Match Report: North Norfolk 1s 4-2 Felixstowe 2

After being handed a trump card from East Coast last weekend, it was North Norfolk who returned the favour of a ten man team when visiting Felixstowe.
In a remarkable reshuffle, only 4 players from the previous weekend featured in game week two with skipper James Hammond having to introduce 6 new faces to make up the ten brave souls making the long trip out to the port town of Felixstowe. Although upon reflection, to an unknowing eye, you’d be hard pressed to illustrate that this team hadn’t played together multiple times before.
Another warm, bone dry day saw another unforgiving pitch awaiting the ten brave men, if this wasn’t going to be enough to grind down the fittest of those available it certainly was enough to shave a few millimeters off the heads of the sticks being forced into this friction filled frenzy of a fixture.
Stopwatches started and play underway, North Norfolk immediately saw what was in front of them. A well drilled and well-rehearsed team, capable of swiftly moving the ball from left to right, probing for any weakness in a defensive low lying formation. With battle lines firmly drawn down, North Norfolk knew when to engage and when not to. A compact midfield comprising of Callum Gibson, James Hammond, Eddie Sadler-Barker and Alex Robinson shuffled relentlessly and when beaten the opposition were only met by a stalwart defensive line of Callum Searle, Simon Gilbert, Ben Miles and Sam Bennett.
Whilst the aforementioned players were meticulous in their defensive duties, it was to be expected that a few dribbles and passes may eventually seep through. Young Stan Miles, in-between the sticks, showed why he and his co-youth team made such a commendable charge to the national finals. Called into action multiple times in the first half, Stan held his ground filling the goal mouth in a display that Double-Decker or Pot Noodle would only too proudly sponsor. Charging out time and time again, Stan was able to thwart away any risk, with the defensive line gratefully able to mop up and residual threat.
North Norfolk, a man down, were living life on the break. Where the opportunity presented itself, the ball was willingly thumped forward. Mark Farmer-Wright, casting a lonely shadow upfront, was occasionally able to hold onto these wishful wing-its, and connect with on rushing midfielders just happy to be out their own half for a change of scenery. Short corners were awarded for such efforts, and extra efforts in the D were rewarded by a goal. The skipper, Hammond, found himself in a tight spot on the right hand side of the goal. Whether it be through tiredness, or skill, Hammond managed to lift the ball goal-bound on his reverse stick from the tightest of angles. Whilst the Felixstowe keeper flailed some arms to stop the shot, his efforts were in vein as the ball crossed the line and North Norfolk unbelievably led by a goal to nil.
North Norfolk became comfortable in their formation and within the challenging situation that presented them. They shuffled from left to right, mirroring the Felixstowe attack in some sort of synchronized barn dance, but only one was clearly more capable and willing than the other. Where the opportunity arose, North Norfolk smashed the ball forwards but not in the hope of finding touch inspired by the Rugby World Cup, but to find their isolated attacker. With a defending error, Farmer-Wright was able to latch onto a lose ball, charging into the D he was met by the keeper and whilst the opportunity was seemingly lost, a nudge from the keeper sending Farmer-Wright sprawling and looking for VAR was enough to see North Norfolk awarded with a penalty flick. With tired legs left to rest in the defensive half, Farmer-Wright was left to dust the sand off from his knees and put the flick away to see North Norfolk enter half time at 2 goals to the good.
Rallying cries were held at half time for more of the same, the plan was working, but could the North Norfolk legs, resolve and desire to win hold out? One further punted ball landed with Farmer-Wright again, who was able to turn his defender and smash the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the goal. At 3-0 up, this felt too good to be true. However, it only seemed to get better. A short corner was won, and Ben Miles had a routine planned from the outset. The infamous “Hendo’s Nose” was called, and whilst Alex Robinson was only able to hit the goalkeeper with his first deflected effort, time seemed to stand still to allow him the time to have another go. Again, whilst hitting the keeper, this one found the back of the goal. The ten men of North Norfolk, unfathomably, unbelievably but yet deservingly led by four goals to nil.
The umpires were asked repeatedly how much time was left on the clock, 4 minutes echoed around the pitch. North Norfolk admirably shuffled, challenged and darted out of their area time and time again. So much so, that official stats have the players down for clocking well over 8 kilometres in effort. Cramps were seen in Robinson and Bennett, although not for time wasting just from sheer work. Tired decision making led to Felixstowe grabbing what was seen as a consolation goal with 2 minutes and 30 seconds remaining, and a second soon followed to leave North Norfolk with a difficult two minutes to manage.
Thankfully they did so, and with one final smash from Ben Miles into too far corner of the pitch the final whistle was blown. An excellent outing from the men’s first team in difficult circumstances showed that even when the cards are stacked against you, with concentration, desire and teamwork that anything is possible. Upon reflection, the skipper reveled in the fact that sometimes 10 players are enough to focus the mind on the challenge at hand.
North Norfolk men’s firsts are now two wins from two, a great start to the season even among all the challenges. Did we say this way going to be an interesting season?