Hemsby knocked out of Norfolk Junior Cup after brave fight

Hemsby travelled to Mattishall Reserves to play their Norfolk Junior Cup match that was postponed last week and bowed out of the competition after a 2-0 defeat.

Although Hemsby had a couple of players carrying slight injuries, they started well and had their higher league opponents on the back foot for large parts of the first half.

The first real chance was created on 10 minutes when Joe Youngs played a neat one-two with Lewis Stebbings but his effort was straight into the arms of the home keeper.

Then Johnny Howell sent Kristian Sutton away down the right and his excellent cross was sliced over the crossbar by a home defender and following the cleared corner Jonathon Peirce sent another great ball into the area that was met by Youngs but his header was straight at the keeper.

Youngs had another header saved on the half hour mark after Kyle Simnett picked him out superbly before Mattishall took the lead when Felix Andrews blocked what would have been a certain goal but the ball fell to another striker and he finished past the grounded Goncalves.

Hemsby felt they had played well enough and created enough chances to at least be level at the break but knew they had to start the second half well to get back in the tie. Unfortunately the task got harder in the 53rd minute as the home side doubled their lead when their left winger broke free and made his way into the area and fired his powerful shot beyond Goncalves and into the far corner.

Hemsby made a change, bringing Chris Matthews on for Shannon Deeks, whose injury had got worse, and the home keeper had to make two good saves in quick succession from Stebbings and Howell. A minute later he was beaten by an excellent strike from Russell Marriott, but a defender on the line managed to clear.

With 10 minutes remaining Mattishall were awarded a harsh penalty when it looked as though Peircy had cleanly taken the ball first but the spot-kick spot was skied over the bar.

For all the efforts that captain Michael Grayson pushed the side to, there just wasn’t the lucky breaks when Hemsby were on top and Mattishall proved that you have to take the chances when they present themselves. But heads can be held high ahead ot Saturday’s trip to Earsham.

The OPS man of the match went to Felix Andrews.