Hill Farm reap a point

Barely Athletic 0 Hill Farm 0

Goal: Steve

Defence: Nick, Tom, Rich B, Chris

Midfield: Mike, Jim, Rich J, Richie

Attack: Mani, Sam

Subs: Gareth, Lee

Babysitting: Billy.

It does no disservice to Hill Farm to say their goalkeeper was the reason they came away with the point. Barely bossed the game for long periods but simply couldn't find a way past the acrobatic man between the sticks, who served notice of his ability when he got down low to Sam's header, after Mike had charged into the box early doors and got the ball onto the forehead of Lefils' understudy. The ball stuck to the goalie like an unwanted bogey sticks to a reluctant finger, and that, uh, finger, to force the metaphor, haunted Barely throughout the next 90 minutes.

Without key players like the aforementioned Lefils, Danny, Andy, and Phil, Barely put in a good performance overall, as they edged things in terms of possession and looked unflustered at the back despite a patched-up defence. However with the fledgling partnership of Mani and Sam upfront, they couldn't quite find a way through to give them the goal their play arguably deserved. Twenty minutes in Lee came on for Nick as a precautionary measure and added his voluble presence in terms of organisation, as well as a comfortable stint at left-back. Barely pushed on, but in a first half largely notable for the absence of goalmouth action, Steve was not called on to make a single save and his opposite number, whilst busy, looked at ease with what the home team had to offer.

Richie made just one change at the break, with Nick going in goal for Steve. The second half was a more open affair, especially late on as Barely legs tired and to be fair at this point the energetic Hill Farm mounted a sustained period of pressure. But previous to this it was all Barely, as Jim (the ticking midfield time-bomb abetting Jacko's pinpoint-pendulum), Mani, and Richie all saw shots gobbled up by the Hill Farm custodian. Sam, found by the impressively busy Richie in the box, had a shot tipped over the crossbar, but should have done better from another chance when he scuffed the ball low into the keeper's arms. Jacko, despite a fine display at midfield, left his shooting boots at home and managed to gouge a trough out of the turf in his enthusiasm for a goal. Even Tom managed to get forward, but a long distant effort went wide.

If this match report seems to resemble a list of near-misses, that's because at times that's what it was. To give Hill Farm their due however, they managed to eke out some chances of their own as the half wore on but by and large Nick was well-positioned for simple catches. Gareth came on at right-midfield and made one swashbuckling dash down the wing only to have his cross swallowed up by a box lacking in attackers.

When the last ten minutes arrived Barely were spent, and at one stage it looked like Hill Farm would nick a winner - and they might have done but for goal-line clearances by Tom and Chris. Barely were still trying to knock the ball around but Hill Farm were looking stronger, and must have been thinking they had ridden out the storm and had the momentum to take the points.

But Barely are made of stronger stuff than that, and a universally satisfying team performance ended with the game goalless when Bob blew the final whistle. The Barely Reporter gives every player at least 8 out of ten, but the player vote was a three-way tie between Tom, Rich B and tackling-maestro Chris, who was given the award in recognition of the fact that Tom and Rich had had it already and the team wanted them to keep a bit of humility, so previous holder Tom may have to take it out of the frame above his bedroom mirror again.

A tough and congested run-in sees Barely take to the field against Swift next Sunday. If they can add a bit of steel to their attack and continue to defend like this, anything is possible. Especially if the Swift keeper doesn't prove to be another bogeyman.