Midlands Division One

AHSFP 3  v  FC Polonia 2

Due to Hercules Den being declared frozen, Fp's moved their home fixture to Victoria Park. Fp's opponents for the day were Polish outfit FC Polonia. Having never played each other before and both teams chasing promotion hopes this promised to be an interesting tie.
Having lost last week to bottom of the league Harris, manager Smith rung the changes in both formation and personnell. Smith himself replaced the suspended Riddell at sweeper. Fenwick and Humphreys completed the back three. In midfield G.Smith, Dall and Sharp took up the central positions while Kidd and Maclaren occupied the wings. The Gall cousins were given the nod up front and the ever reliable Saunderson kept his place in goal. Substitutes Macintosh and Buick completed the squad.
In the early exchanges on the firm surface the Fp's struggled to get a grip on the game and it was Polonia who found themselves camped in the homesters half. Wave after wave of attack was forced upon the Fp's rear guard as their footballing senses deserted them.
As a result Polonia opened the scoring in the first ten minutes. Humphreys was caught out of position as his marker found space on the wing. The wingers cross was only half cleared and a Polonia midfielder neatly finished from the edge of the box.
Only five minutes later Polonia doubled their lead. Again some slack defending left a host of attackers free and when Dall slipped when closing down his opponent, the polish midfielder struck into the top corner.
To add to the FP's misery Kidd picked up an injury and was replaced by Macintosh who went to the left wing and Maclaren changed to the right hand side.
Luckily some poor finishing prevented Polonia from increasing their lead as Fp's seemed lost and lackluster. Gradually as the half went on, the referee and oppositions management team made a few terrible decisions against the Fp's which led to the home players showing more determination. With G.Smith and Dall now snapping into tackles the Fp's came more into the game and managed to sneak a goal before half time.
As the two Galls battled for the cause the ball fell kindly to MIKE GALL and he finished superbly in off the far post from the edge of the area and hand the Fp's a life line.

Half time:AHSFP 1  v   FC Polonia 2

After some stern words from Smith and Harrison at half time Fp's started the second period in a more positive manner. Sharp began to find pockets of space and was able to drive at the visitors defence. The Gall cousins also began to up their work rate and Fp's began to dominate, all be it through determination rather than flare!
As Fp's pushed they got the equaliser from another scrappy goal. A hopeful ball into the box took several deflections before it fell to SHARP who prodded home from close range.
By now Saunderson, in comparrison to the first half, was a spectator in the Fp's goal. Fp's could now smell victory and went in search of the winner. It came fifteen minutes from time after persistant work from Matty Gall earned his side a corner.
After several disappoining corners Macintosh finally delivered the goods with an inch perfect cross onto the head of FENWICK and his header found the top right hand corner.
Ten minutes from time Maclaren was replaced by Buick. As time ran out Fc Polonia resorted to some typical theatrical European diving which won them a few free kicks around the box but the Fp's held out to complete an eventually well deserved comeback.
The Man of the Match award went to KEVIN DALL for a gritty display in midfield.

Team:Saunderson, D.Smith, Humphreys, Fenwick, Kidd, Maclaren, Dall, G.Smith, Sharp, Gall, Gall, Macintosh & Buick