The Cricketers and Etherington Arms served up a ten goal thriller at a sun-drenched Hereford School with The Cricketers taking game, set and match with a 6-4 scoreline in their Division 3 encounter.

Etherington almost made a dream start when Cricks gifted them possession from the kick-off but new goalkeeper Ricky Hodgson made a good save with the Etherington forward putting the rebound wide. Cricks then began to have the better of the play with 17 year-old Liam Robinson in particular causing Etherington all sorts of problems with his marauding runs down the right wing and excellent crosses. From one such run Cricks should have taken the lead when Robinson combined well with Lee Darwood but when the ball came to Steve Smith he fired over an open goal from six yards out. Smith, however soon put Cricks in front when the keeper failed to hold a shot from Nick Rook and when Smith challenged the ball ran loose leaving him with the simple task of poking the ball into an empty net. The lead was short lived though as Etherington attacked down the left and when the ball was crossed to Walsh 25 yards out, his well struck effort flew over Hodgson and into the net. Shortly after Etherington where in front. Simon Treacher was penalised for a foul on the edge of the area and although the Cricks wall blocked the initial kick the ball fell kindly for Peterson who fired home. Cricks equaliser came from fully 50 yards when they were awarded a free kick just inside their own half. Chas Vivins took the kick and watched as it sailed over everyone including the keeper and dropped just under the bar. Cricks then regained the lead thanks to the tenacity of Darwood who chased down a defender, dispossesed him, and with the keeper out of his goal struck the ball home with pinpoint accuracy. Still the goals kept coming and Robinson and Darwood combined once again, Danny Grant the grateful recipient on this occasion as his header put Cricks 4-2 up. Vivins then repeated his earlier goal from another free kick from a similar distance, this time the ball deflecting of an Etherington head to wrong foot the keeper. Deep into first half stoppage time Etherington grabbed a lifeline when Peterson sneaked in at the back post to convert a left wing cross. 5-3 to Cricks and it was only half time.

Cricks brought Adam Day into their back three at half time in place of Paul Quickfall. Cricks made it 6-3 when Darwood headed home a Grant free kick and both Rook and Danny Hornigold tried long range efforts which were both saved by the keeper. Then came the save of the match as Rook with both feet of the ground connected perfectly with a cross from the right, but somehow the keeper palmed the ball up and over the bar. Hodgson then had a let off when he kicked a clearance straight to an Etherington player but he could only hit a weak shot straight back to a relieved Hodgson. Etherington reduced the deficit with 15 minutes remaining when the ball was pulled back to an unmarked Chamberlain whose first time shot gave Hodgson no chance. In the last few minutes Etherington were reduced to ten men when a player received his second yellow for a foul on player-manager Jamie Humberston.

Man of the match was 17 year old Liam Robinson who had a superb game as did ref Kev Wilson.

Just found this report! what a great match it was. And thank you Les but lets be fair that SHot of mine was more like 35 yards not 25! ha

Nah, never Walshy, it was 28 yards tops.  

i feel a little hard done by there Les, good times though. made me laugh reading the report though. the lad that got sent off came on as a sub, was only 16 years old and never played again haha