League abandoned

League abandoned due to terrible weather incurring a huge fixture backlog.  The young players supported the two senior teams well through the final weeks, with Jack Trattell, Brad Matthews, Jamie Combe, Callum Meale, Cody Edwards, Ryan Newton, Jack Harris, Kyle Haig and Jake Cleeves all making senior debuts

Hinton under 18's

Hinton 2 v 4 Bartestree

Another wet night a Broomy hill, and the 18s welcome the league leaders.  The opening exchanges showed that the Bartestree have won their games with the strong and swift forward line that they possess, and it soon evident that the young Hinton players would need to wake up to the threat and concentrate on their formation and shape, when defending.  This was not the route of the opening goal though, as this was a speculative long range shot that was powerfully hit into the home net.  The hosts continued to take the game to opposition and despite being wary of the counterattacking strength of Bartestree, soon equalised when Jamie Combe side footed home a shot after Ryan Newton got the byline to centre to Jordan Mussell who set the shot up for Combe.  The balance of the game was a good, and the defence of Hinton was being caught on the counter, but also the home defence was being the starting block of many Hinton attacks.  The visitors unfortunately continued to outpace the home defence and at the whistle had a lead of 1-4 where all three additional goals came from long runs onto the goal where the swiftness of the attackers proved to be the difference.

The second half was a far closer encounter, the home defence was more structured and Callum Meale and Jake Cleeves both put shots over the bar when well placed to score in the first minutes of the restart.  The rain now really affected the game as the middle of the playing area  become extremely sticky, but credit to both teams they kept the ball wide on the flanks and continued to press the game.  The 18s had two penalty claims, but the second was awarded and Jordan Mussell scored with panache!  After a prolonged break it was always a tough call to restart with Bartestree, but once the initial mistakes had been identified the lads played well, and this will hopefully bind the players that attended into  a closer group.

15th Nov 2012

Hinton 2 v 5 Leominster

Goals galore this evening, but not all in the correct net to provide a home victory for the 18's.  The boys start briskly with Jack Harris running through the visiting defence to collect a pass from Rory Clarke, but his lobbed shot bounced just wide of the goal.  However swiftly after Cody Edwards finished a move that he stated after a cushioned header from Harris fell for Edwards to open the scoring.  the hosts continued to press the visiting defence and Jordan Mussell was unfortunately with firm shot the the keeper pushed wide.

The visitors found themselves with corner late in the half, which missed all the players and rested in the net to level the scores, a second goal soon followed in similar style to leaving the Broomy hill team behind at the turn.

At the resume Jack Harris completed a turn and placed the ball into the net to bring the hosts level.  But it was now that wheels fell off the Hinton game, as two penalties where awarded to Leominster  who went into an undeserved lead for the game and then another poorly defended corner to lead the game 2-5.  A large amount of changes in the set up of the Hinton team followed and Mussell was again unlucky to find the keeper in form in the final ten minutes.  In summary an undeserved result for the lads, but the two penalties, were correctly awarded

8th Nov 2012

Llandrindod 5 -1 Hinton

Llandrindod Well again this week, and yet again it appears, that some of the 18's don't like leaving the Hereford City limits as the teenagers made the trip with no recognised Goalkeeper in the squad, and several other experienced players missing.    However these games need to be played and on the back of previous victory in mid wales the squad traveled with ambition.

This ambition was soon rewarded as playing up the slope Cody Edwards was quickly onto a pass by Brad Matthews to close in on goal and place past the advancing home keeper.  0-1.  The game turned just after this point as Hinton seemed to relax to much, and a flurry of chances fell to the welsh men who leveled with well placed shot, beyond Jack Harris you volunteered to wear the gloves this evening.

Then it all fell apart the referee cautioned Josh Way for providing too much advice on each refereeing decision, and this then increased to a red card in the second half to pour more unwanted work onto the Hinton boys.   A little reshuffle of playing positions returned a solid structure and it looked as 3-1 may be the final scoreline, but two scrambled goals increased the tally, to level that flattered the spa town club.

Several lessons should be learnt from this trip, but a strong performances were seen by several Hinton players, especially by Harry Wright another recruit from the Hinton U16s.

25th Oct 2012

Llandrindod 2 v 3 Hinton

A proper away game this Thursday evening with bus trip to Llandrindod Wells in the Giant killers cup.  The distance to this fixture always offers some problems with player availability and the evening saw debuts for two players Brad Howe and Harry Wright, it also provided a few unfamiliar positions being asked to populated by the teenagers.  The opening minutes suggested that this may well be close game as both sides looked swift in attack and tight in defence, this was until  a needless freekick was conceded by Hinton, and the Home teams runners were allowed a free access to area to open the scoring, although there was a suspicion of a foul on keeper Andrew Bromley?  

Undeterred the Hinton team continued take the game to the welsh men, evening the slope of the pitch out with some slick passing from the back, right through the midfield to the front line, and Jack Harris thought he had equalised with a goal bound header, only to see the home keeper complete a fantastic save, but this was only a fore runner of what was to come. In the next few minutes Brad Matthews stepped up to influence the game in three defining moments!  Just after the home centreback thought he could exert a presence on the Hinton forward, Matthews, cruised past the right back and both centrebacks to drive low into the far post netting a superb  example of aggressive forward play.  Come Hinton!

Half time the mood was positive, and the difficult 45 minutes of defending down hill had been completed, and the scoreline leveled.  The next 45 minutes commenced and Toby Zamani immediately closed the opposition strongly and gave the ball to Jordan Mussell to cross to Matthews to again get the better of the home defenders within the 6 yard box to finish  1-2.  

The game flowed either way with Jamie Combe and Jordan Mussell also gaining more influence in the game, and bringing the remainder of the team with them.  Rory Clarke continue to break up the play in midfield, while Joe Griffiths and Kyle Haig developed in their new roles with success.  Young Wright was brought on to replace a tiring Cody Edwards, and all was looking good until  a corner by Llandod was only cleared to the end of the box and the welsh man was allowed a free shot to beat Bromley.  2-2 but no panic, Hinton looked in control. 

Opportunities continued to be provided, and it was once Matthews was floored in a good challenge in the box and heated exchange between several players saw Matthews and probably the oppositions best player dismissed from the field of play.  A swift reshuffle of the players saw Howe enter the game, and then another game changing event when the Llandrindod keeper charged out of his goal to end up Callum Meale as he closed on a one on one opportunity.  Red card and penalty???  Apparently not a yellow card only and Meale removed from the game injured!  The sudden charge in attitude in the Hinton team was excellent, and the speed of their game lifted again, and the speed of Howe in the first half of extra time to exposed the weakening defensive line for a cross to Jack Harris to set up Mussell to thunder home a righted footed shot into the far corner with the keeper  no where near.  

The remainder of the game saw few attacks successful by the welsh club , although Bromley did need to be alert and supported his outfield players well with some solid standard keeping duties.  As the final moments approached the spectators were provided with display of previously unknown skills by Haig who took the opportunity to use his speed and showboating talent to draw a series of fouls as Hinton closed the game to a close.

A great display by the all Hinton team, and unfortunately missed by those unable to travel and be involved.  Malvern town in the next round.   

19th Oct 2012

Hinton 0 v 1 Westfields 

An all city derby for the teenagers this week, as Broomy Hill played hosts to Westfield's.  A hastily composed team, due to illness, and lateness of players resulted in few last minute changes for Paul Trattell, who was running solo this evening in the dugout.  The early minutes saw Hinton dominate the play, and chances went without success on four or five occasions, until the visitors entered the game with few meaningful minutes of play.

The game evened out, until  Westfield's seized the opportunity to score.  The final summary was that the Hinton youngsters have again fallen the wrong side of a scoreline that didn't reflect the balance of the game, it can only be matter of time before the balance in the results changes into Hinton favor?

11th Oct 2012

Wellington v Hinton

It was little wet in Wellington this evening and the game was called off with 10 minutes until kick off by the Wellington, despite the referee agreeing that the pitch was playable???

One wet kit,  16 very disappointed players returning to Hereford, and two less the chuffed managers on a wasted evening!

4th Oct

Hinton 1 v 2 Presteinge

A game where the 18s experienced the feeling that occurs when perhaps the focus is quite as good as it should be?

 The hosts when down by two goals in the first 45 minutes due to not dealing with simple situations efficiently as the open goal resulted from the visitor long ball tactic and Jamie Combe was out run by the surprisingly swift winger to shoot low across the box to find the net just inside the far post.  The lesson was not heeded 20 minutes later when Joe Griffiths misplaced a tackle in the box for the following penalty to leave Andrew Bromley with no chance.

Finally the youngsters remembered what was meant to be happening, with Jordan Mussell, Brad Matthews, Jack Trattell and Josh Way all having chances to get Hinton on the score sheet, but this fell to Jack Harris in the second half, who calmly bagged after a great pass by Sam Wright.  This goal encouraged the home who continued press, and restrict the Welsh side to long ball running races as their sole attacking route.

However despite a host of other chances and Connor Weaver hitting the crossbar the equalising score evaded the young Hinton team, that will have learnt not to take previous games as granted.

27th Sept

Hinton 4 v 0 Pegasus

Opening fixture of the 18s season ended with a convincing victory over the local city rivals.  The lack of attendance at training and the spartan friendly made available delayed a cohesion between the players on the field, but this slowly appeared and a steady flow of pressure was exerted on to the visitors.  The opening goal arrived from a perfect pass through the defence by Josh Way for Callum Meale to collect and calmly place past the advancing  goalkeeper.  This settled the home side swiftly and the lead was increased when a corner was delivered to the far post that Josh Barnfield headed back across for Sam Pugh to fire home with his first touch, after  arriving on the pitch to replace an injured Ross Hooper.

2-0 at the turn, and the lads remained a little disappointed in the lack of flow in parts of their play, but this returned at 60 minutes, when after a short period where the visitors increased their level of position Josh Way collected the ball mid way in the oppositions half to drift past the opposition and drive the ball into the net leaving the keeper without a chance.  The atmosphere with the squad rose and Hinton dominated large periods of play reducing Pegasus, to one chance where Rory Clarke, raced to the goal line to clear, and retain a clean sheet.

The result was put beyond doubt when Jamie Combe towered over the defence to head the fourth goal from a Josh way corner.

Are great start to the campaign for the 18s

The friendly against Bromyard Town Colts was a great run out for the lads, who were joined by few Reserve team players who add some experience to match the experienced opponents.

The highlights were a penalty save by Andrew Bromley to keep the score an Nil, Nil.  The visitor then took the lead in an even game only for the hosts to respond with fine goal by Callum Meale.  The game continued to be an even contest despite the number of changes made by both teams to enable a good run for all the players.