Match 1           HBU v Grimsby 2 – 2 (Half-time 2 – 0)

HBU head this league with Grimsby in 2^nd place so this match was to be taken seriously. In the opening match of the season, Grimsby had scored twice before the HBU team had realised it had started and this time HBU turned the tables though a George Daly goal in the first 10 seconds. George scored again mid-way through the half to give HBU a respectable 2 – 0 half-time lead.

In the second half HBU piled on the pressure which forced Grimsby to pack their defence and allowed their goal-keeper to deal easily with HBU’s one-on-ones. Despite virtually all the possession, HBU allowed Grimsby to level the score through two counter-attacks.

In the last 30 seconds, Sian Emslie was taken down on the edge of the Grimsby penalty area but even so put the ball in the back of the net but the referee was too quick off the mark with his whistle for the foul so the goal could not be awarded. The referees then failed to make clear what the free-hit was which confused the young players and HBU squandered the opportunity to make good use of the free-hit.

 

Match 2           HBU v Kings Lynn 8 – 1 (Half-time 1 -1)

HBU started off the match as they had finished the Grimsby game – all the possession but not creating clear chances. Sian Emslie scored an early goal only for the team to allow Kings Lynn back in the match through a counter-attack. This time, the half-time management instructions to get back to a passing game were heeded with 5 goals scored in the first 4 minutes of the second half, 4 finished by Emslie and 1 by Daly. Similar team goals finished by Max Bassom and Luke Huckstepp took HBU to a comfortable 8 – 1 result.

 

Match 3           HBU v Cambridge 5 – 4 (Half-time 5 – 1)

Cambridge have one of the star players of the division so HBU know they have to mark him and prevent him getting on a roll. In the first half this was achieved very well with the only Cambridge goal scored by their other front man. In the second half, sloppy out-player discipline left it to goal-keeper Jamie Leonard to just about save the day and hold on for the win.

 

Match 4           HBU v Peterborough 6 – 1 (Half-time 2 – 0)

Peterborough are a well-organised team without particular stars so it is very much team versus team. It was stale-mate for most of the first half but Emslie broke through on the approach to half-time to score twice. After the interval, Noah Latham and George Daly scored before Peterborough got one in reply. The HBU team was rotated and Archie Isaacs scored from a well-struck drive and Emslie scored her 3^rd of the match.

 

HBU continue to head the division needing at least 2 points from the tournament in May to take the title.

HBU Team (goals scored): Jamie Leonard (GK), Luke Huckstepp (2), Archie Isaacs (1), Max Bassom (1), Sian Emslie (9), George Daly, captain (6), Noah Latham (2)

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