8^th September 2007    

 Hatch Warren U13   1    Barton Stacey U13   2

And off we go again! A new season, a few new teams in division 1 and the perennial problem of finding enough boys to fill the shirts.  After a successful season last year it was disappointing to lose four boys to other teams or other sports. Two weeks before the start of the new season Graham White had only ten players signed on.  James Brooke and Connor joined a week before the season opened to give Barton Stacey enough players to enter the league; any year 7/8 boys looking to play a part would be welcome, training is on Tuesday nights at 6.00pm with games played on Saturday mornings.  Transport to and from games can be arranged for boys whose parents are unable to come along. 

Hatch Warren here we come. On assembling outside the shop an earnest discussion developed over who last had the kit bag.  A quick trip to your correspondent’s garage found the green and black shirts buried under a pile of fishing tackle.  With the day back on track the convoy set off for Basingstoke with the whiff of Tench and Bream in the air.

Hatch Warren are a big club fielding two sides at this age group, having some success last year in the North Hants league and Peter Houseman league, this would prove to be a stern test for Barton’s 12 man squid.

After a lengthy warm up the ref called the two teams up, Danny Tuson threw a ball to your correspondent who caught the ball on the nose sending his glasses flying. Sans spectacles the kick off was missed, normal vision was resumed after a minute, just in time to see Michael Taplin score what must be one of the fastest goals of the season from the penalty spot after a Hatch Warren hand ball.  Barton Stacey continued to press the game, fifteen minutes later a superb through ball from right back Nick Bearpark left the Hatch Warren back line floundering Charles Sherwood racing in to score the second.  Two nil up at half time Barton Stacey had by far the better of the first half, Hatch Warren were shell shocked.

Reorganising at half time Hatch Warren had a much better second half, New signing James Brooke partnering Sam Hadlington in midfield impressed with his energetic play, Harry Lawton and Danny Tuson linked well on the left, William de Cani with his sore eel struggled on the right.  Central defenders Alex Coetzee and Dan Pomroy carried on where they left off last year, mixing spells of Hansen and Lawrenson with glimpses of Ant and Dec, and Mavis and Rita; carping incessantly they fall out but come together to get the job done/papers out on time. Luke Bacon filled in between the sticks, Oliver Curry having left to concentrate on his Rugby.  Pulling off one superb save in the second half leaping like Billy the Fish to tip a close range shot onto the bar Luke kept his side in the game.  Hatch Warren pulled a goal back in the last minute as Barton Stacey faded, but could not stop Graham Whiting’s side taking the points and second plaice in the league. 

With a faint hint of fish still on the wind, Barton Stacey returned home. Hatch Warren convinced that Barton Stacey was a fishing community on the coast, unsurprised at the line of seagulls that followed the fleet/convoy home.