Hewitt's Brace Defeats Hampton

Ronald Crane reports from The Draintech

Local Derby matches are always special, and often exciting. This one was both. Although there is real respect, not to say friendship, between the two clubs, there was no quarter given on the park.

The opening exchanges were fairly even, until The Robins pressed home their advantage. It was no surprise when Reece Hewitt beat Matt Alleley, in goal for the visitors, from eighteen yards with a peach of a shot. The ball crossed the goal-line right at the foot of the far post.

After the hour mark, Hampton dragged themselves into the match with a period of good play. They managed two shots on target and a couple of really dangerous attacks that came to nothing, Despite this, the Knowle camp will consider the first-half theirs.

For the re-start, Hampton made a change, but were soon plunged into great difficulty. Ash Maddocks launched a foolish and dangerous tackle on Charlie Morris. Referee Mr Kevin Carrol had no hesitation in brandishing the red card. There could be little complaint. The Robins fans sitting around me, all thought the Robins would cut lose and win the game with ease.  It was not to be. Did Knowle sit back with the same thought in mind? Or did Hampton play better with ten men than they had with eleven?

Upon reflection, it was probably a bit of both. Certainly: the visitors had far more of the game in the last half hour, both territory and possession, than they had in the first-half. However, the Knowle goal was never really threatened in any way that was beyond their capacity to cope.

Reece Hewitt had not only scored the early goal, his work-rate in midfield was exceptional; for me, the Man of the Match. He crowned his glory with a late reward. Hampton were on the attack, to their credit, they never gave up and deep into “added time” were still pushing for a goal. It led to them conceding a second though.  The Robins broke up the attack and sent a long ball right down the middle. Hewitt was on it in a flash. ‘Keeper Alleley came out and blocked the shot. To his consternation, the ball only re-bounded to Hewitt who sent it into the net. Hewitt was beside himself with glee, Alleley inconsolable.

OK, this game was not a classic. But it was always entertaining. And The Robins secured three well deserved, points.

Knowle FC: 

Johnson; Rainey (Weeks); Staley (Barrett); McArdle; Cosgrove ©; Ward; Morris (Jones); G Seeley (Walton); Corry; Hewitt [15][91]; Gordon (Bailey)

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Forthcoming Fixtures:

Sat 5th Nov – Cadbury Athletic v Knowle MFL D2 : KO 1400

Sat 19th Nov – Jet Blades (The Coventry Alliance: Premier) v Knowle Sat Vase R2 KO 1400. At: Camp Farm, Bedworth Road, Bulkington, CV12 9JA