again the referee declined the second opportunity to send the troubled ‘pickle’ from the field. He did however book the Hope Inn’s Jae Donnelly for later winding up the Fulchester psycho off the ball.Fulchester did get a third late goal, in a game that by then was already over and one which the Hope Inn would soon rather forget.
The Hope Inn needs to ensure they don’t return to last season’s bad habits and keep playing the football. Or alternatively as John Muir suggested, eat more Kendal Mint Cake.
As the Hope pushed for an equaliser, they were still finding it difficult to cope with the Fulchester attack, and it wasn’t too long after the home team went 2-0 ahead. Shortly after the goal Brian slid in slightly late on Fulchester’s left midfielder, nicknamed ‘Pickle’. In retaliation Pickle packed a cheeky punch into Brian’s ribs. The referee did nothing but chat to the spicy ‘Pickle’ character in an attempt to calm the disturbed tattooed Dovorian, and award Fulchester a free kick.
