HBU Remain Top of National Division 1 Table
National League Division 1 – Soham, Sunday 6 November
While the Premier League team were busy at home to Manchester at the Bay Arena, HBU’s Division 1 squad were competing in Soham, Cambridgeshire.
The team was restricted by injury and work commitments and were particularly concerned about goal-keeper Ed Mount who was ill but made the journey to Soham hoping to recover enough to play.
HBU v England National Schoolboys (1-2)
HBU had first match of the day at 9:00 am and got off to a shaky start against the England National Schoolboy team. Despite restricting their opponents to just a few clear chances, HBUs attack lacked any pattern and they found themselves 2-0 down. HBU came back strongly as the match drew to a close. Aaron Bowyer finished a fine team move to make it 2-1 and that’s the way it stayed with several clear penalty claims completely ignored by the referees. The defeat came courtesy of a match winning goal by HBU player Lewis Greenwood playing for the England team.
HBU v Maidstone (7-2)
The second game was against Maidstone who are expected to be title challengers this season. HBU had to raise their performance but soon found themselves a goal down. HBU then started to get their game together resulting in an equaliser from Aaron Bowyer making it 1 -1 at half-time. Three early second half goals from Aaron Bowyer, George Holmes and Ashley Barton saw HBU 4-1 up. Maidstone pulled one back but HBU added a further three through Bowyer, Ashley Barton and Paul McVey producing a 7-2 win over a stunned Maidsrone team.
HBU v England National Ladies (8-1)
The final game of the day against the England National Ladies team saw HBU needing a professional approach to ensure their were no further upsets. HBU went 1-0 up and the Ladies equalised, but instead of an upset McVey completed his hatrick and added a further two more to see HBU 5-1 up and then goals from Ashley Barton and Bowyer made it 7-1. HBU’s 8th goal saw Ashley watching in admiration as his dad Jon finished clinically. HBU then gave goalkeeper Ed a well-earned break and finished the match with 5 out-players but no further score. Ed deserves a special mention, playing superbly in all three games despite a bout of illness and only a few hours sleep.
Captain George Holmes was happy with the response of all the players following a poor start.
HBU Team (goals): Ed Mount(GK), Nigel Mills, Ashley Barton(3), Jon Barton(1), Matt Holness, George Holmes(1), Aaron Bowyer(5), Paul McVey(6).