Hookhills United V Stoke Gabriel 3rds 26th October 2013

[Dave]

Hookhills United V Stoke Gabriel 3rds 26th October 2013 Kick-off 2.30pm

South Devon League Two

Venue Whiterock

Final score Hookhill 1 Stoke Gabriel 3rds 4

Decided today to get back to watching a game in the South Devon League and as the weather looked threatening, choose a game close to home. I was surprised how good and playable the pitch looked at Whiterock. Before today’s game Hookhills were 5th in the table on eight points having played six games, winning two, drawing two and losing two Stoke Gabriel 3rds were in ninth place on four points but had only played four games, winning one drawing one and losing two.

In games I have watched in the past featuring Hookhills, I have always been impressed by the way they play and If I were a betting man, I would have put money on them winning today’s fixture. But they were well beaten by a good Stoke side that had two very strong front men in their side, Rob Chatfield and Lee Rowell.

Almost straight from the kick-off Hookhills went a goal behind, their defence seemed switched off when a through ball was played up to Stokes Rob Chatfield. He got the ball under control and with his head down ran into the right hand side of the Hookhills box and fired an unstoppable shot past Ian Collis in goal for Hookhills.

Stoke thought they had scored again, but the referee saw a hand ball in the box just before the shot was fired into the back of the net and ruled out the goal. It was all Stoke for the first twenty minutes or so and Lee Rowell should have put the visitors two in front after a long punt up field by his keeper Adrian hand was headed into his path by a Stoke midfield player. In the box with just Ian Collis to beat, he hit a rather tame shot that went wide of the right hand post.

Hookhills were at times getting into the Stoke box, but failed to create and real goal scoring opportunities, the next good chance for Stoke fell to Ashely Blackler after the ball came back out of the Hookhills box to the edge of the area. He hit his shot well enough but had to watch it sail over the crossbar.

Hookhills came close to scoring when Robert Hallen got on the end of a long pass up field, he might have been off side but the flag stayed down and Adrian Hand made a good blocking save. The ball came back of the keeper to Robert Hallen again who somehow managed to blast his second attempt over the crossbar.

Hookhills goalkeeper Ian Collis is not the biggest keeper you will ever see, but he pulled off a number of fine saves during the match. The best for me was a shot from close range by Ashley Blackler that Ian reacted to so quickly and managed to get his hands on the ball and over the crossbar for a Stoke corner.

The referee blew up for half time and Stoke could have been at least three goals up had they taken more of the good chances they created. It was good to see the oranges passed around to the Hookhills players, something I have not seen done for a while.

I was expecting to see a much better performance from Hookhills in the second half, while their players worked hard enough, Stoke simply took control of the match. Hookhills did have one or two shots on goal early in the half, one from the edge of the area by Paul Bramwell just went wide of the left hand post. Jamie Munrow was played into the right hand side of the Stoke box and hit a good shot across the keeper that just went wide of the left hand post.

Up the other end Lee Rowell thought he had put his side two goals up when he fired the ball home only to see the lineman had raised his flag for off side. But it did not take him long to get Stokes second goal after a cross into the box from the left hand side that he managed to steer past the keeper.

Lee then went on to get his second goal of the match and Stokes third after Hookhills defence had pressed high up the field. A long ball was played deep into the Hookhills half out wide on the left to Rob Chatfield. He played in a good low cross that Lee was able to get to before the keeper to fire home.

Stoke won a free kick out on the right halfway inside Hookhills half, the ball was fired into the box and somehow Ashley Blackler from close in, managed to scoop his effort over the Hookhills crossbar.

Hookhills got a goal back but Paul Bramwell was never trying to score only put in a cross into the Stoke box. When he kicked the ball he knew he had not hit it the way he intended and moaned out loud to himself. He was as shocked as everyone else to see the ball head goal ward and Adrian Hand someway of his goal line. The ball just sailed over the keeper and dipped enough at the last second to go in under the crossbar.

But straight from the restart the ball was in the Hookhills box and Stokes substitute number fifteen whose name I do not have, made it four one to Stoke. The clouds stated to thicken as the referee blew up for the end of the game and it was time to head home after watching a very enjoyable game of football.

A good team performance by Stoke Gabriel 3rds and a Hookhills side that is more than capable of playing much better than they did today. All teams have their off days and I guess this was one of those days for Hookhills, but they are a good side and I would expect to see them close to the top of the table at the end of the season.