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August 2011
Swalwell 1 -7 Hexham (17 Aug 2011)
After the unfortunate false start due to the weather last Saturday Hexham got into the starting blocks for season 2011-12 on Wednesday night with a difficult away trip down the Tyne Valley to Swalwell. But it was Swalwell who got out of the block and into their rhythm first eager to carry on after a solid 3-0 win over Alliance new boys Bedlington Terriers Reserves on the opening day. From a right wing corner Chris Goldsmith got to the ball first to crash a header against the crossbar which served as a timely wakeup call to the Hexham outfit. After that early scare Hexham were always in control, Ali Stobbs playing in his favourite position on the front line showed his intent and was unlucky not to get a stronger touch to the ball in a fifty fifty challenge on the goalkeeper. But within moments of that attempt Hexham took the lead on seven minutes, Thomas North showed tremendous pace to beat his man on the right before making to the by-line and depositing a pin point cross to striker Liam Heenan who got in front of the home keeper Grant Scott to head Hexham into the lead. Moments later Grant was picking the ball out of his net again when a horrendous back pass sold him short and Heenan was onto it and he made no mistake to double Hexham’s advantage with only nine minutes gone on the clock. To say Swalwell were shell shocked would be an understatement but they regrouped to stem the tide which was hitting their goal. But after thirty minutes Heenan could have completed a first half hat trick when he was
unmarked at the back post, but he could not keep his effort on target. The home side hit back and the largely redundant Hexham keeper Mark Stobart was called into action when he pulled off a great save to thwart Tony King after a rasping drive. Skipper Gavin Cox was cursing his misfortune when his header hit the crossbar, which was the third match in a row
he had suffered this fate if you count the pre season Clayton Cup competition. The home side got back into this match at a very dangerous time with only three minutes left till the break, a viscously swerving shot from Scott Goldsmith left Stobbart stranded, but he could not be blamed as the effort moved dramatically in the air. This gave Swalwell some hope and Stobbart was called upon again immediately after the goal but he managed to parry this goal bound effort. Hexham were just looking to go in at the break one goal up but after home keeper upended Stobbs in the box Scott Coates restored the two goal advantage from the penalty spot. This was vital as it totally knocked the stuffing out of the home side.
The second half was barley started when Ali Stobbs should have opened his account for the season, showing great strength and skill he beat the defender drew the goalie off his line took it round him but somehow managed to screw his shot past the post. On fifty two minutes the goal of the game was scored by Hexham, a ball out to the wing where the impressive Thomas North beat his marker and crossed into the path of Mark Gibson who from eighteen yards out managed to stretch his neck muscles to connect with the ball and send it into the top left corner of the goal. On seventy three minutes Liam Heenan got his goal to give him a well deserved hat trick. Picking the ball up on the edge of the penalty area he burst into the box and calmly rounded the keeper for his third and Hexham’s fifth of the evening. After Ali Stobbs missed early on in the half he would have been forgiven for thinking it was not to be his night, but he put that right on eighty two minutes with a good finish. His performance over the ninety minutes had deserved a reward; this unfortunately failed to relieve him of the rib-taking in the dressing room post match after his earlier miss. On night’s like this its the strikers that get all the plaudits but the back line of Hexham were immense, Stewart, Cox, Brown and McLean kept it so tight Swalwell never had a spell were they put the visiting goal under any prolonged pressure and when they did get through Mark Stobbart was in fine form. It was a very hard decision to make for man of the match but centre back Paul McLean got the final vote. The final goal of the night came as in the first half in the very last minute from the penalty spot and as in the first Scott Coates made no mistake. This was an excellent result against a team which pre season was tipped as a possible title challenger but Hexham have to keep their feet on the ground and reproduce this form week after week.
Hexham 2-2 Harton & Westoe CW (20 Aug 2011)
The fixture compiler did no favours to Hexham by pulling out two of last year’s top teams in the first week of the season, but after the mid week victory at Swalwell confidence was at a high level for the visit of Harton & Westoe to the Wentworth.
. Harton meant business at were straight at Hexham from the first whistle, they have very fast forwards and they get the ball out wide quickly which stretch’s the opposition defence and this gives there two strikers space to attack. A prime example of this was after ten minutes a ball out wide was delivered into the box which Hexham keeper Stobbart came to collect but Nicholas Quinn got in front of him but Hexham were relieved to see his flicked header clear the crossbar. The best move early on for Hexham came when Scott Coates and Thomas North combined to give the ball to Ali Stobbs just on the corner of the penalty area , he wriggled clear of the close marking to turn and shoot but it was straight at the Greenan in the Harton goal .
Part of the success of Harton is that they play a very high line and rely on the opposition getting caught offside which Hexham did on a number of occasions and the referee had a difficult task with some contentious decisions coming from his assistant on the far side. The deadlock was broken on thirty six minutes when a disputed free kick was dispatched into the top left corner of the goal by Steven Graham, the movement from the Harton team showed that this had come direct from the training ground. On the balance of play the side from South Shields just about shaded it but before the break Hexham got back onto level terms. Ali Stobbs who is relishing his role as a striker challenged the Harton back line and from a tackle managed to lay the ball off towards striking partner Liam Heenan, Liam did not stand on any ceremony and dispatched the ball into the Harton net.
At the break Harton replaced their goal keeper Greenan who suffered a knock in the first half and he was replaced by sub Kevin Garrick. It did not take long for Garrick to get involved in the action as he was forced to rush off his line as Joe Stewart was through on goal. As Joe put the ball past him Garrick clattered into him bringing him crashing to the ground and needing treatment and quite a spell of time to recover. This could quite easily have been a red card but he was shown yellow by the match official, he took the opinion it was more clumsy than malicious. The resultant free kick came to nothing but with Hexham on the up some changes were made to the pack with the home side enjoying a very strong bench. Only this week Hexham striker Sean Henderson became a farther again but escaped babysitting duties to join the game just after the hour mark, and he had an immediate
impact on the match. Using his strength and pace he charged through the defence before shooting wide and only moments later found himself through on stand in keeper Garrick, but as he lifted the ball over the advancing goal keeper it also cleared the crossbar. The home side were defiantly having the better of the second half exchanges and should have taken the lead on seventy seven minutes when a Paul McLean header struck the post and ran along the goal line before being hacked away to safety.
Even though Hexham had more of the ball in the second half Harton were always dangerous and it took an excellent save from Stobbart as he saved a rasping drive with his legs blocking from close range. That was only a warning as in the next attack a slip at the back allowed Shaun Edwards the time and space to drive the ball past Stobbart and put Harton in front with only nine minutes left. This was a severe blow to Hexham but parity was restored as in the first half within minutes, once again Sean Henderson was involved as he contested the ball with the Shields defenders it fell to Darren Dobson with the defence all over the place. Credit to Darren he did not panic and calmly took a touch before volleying past the defenders who were trying desperately to get back and cover the goal. The final chance of the day fell to Paul McLean when he arrived late at the back post but could not get enough on the ball to direct it towards the goal. Both sides would have felt aggrieved to have not got any reward for their efforts during the ninety minutes and if both teams carry on with this form they will both be challenging come the end of the season. Man of the match for Harton was centre half David Croggins and for Hexham was Thomas North who had been a constant threat with his tremendous running and pin point crosses into the danger area
Alston 1-1 Hexham (24th Aug 2011)
Midweek games are notorious for being difficult to get sufficient players to attend with work commitments so Hexham were delighted to have a strong squad to take to neighbours Alston for this Northern Alliance Division Two fixture. Alston have settled in well to the Northern Alliance and apart from a difficult away trip to Northbank Carlisle they have acquitted themselves well into the league with some solid displays and results. So it was no surprise when they hurled everything they could at Hexham looking for an early break through. For the first ten to fifteen minutes they were defiantly the stronger side with Hexham being unsettled and unable to play their normal passing style. Alston did not take advantage and Mark Stobbart Hexham goalkeeper was never really troubled and slowly but surely Hexham got a foothold in the encounter and took the lead midway through the first half. A Scott Coates corner was met at the back post by skipper Gavin Cox who laid the ball down to Liam Heenan who converted from close range to put the visitors in front. This rocked the Cumbrian’s and Hexham had two more chances before the break and really should have been out of sight as far as picking up the points go’s. Michael Robson shaved the crossbar with a cracking drive after a pass from Paul McLean and Sean Henderson was disappointed not to open his League account for the season from a inch perfect Liam Heenan cross.
After the break it was important for Hexham to hold tight at the back and push for that killer goal which eluded them in the closing stages of the first period. But as in the first Alston started the better and attacked from the off. They are a young team and have terrific pace attacking from both wings turning their opponent’s defenders. This is what happened only five minutes into the half when a cross field ball had the Hexham defenders trying to turn quickly, the pitch was good but heavy in places and when Gavin Cox unfortunately lost his footing striker Arran Ritchie had time to collect and turn in side to equalise past Stobbart. For the rest of the match both sides had chances and could easily have won it. Carl Dickinson in the home goal was kept busty and on a couple of occasions Hexham’s Stobbart came to Hexham’s rescue. In the closing moments it took a goal line clearance from McLean to ensure Hexham travelled back down the South Tyne valley with a point. A draw was possibly a fair reflection on the game but Hexham would be rueing the chances that escaped them in that spell just at the end of the first half when they were in the driving seat
North Shields 1-3 Hexham (27 Aug 2011)
The start of this Northern Alliance fixture had to be delayed due to the fact that match referee Gary McMullen was called away to be with his wife who had just entered the first stages of labour. Apart from the shocking bad timing everyone one at Hexham FC would like to congratulate Gary and his wife on the birth of their baby son later in the evening. But thanks to some frantic phone calls from league officials Stu Bentham stepped in and the game kicked off in perfect conditions only thirty minutes late. It was an entertaining start with both teams getting the ball on the ground and trying to play the ball to feet. First effort on goal came from Hexham’s Scott Coates who’s rasping drive evaded the post much to the relief of Shields goalkeeper Callum Hayes. North Shields also had early opportunities and Hexham also breathed a sigh of relief when Matty Farrage hit the post .But after twenty one minutes Liam Heenan should put the visitors in front when he stretched to get onto the end of a deep cross but as he was leaning back the ball flew over the crossbar. Making his first league appearance of the season goalkeeper Carl Robinson made two excellent saves in the first half, one from Richard Speckman and the second bravely saving at the feet of James Cowx.
The pace and trickery of Thomas North was a constant threat to the home side and he almost opened the scoring from a cross from stand in skipper Mark Gibson, but once again in front of goal lady luck was not with Hexham.
At the break the scores were level but Hexham had done enough to feel capable of securing the points in the second half. After fifty minutes the breakthrough came, a turn and fierce shot from Sean Henderson was spilled by Hayes and as all good strikers should be Heenan was on hand to punish him for his error. This was deserved by Hexham but within five minutes Shields were back level after Matty Donkin burst through the defence and fired past Robinson as he came off his line. The game opened out now and Hexham seemed to be deflated but that all changed when Hexham were awarded a penalty after Thomas North was caught in the box. Shields felt aggrieved but there was no mistake it was a nailed on offence. The every reliable Scott Coates was given the job of the spot kick and for the first time in ages he failed to convert thwarted by a superb low diving save from Hayes. That was a blow to Hexham and Carl Robinson came to their rescue once again with a fine save once again from Cowx. But on twenty one minutes Scott Robson got his head to the ball in a midfield aerial duel and it fell perfect for unmarked Liam Heenan who took it towards the home goal. Keeper Hayes came off his line which made Liam’s mind up and he lofted the ball over the goalkeepers head and into the unguarded goal. That was the killer blow for Shields and when Mark Gibson ran from the midfield beating all around him on eighty five minutes to score the points were secure for Hexham and they recorded their second win of the season on the road. It was an excellent finish from Gibson who drew the keeper before slotting it home.
Hexham are sitting in sixth place in the table with a game in hand on all rivals which is their best ever start to a season ever so the task is to carry on picking up these points and see what the table looks like in the next few weeks. This is the best squad of players Hexham have ever had and it shows with the tremendous strength on the bench and with some players missing through holidays and injury there is no reason why they cannot go on and have a good season
Hexham 3-2 Alston (31 Aug 2011)
The nights are cutting in as September approaches and with other clubs are not as fortunate as Hexham to have the benefit of floodlights this was the last midweek fixture for the time being for the Tynedale outfit. But the atmosphere created by the lights, sizable crowd and a close match against local rival Alston put many a Premier League match to shame. First blood went to the Cumbrian’s after only three minutes, a left wing corner was fired in towards the near post and with a host of players all converging on the ball it was deflected in at the near post. Some confusion at first with claims of an own goal but the goal was eventually credited to Jack Currah. So that set up the match and it was played in a typical derby atmosphere with tackles flying in and both sides giving it everything there had. Alston always start strong using their pace and strength and had the better of the early exchanges, Hexham were already hampered by injuries and suspensions but coped and hit back strongly as the half progressed. Scott Robson went close with a rasping drive and Sean Henderson produced a perfect cross to the back post but no one saw that coming and it ran away to safety only needing a touch. A cross from the opposite side looked dangerous but this time Paul McLean and Scott Robson got in each other’s way with the goal gaping. The match was getting a little fractious with frustrations causing tempers to rise but ref Ron Pygall calmed things down with a yellow card for either side as the match went into the break with the visitors leading one nil.Hexham’s unbeaten start to the season was under threat
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