The Hoops rock Hermes

With Super League safety not yet guaranteed, the hoops travelled the short distance to Lochside Park to face a tough task against Hermes. A strong breeze and fiery pitch meant the odds were stacked against it being a spectacle of free flowing football. That proved correct as both teams battled away in a game short on quality at times, but the visitors organisation and shape laid the foundations for a vital three points.

The game was only three minutes old when the Hoops grabbed the perfect start. Ads swung in a corner from the left and centre half Tom HUTCH was at the near post to flick in a volley for his 3rd goal in in about an hour of football. Goal machine. Mike T then had a go with a dipping shot that beat Sweeney but just cleared the bar. Hermes came back at us though and Burr was unlucky to see his 25 yarder come back off the face of the bar, then a long Freeland pass found Innes clean through in the box but he totally mis-hit his shot and Gaz cleared. Gaz was then short with a headed passback but Stevenson couldn’t take advantage before at the other end Ads cut in and saw his shot well parried by Sweeney with Esslemont latching on to the loose ball. He cut it back to Ads who had another go but it went well over. In the final minute of the half though the lead was doubled. A short corner was then cut back to ESSLEMONT at the edge of the box and he swept the ball into the far corner. The assistant’s flag did go up but after the whistler confirmed that nobody had touched the ball or blocked Sweeney’s view the goal stood.
Hermes started the second half with the wind at their backs but it was the Hoops who should have added a third when the ball was slipped to Mike t in the box. Instead of taking a touch and having a free hit he tried a first time shot on the turn which was sclaffed straight at Sweeney. Hermes came back and when a Yeats clearance fell to Stevenson he fired wide, the Begg’s los shot to the corner looked netbound until Yeats stuck out a foot at the last second and deflected it wide. Mike T had the ball in the net ten minutes from the end but the flag was already up, and the remainder of the match saw very little goalmouth action and the hoops saw it cout comfortably enough to pick up three very welcome points.