Match Report: Tadley Calleva vs Hamworthy United
After a fantastic draw midweek away to AFC Portchester, Tadley Calleva were at home once again for the first of five home games in a row. The visitors to Barlow’s Park were Hamworthy who sat in 6thplace with 37 points and having won their last 5 out of 6 they were not going to be easy opponents. There was only one change to the team that drew during the week and that was the absence of Brett Denham. Denham unfortunately got injured in the warm up so Phillips came in to start ahead of him.
Just like the AFC Portchester game, Tadley started off the brightest of the two teams. After two minutes Sam Hamilton came very close to opening the scoring. Abrams and Thorne linked up well to then allow Abrams to cross into Hamilton, whose header went just over the bar. Hamworthy created the next chance of the game as a cross from the right hand side was headed in by Walker. Tadley were on the backfoot after only ten minutes but came close to equalising through Dallimore but his header was well held by Rees in the Hamworthy goal.
Despite heading over early on, Hamilton would play a vital part in Tadley’s equaliser as he kept the ball alive in the Hamworthy box, following a cross from the right, to put the ball on a plate to Vickers. Vickers got his head to the ball and converted it to equalise for the home side. Tadley were level on the 22ndminute and had plenty of time to get another. However, the next goal of the game went to Hamworthy as a fortunate deflection fell to Stone who tucked the ball away into an empty net. Due to this goal five minutes before half time, Hamworthy had the lead going into the break.
It didn’t take long for Hamworthy to add a third after only ten minutes into the second half. The ball was swept across the face of Sean O’Brien’s goal for the on-rushing attacker to tuck away. Tadley’s job to get back into the game was getting harder and harder by the minute. This wasn’t helped by the fact the home side were struggling to create any clear cut opportunities. Seven minutes after the third goal the fourth came along which gave the visitors a comfortable cushion. Mario Nurse went close after this goal as a corner was swept in and he was on the edge of the box to volley the ball over the bar.
Tadley did get their second as the ball fell into Shemar Pettet’s path who prodded the ball past the stranded Rees and into the Hamworthy goal. Unfortunately, Tadley couldn’t build on this and were beaten by 6thplaced Hamworthy. Next up at Barlow’s Park is the visit of Alresford Town on Tuesday 19thFebruary, 7:45 kick off.
Starting XI: 1. Sean O’Brien, 2. Chad Abrams, 3. Mario Nurse, 4. Jake Nicholls, 5. Shaun Dallimore, 6. Tom Walsh, 7. Connor Thorne, 8. Aaron Parfitt, 9. Daryll Phillips, 10. Sam Hamilton, 11. Danny Vickers
Subs: 12. Luke Neller (on for Phillips), 14. Shemar Pettet (on for Thorne), 15. George Hallahan (on for Nicholls), 16. Kallum Thomas, 17. Kieran Maylen
Attendance: 78
