Nottsborough snatch it in the last quarter!

Nottsborough's third pre-season friendly was played with four separate quarters of 25 minutes. With 19 players available it was felt this would be the best format to give all 19 players as much playing time as possible. Old Hamptonians provided very lively opposition and this game could have gone either way.

Nottsborough played a strong team during the first quarter. The back four of Hickes, Parker, Grove and Cullinan looked secure and they played the ball around the back very nicely. In centre midfield Chris Kerr and Steve McMillan had control with Dan McEwan on the right and new man Ross Newell on the left getting behind the Hamptonians defence on a couple of occasions. Up front Hughes and Ewin put in a lot of running and it was Alex Ewin who gave Nottsborough the lead with a good volley home following a Newell cross. 1-0 to Nottsborough at the end of the first quarter. The second quarter was much more even with Dave Howson replacing Chris Kerr as the only change.

Nottsborough made 8 changes at half time and it took them a while to settle down. Hamptonians snatched an equaliser when Johnny Briggs the new second team skipper was penalised 25 yards out. The free kick flashed past Tom White for a terrific equaliser. Things got worse for Nottsborough during this period as Hamptonians went 2-1 up and shortly after the start of the last quarter they increased the lead to 3-1. Chris Kerr who had been introduced again for the fourth quarter then took a decisive hand in the game. Firstly he opened up the Hamptonians defence on the right wing and his slide rule pass found Ewin turning the ball past the Hamptonians keeper. 10 minutes from the end a fierce Ewin drive saw him secure his hat-trick as the ball swerved past the Hamptonians keeper who got a hand to the ball but could not stop it finding the top corner. Finally with Hamptonians tiring at the end Nottsborough got away down the left through Owen Prosser and the low cross left Chris Kerr with a great chance to snatch the win and this he did most emphatically.

First half - White; Hickes, Parker, Grove, Cullinan; McEwan, McMillan, Kerr C (Howson), Newell; Ewin, Hughes

Second half - White; Rocher, Nimmo, Grove, Webb; Prosser, Briggs, Green, Howson (Kerr C); Ewin, Hughes