Kettering Nomads FC

26th September 2009

Robinson, Symington, Smith 2, C Thurlow

Nomads progressed into the last 32 of the Junior Cup after a comfortable win against Orchard Park Utd from the Northampton Town League.

As has been the case in previous weeks, Kettering based property magnate Nathan Eady had to shuffle the first team pack yet again due to player unavailability. Piazza, Symington and Ingham all returned, new signing Jim Marks was fit enough to earn a place on the bench and Charsley was given his first start of the season up front. However this week's absentees were Norton, Bright and most significantly, newly installed captain Massie who was away with three friends on a Sex in the City themed break in New York.

Starting Line Up - Panter, Ingham, Evans, Smith, Robinson, Morris, Piazza, Symington, R Thurlow, C Thurlow, Charsley. Subs - Newcombe, Marks, Joy, Cross.

With little known about their opponents, it was important that Nomads got off to the best possible start. Any pre-match nerves were soon forgotten as the home side scored two goals in the first five minutes. The first came from the unexpected source of the bronzed adonis himself Robinson, who smashed in a half cleared corner from just inside the edge of the box. Nomads lead was then doubled as Symington cut in from the left before expertly dispatching the ball into the opposite corner.

It seemed as though this would see the flood gates open, as it quickly became evident that Nomads had been handed the tie of the round against the worst team ever to grace Orlingbury Road. However a combination of poor final balls, wrong choices of pass and constantly giving the ball back to their opponents, meant that Nomads became increasingly frustrated. Things got even better for the home side when Orchard Park were then reduced to 10 men after their mouthy captain received his second yellow card of the game.

Despite the numerical advantage, Nomads were still struggling to add to their goal tally. However the tie was put beyond all doubt when stand in skipper Smith ventured forward for a couple of corners which saw carbon copy headers hit the back of the Orchard Park net and left the away team's keeper smelling like a pensioner's urine soaked mattress. Panter was forced into one excellent save as half time approached and then Smith was forced out of the game with yet another popped fibre hamstring injury - Joy coming on as his replacement.

The second half continued in the same fashion as the first - Nomads having almost all the possession but unable to carve out any clear cut chances. Robinson was withdrawn after ten minutes for Cross, with Ingham switching to left back. With Panter a virtual spectator, Nomads pushed for more goals but without any success.

Finally the second half deadlock was broken when Craig Thurlow curled a great shot into the top left corner of the Orchard Park net. This was to be the last action the tiny front man saw, as he was then replaced by debutant Marks. Despite Orchard Park then having a second man sent off, Nomads could not add to the scoreline and the game gradually petered out with both sets of players thankful when the final whistle blew, albeit for very different reasons.