GLASTO AND HARRIS BRING THE MUSTARD

Freeland A 5 - 3 FC Hollybush

Freeland A came through their toughest test yet unscathed after a Glastonbury and Harris inspired revival in one of the greatest comebacks ever seen. Freeland were boosted by having Nathan Langford, Callum Parker and nippy Tom Mason available, but they were missing their keeper Simon Mobey, Paul "The Cat" Fenwick replaced him.

In front of the biggest crowd of the season at Elms Road, all 61,000 of them, Freeland froze, and put in a dire first half performance against a Hollybush side who were clearly up for it. They were first to every first ball and first to every second ball, and they dominated the opening exchanges. It came as no surprise when Hollybush took the lead, and even less of a surprise that the lethal Eddie Brookes scored it. Tom Mason dallied on the ball and was disposed on the edge of the area, and Brookes finished in style, firing the ball into Fenwicks bottom corner.

" It was a goal Freeland did not deserve, and it wasnt long before Hollybush restored their lead"

Freeland did not respond, and Langford and Footitt were mere spectators as passes went astray, Freeland were lucky to still be in the game. Then, out of nowhere Freeland equalised, set piece specialist Dave Titcombe swung in a dangerous free kick, which caused mayhem in the Hollybush penalty area, Tom Mason was quickest to act, and he chested the ball down, swiveled and squeezed the ball home past the despairing keeper. It was a goal Freeland did not deserve, and it wasnt long before Hollybush restored their lead.

Freelands defence opened up and Paul Dray accepted the gift, ramming the ball home. It got worse for Freeland when Brooks grabbed himself a second, after the otherwise safe hands of Fenwick dropped a routine cross, and after chasing Brooks round the area, the striker punted the ball towards goal, hitting the reliable head of Panting on the way and dropping into the net. Freeland almost pulled a goal back straight away, Footitt latched on to a Hardy through ball, but his shot was cleared off the line.

Half time came and Freeland threw on Ben Harris for Callum Parker, and he had an immediate effect with his willing running and strong tackling. Hardy should have done better from a superb defence splitting pass from Mason, but he shot tamely at the keeper.

"we wish them both a speedy recovery"

Ten minutes into the half and Freelands woes deepened, Chris Hicks fell awkwardly when unleashing a cross, and did not get back up. The game was stopped by pint sized referee Neil Evans whilst everyone waited for an ambulance. It turned out that the youngster has broken his ankle, an injury that Joel Holden had unfourtantly picked up the week before, and we wish them both a speedy recovery.

Both teams wanted to continue the game, and this led to emotional scenes as Ben Glastonbury, a 17million pound summer signing from local rivals Hanborough, made his Freeland debut after a frustrating knee injury had kept him out for the past couple of months. The cumbersome striker received a huge ovation from the Elms Road crowd as they looked to the big man to start repaying the huge transfer fee that the club had shelled out on him.

Freeland suddenly burst into life and forced themselves a corner after good work from Harris. Hardy swung the ball under the cross bar, and Langford bravely dove in to back/head/elbow the ball home. Glastonbury then got in on the act, skillfully taking the ball round three players, before pulling the ball back to Langford who stroked the ball home with his left foot. Freeland were pumped up now and urged on by the partisan Elms Road crowd they looked for the winner. Langford looked a different player with Glastonbury just behind him, and was proving himself a real handful. Once again modern day Bobby Moore Robert Panting was one step ahead of the game, and he excelled along with Mason and Titcombe in a three man defence.

"Just minutes later and Freeland had capped a remarkable turn around"

As the game opened up into a thrilling finale Hollybush had a chance to win it, when the superb Brooks volleyed over from close range. Fenwick made a brave stop to deny the forward another chance and then proceeded to ruin his good work by falling over taking a free kick. Freeland took a dramatic lead, when Langford, fed by Glastonbury, unleashed an unstoppable twenty yard drive which couldnt be kept out by the unlucky Hollybush keeper. Just minutes later and Freeland had capped a remarkable turn around, when Harris burst forward and was unlucky to hit the bar, but Hardy was on hand to produce a bullet header from a yard out to seal a 5-3 win.

The final whistle was drowned out by the ecstatic Freeland supporters, but Paul Mills and Matthew Hardy will know that they were very lucky to escape with a win.