Freeland entertained Long Crendon on Saturday at the Simon Hole Memorial Ground and, with a strong team (which included Neil Maskell playing his first game for the mighty red and blacks in midfield) against a below par Long Crendon side, we came out of the traps at a sprint and were four goals up in the first fifteen minutes. Goal scorers were J J Harriott; Craig Simpson; David Cooper and the ever present Danny Taylor.

Long Crendon never recovered from this early onslaught with David Cooper getting his second and Freelands fith before half time. Craig Simpson ran everything and was inspirational from the middle of the park.

The second half saw Freeland still pushing forward and playing good football. Danny Taylor got his second goal of the game with David Cooper getting his hatrick and Freelands seventh on sixty-five minutes. The game could have become very dispirited with Crendon beginning to chop players down and the Referee Chris Greenwood must take some credit for allowing the game to be played in the right spirit.

Stuart Hole then got another goal for the home side. Freeland made a substitution with thirty-five minutes to play and Chris Palmer was able to slot in two goals. Another substitue, the crowd pleasing veteran striker John Leader, was given twenty-five minutes to add guile and craft to the Freeland front line, and also scored, driving home from three yards to send the many spectators home warmed by the display on a very cold day. Three goals by subs must be inspired choices by the manager! It also shows the strength of squad we now have even with a number of regulars not available.

There will be few teams to get such a result against Long Crendon and Freeland look forward to maintaining their form into December.