....and if they're Norfolk, that makes it even
worse!
La Chiesa failed to exact revenge for the thrashing they received
at the hands of N&C in their opening fixture of last season, but they left the King George Playing Fields, Chelmsford,
with their pride intact after a much improved performance, having come within a whisker of snatching a draw.
Played in conditions much more suited to the beautiful game
than last year scorcher, La Chiesa started the game with a full quota of fourteen players available, even with new signings
Dennis Peck and Stev McCarthy absent along with John Riley, Terry Soteriou & Alan Lamont. Manager Samuel Knowles will
have worse headaches than the one that kept him out of this match if so many turn up week in week out.
The first chance of the match fell to La Chiesa's co-top
scorer from last season, Jon Gray. He forced the Norfolk keeper into action with a fierce shot from the edge of the area, The
home cusutodian turning the ball around the post for a corner that came to nothing.
LC/DC gave a debut to new midfielder Dean Jordan, and also introduced
Bobby O'Toole as a full time squad member for the first time. O' Toole looked assured on the right of midfield but tired quickly,
having not joined the rest of the team's gruelling pre-season regime until recently and was replaced on the half hour by Cy
Taylor. Norfolk were enjoying the lions share of possesion, with Chiesa showing signs of rustiness, often giving the ball
away too easily and , though chances were few and far between, it was the home side that took the lead ten minutes before
the break. A cross from the right was not adequately dealt with by LC/DC's centre halves and David Balls unleashed a shot
that deflected off Mark Harris onto the underside of the bar. The ensuing scramble saw Mike Hopwood nod the ball into the
gaping net, with Chiesa Keeper Danny Hardwick stranded.
Norfolk had chances to increase the lead before the break, while
Danny Trew came closest to an equaliser for the visitors.
At the break, Manager Samuel Knowles emphasised the need for
Chiesa to work harder off the ball, and be more accurate in their passing.
Matt Gillham and Jordan were replaced by Adam Jeffers and Benny
Gillham for the second half, but before they knew it, Chiesa were two down. A mix up at the back was pounced on by Balls,
he crossed to the far post to find Hopwwood arriving, calmly tuckin his shot past the advancing Hardwick. Memories of the
'Defeat in the Heat' last August were flooding back into the mind of Chiesa's loyal band of supporters, and it seemed as if
history was about to repeat itself when Norfolk added a third, only for the goal to be disallowed, the ball having already
gone out of play for a corner.
It was time for the Hornchurch Rossineri to stand up and be
counted. Every team has a spell in the match where they have opportunities, and it was vital that La Chiesa took advantage
of theirs in this encounter. Cy Taylor was causing problems for Norfolk down their left hand side, whilst Jeffers bothering both
centre halves with non stop closing down. When a dangerous cross from the right caused panic in the eighteen yard
box, Chiesa needed a cool head to finish, and who better than Gray, who rifled the ball past the Norfolk keep[er
with a minimum of fuss to make it 2-1.
A grandstand finish was set up for the last twenty minutes,
could Chiesa force an equaliser, or would Norfolk put the game to bed with one of their numerous counter attacks?
The former looked the most likely outcome when, with ten minutes
on the clock, Jeffers went to ground when closing in on goal, and the referee awarded the boys from the Church of
the Horn a penalty kick. Opinion was divided on the merit of the award, but all that mattered was that LC/DC Player of the
Season 03/04 Danny Hardwick was making his way up to the penalty spot to take the kick. Hardwick had a 100% record on spot
kicks taken for LC/DC, and not a bad record of saving them, but it was not to be on this occasion, his opposite number not
required to make a save as his kick flew high wide and handsome into the bushes behind the goal.
The game wound down to a close after that, Iain Gay had a couple
of speculative efforts that went wide, but in truth the better side on the day were in the lead, and it was a fair reflection
of the game when the referee called time on proceedings with the score at 2-1.
Nevertheless, it was a good workout for LC/DC, exactly the kind
of warm up they needed in readiness for the three pronged assault they are to launch on League and Cup competitions this
season. Norfolk & Chance lead 2-0 in what is now known as the 'Mark Smith Tote Jackpot Challenge Trophy', but La Chiesa are ready to change all that, this time next
year.
LCDC; (4-4-2) D Hardwick; Harris, Hodsoll, W Hardwick,
Williams; O'Toole (Taylor), Gay, Jordan (B Gillham), M Gillham(Jeffers); Trew, Gray
