High-flying Panthers spring a surprise

MATCH REPORT 20 SEPTEMBER 2009

Hepworth United 3 Shelf Panthers 4

In the absence of co-coach Richard Baker – rumoured to be pursuing his dream of an Olympic trampolining medal – the Panthers faced some key questions. Would they have their ups and downs? Would they be able to bounce back from any early setbacks? If they performed badly, would they be for the high jump?

The omens weren’t good. With goalkeeper Luke unavailable for selection and Nat ill, they faced the prospect of playing the whole match with ten men against a Hepworth side which enjoyed the luxury of 11 fit players plus two subs. To make matters worse, the modestly-named Little Wembley pitch in Thongsbridge looked about the same energy-sapping size as its more famous counterpart.

We shouldn’t have worried: the ten Panthers put on a barnstorming display to make it two wins out of two at the start of the season.

Hepworth piled on the pressure in the opening 20 minutes, and Shelf only managed to stay on level terms thanks to three fine saves from Jonny – who made a magnificent job of filling the goalkeeping vacancy (if not the gigantic shirt).

But the Panthers gradually began to impose themselves on the game and Toby went close twice in the space of a minute after being set up by great through-balls from Sam and Adam Renard.

Then, a couple of minutes before half-time, Robert was caught in the face by an opposition boot on the edge of the Hepworth penalty area and Man of the Match Tom dispatched the resulting free kick into the top right corner with the sort of pinpoint accuracy rarely seen these days since the departure of Ronaldo for foreign shores.

Shelf’s victory was built on a heroic second-half performance by their three-man defence of Ross, Tom and William, more brave goalkeeping by Jonny and some clinical finishing when chances came their way.

They went two up after the break when Tom won the ball deep in his own half and played it to Adam Renard, whose clever flick sent Toby charging clear to hammer the ball hard and high into the net.

Seven minutes later, it was 3-0, as Adam McDade threaded the ball into the area and Dylan squeezed it past the onrushing keeper for his first goal for the Panthers. Then, midway through the second half, Toby grabbed his eighth goal in two games after a typically powerful run that started inside his own half.

By the last ten minutes, Sam, the two Adams and Dylan had all run their socks off and, as gaps began to appear in the Shelf midfield, Hepworth were finally able to make their numerical advantage count with three quick goals.

The last of them was scored with the Panthers down to nine men after an injury to Adam Renard, who ended up being carried from one touchline to the other by coach Lee “The Human Stretcher” Marsh. According to the latest medical bulletin (issued via Xbox LIVE) the injury isn’t serious and Adam should be fine for the next match.

So – a 4-3 away victory, a 100% record and second place in the league…enough to put a spring in the step of any coach.