Glorious sunshine and a pitch that stretched for miles greeted the Hurricanes as they took to the field for the first game of the new season.  No goals, no flags, no ref but plenty of grass to cover as due to organisational difficulties the game had to be played on a full size pitch, with full size goals!

Hurricanes started the game a little nervously with some players playing in their new positions for the first time.   Expert instruction came from the manager on the sidelines, but unfortunately the players were too far away to hear him!  Hearing aids for the players or a megaphone for the manager?  One of the key questions to be answered before next week!

Early to shine for the Hurricanes was Luke Bohanan playing at left back.  A series of promising Doverhouse attacks were ended by Luke’s tenacious tackling and when the ball did get through Stanley Hill was looking assured in goal, darting out quickly to smother any threat.  At right back, Kieron Matthews was proving equally strong, quick to close down attackers and clear the ball to safety. As the players settled, the Hurricanes began to create the better chances.   With ten minutes gone, Kane Joseph broke from the midfield and fed the ball beautifully  to George Jones on the right wing.  George’s precision return left Kane with a great chance on goal but his shot went just wide.  Two minutes later an equally good chance was created by Kane Fairweather, playing in centre of midfield;  robbing a Doverhouse midfielder he skilfully lobbed the ball over the Doverhouse defence and Ryan Hine broke through with just the keeper to beat, but again the shot went just wide. 

The biggest scare of the half followed when Doverhouse broke up the right wing.  The linesman’s flag shot up but the ref waved play on, unsettling the Hurricane defence.  A fine shot from the Doverhouse winger brought an equally fine save from Stanley.  Play was soon down the other end again.  Kane Joseph was chasing everything and a typically energetic burst from him led to the ball being blocked but running free to Elliot Checkley who tested the keeper with a low shot to his right.  Almost immediately, Ryan Hine burst through one-on-one against the keeper and forced a great save.  The resulting corner saw some excellent interplay between Elliot  and Kieron, with Elliot’s final cross causing chaos in the Doverhouse area, before Luke rifled in a shot which the keeper saved well. 

Hurricanes were playing really well as the game raced towards half time.  With only a few minutes to go, Ryan found some magic and ghosted past three defenders and into the box; with Ryan just about to pull the trigger a Doverhouse defender pushed him off the ball:  penalty!  But wait…no!  The ref has waved play on!!  Unlucky Hurricanes.  0-0 at half time.

The Hurricanes had had the better of the first half and were eager to get on with the second.  In fact twelve of them took to the pitch for the start of the second half! Gabriel:  “Lee, what position should I be in?”  Lee:  “Off the pitch!”  Clearly the half-time team talk had gone well!

The Hurricanes had dominated the first half but the second was a different story.  For the first ten minutes the ball was anchored in the Hurricanes’ half.  Will Clark and Sam Greehy were having to work hard in the centre of defence and were getting in some great tackles. With ten minutes gone suddenly Hurricanes had a flurry of attacks.  Henry Partridge won the ball on the half way line and, released George Jones who broke into the penalty area and forced the keeper to parry for a corner.  Shortly afterwards a Kane Joseph cross from the right found George with his back to goal, he turned and connected well but the ball flew over the bar.  Minutes later a melee on the edge of the Doverhouse area saw shots flying in from Tom and from Harry Hine but the defenders managed to block. The resulting clearance caught Hurricanes out and suddenly a Doverhouse forward was rushing through with only Stanley ahead of him.  But then, gazelle-like, Sam Greehy raced back to make a fine tackle and clear the danger.  Only temporarily, however.  With twelve minutes of the second half gone a  Doverhouse player suddenly broke clear, controlling the ball beautifully to round Stanley and slot the ball home.  Five minutes later it was 2-0 with a goal mouth skirmish resulting in the ball looping high over Stanley and into the net. 

Hurricanes were looking tired but did not give up.  With the minutes ticking away Kane Joseph sent a great cross in from the right wing which found George in the six-yard box but he only half connected and the keeper saved. It wasn’t going to be Hurricanes’ day.  In the final minute a fine shot soared into the roof of the Hurricanes’ net giving Stanley no chance and giving Doverhouse a rather flattering 3-0 win.

The Hurricanes should be pretty pleased with this first performance.  All the players battled well and with a little more luck in the Hurricanes-dominated first half, the result could have been very different.

Man of the Match, as voted by the supporters:  tireless running, some great tackles, impressive drama performance when cruelly (accidentally) cropped by a Doverhouse forward:  Sam Greehy.