Pre Season Friendly
Tuesday 4th August 2009 played @ Dog & Duck, Wellingborough

Northants Combination - 1
Goalscorers - Kris Hall

Wellingborough Town FC - 2
goalscorers -

Wellingborough Town would be our first game which was not competitive so nothing at stake. It was an opportunity to look at lads not involved with the squad before. From the squad of 15 only 6 had been selected for previous squads and only 3 had started a previous game.

The politics of this job is hard enough, trying to arrange an appropriate friendly during pre-season is even harder! This resulted in 17 players not being available for last nights game, a combination of injury, illness, holiday, other pre-season games and maybe the odd one that does not feel it an honour to represent the Combination.

The starting 11 was as follows (4–4–2)
Dave Woods – Goalkeeper (Wollaston Victoria Division 2)
Neil Dolman – Right Back (Brixworth Premier Division)
Adam Knight – Centre Back & Captain (Brixworth Premier Division)
Mark Brown – Centre Back (Wollaston Victoria Division 2)
Joe Judge – Left Back (Wellingborough Ranelagh Division 2)
Jimmy Reece – Right Midfield (Roade FC Premier Division)
Michael Parkes – Centre Midfield (Brixworth Premier Division)
Adam Bridgeford – Centre Midfield (Earls Barton Division 1)
Danny O’Neill – Left Midfield (Wollaston Victoria Division 2)
Kris Hall – Striker (Earls Barton Division 1)
Ben Hall – Striker (Great Doddington Division 3)

SUBS:
Daryl Wallinger – Right Midfield (Wollaston Victoria Division 2)
Simon Anderson – Striker (Wellingborough Ranelagh Division 2)
Lee Warman – Striker (Wollaston Victoria Division 2)
Perry Nimmo – Left Midfield (Wellingborough Grammarians Division 2)
As you can see the Premier Division was represented by 4 players and the squad coming from a total of 8 clubs from the Premier Division through to Division 3, which I am sure, raised a few eye brows.

The pitch looked fantastic and there were quite a few there to watch us get off to a great start with Kris Hall opening the scoring after 5 minutes, proving what a “fox in the box” he is following up Danny O’Neill’s 30 yard effort. For the next 30 minutes we dictated playing some great passing football from the back 4 through, with Brummie & Bridgey dominating the centre of the park we wanted that second goal. A weak free kick was awarded about 10 minutes before half time and a good strike made it 1 – 1.

We knew the opposition would be a lot fitter than us and this would play a major part of in the second half, but we had been the better team in the first half and did not want to let that go. Knighty was only due to play 45 minutes, but Brownie had to come off inured at half time so Knighty stayed on and lead like the natural leader he is. We shuffled the back four with a very impressive performance by Jimmy Reece moving from right midfield to left back, despite being a natural right back! Judgey moved to centre half and Daryl Wallinger making his debut at right midfield also putting in a solid shift. We again started where we left off, solid from the back with good passing football throughout. The excellent work rate of both Kris Hall and Ben Hall nearly paid off on 2 occasions and then Lee Warman and Simon Anderson came on for a straight swap for Kris & Ben. Danny O’Neill dominated the left flank with some excellent through passes that 2 of which saw Lee go through for one on one’s, he knows he should have done better but his heel injury has held is pre-season up and this was his second game since the end of last season.

Entering the last 15 minutes some of our lads were struggling and the blistering pace of the Doughboys Striker saw him go through one on one with a clinical finish.
At 2 – 1 the lads might have seen disappointed for a minute or two and the odd head went down, but the 3 or 4 natural leaders we have got them up and made a very entertaining last 15 minutes. With Knighty & Danny both carrying knocks Perry Nimmo went on the left flank and Kris Hall came back on to cover at centre half.
We did have a couple of very genuine penalty shouts, but they were not to be and the Doughboys keeper pulled off 2 great saves from Lee and Simmer. The Doughboys Keeper kept them in the game and was probably their best player in the second half. The game ended 2 – 1 to the Doughboys.

After the game I received 4 or 5 comments from connections of Wellingborough Town commenting on how good we were as a team and how good certain individuals performed, almost as if they were surprised! I told one gentleman that it was our first game together as a group of players and that the majority did not know each other until 6.30pm, he could not believe it.

I would like to say thanks to Luke Chalmers & Ryan Souter. Both were selected but due to illness and injury could not play, but still made the journey to watch their team mates put in a great performance, well done lads.

Overall, an exceptional performance. Every player was a credit to himself and the club he represents on a Saturday.

Where now? Well Saturday 19th September is the big one! We are at home in the National League System Cup against West Riding, kick off is Harborough Town at 3.00pm. Your support would be welcome.

A 22 man squad will be announced next Friday 14th August. This will then be reduced to 16 men on Monday 14th September giving players & managers 1 months notice.

Good luck to all of you for the forthcoming season, the Premier Division certainly looks like being the closest season in a long time and Division 1 & 2 will also be very close.

Enjoy your football……

Ben Thomas.

Team:  David Woods (Wollaston Victoria), Neil Dolman (Brixworth All Saints), Adam Knight (Brixworth All Saints), Mark Brown (Wollaston Victoria),  Joe Judge (Wboro Ranelagh), Jimmy Reece (Roade), Michael Parkes (Brixworth All Saints), Adam Bridgeford (Earls Barton United), Danny O'Neill (Wollaston Victoria), Kris Hall (Earls Barton United), Ben Hall (Great Doddington).
Subs:  Daryl Wallinger (Wollaston Victoria), Simon Anderson (Wboro Ranelagh), Lee Warman (Wollaston Victoria), Perry Nimmo (Wboro Grammarians).

Man of the Match: Michael Parkes