Another Harrowing Misadventure (Ages Challenge)

[Faramir]

20.12.08

Hill Sinks Scarborough

Harrow Hill started the second half of the Conference National campaign with an impressive 3-0 win over Scarborough at Larksfield Road. Hill was keyed by the first half performance of Martin Wharton. Wharton took an excellent pass from MOM Gary Howard and rifled a low shot past Jimmy Walker to earn Hill the lead midway through the first half. Wharton then jetted away on a through ball from Scott Robertson and Richard Lowe took him down just outside the edge of the area- earning Lowe a redcard as the last man. Wharton then drilled the ensuing free kick inside the right post to make it a brace and a 2-0 Hill halftime lead and his 5th goal of the season. Wharton was forced to leave thanks to a rough tackle from Paul Foot in first half injury time. Hill continued to pressure 10-man Scarborough in the second half and had many more good scoring chances. The one they were able to capitalize on was Peter Wilkinson knocking in a rebound after Walker parried a blast from John O'Keefe. Martin Pearson't clean sheet was well earned as he had to make several good saves in the early going. Pearson also owed his clean sheet to Robertson who threw himself in front of a shot headed into the open goal.

"It was a nice result, but we still made a lot of defensive mistakes along the way- especially early," observed Heartwood.

"Good thing Martin Pearson played a wonderful match," agreed Pearson.

"Still, I can't complain too much- the effort was there and we earned the 3 points."

***

21.12.08

"And another one gone Bob. Heybridge paid us 50K with a 20% sell-on clause for Steve Andrews," offered Heartwood.

"Not bad. I think he will flourish there, but he wasn't going to do that for us."

[Faramir]

26.12.08

Hill Tortures Torquay

The Plainmoor faithful clearly did not expect their holiday celebrations to be ruined by Harrow Hill, but Hill crushed 2nd place Torquay 3-0 in a masterful display. It was clear that Hill's quickness was giving Torquay problems after the opening whistle as they pressured the ball continually and home side could not get the ball out of their own end. After missing closely twice when breaking in to the six-yard box free, Paul Wilcox instead dealt a pass to Andy Hurst and Hurst deflected the ball into the open goal as Simon Royce could only look on in frustration. Alex Coulson put Hill up 2-0 at halftime when he burst in on the right side and scorched a shot past Royce in first half injury time. Hill played more conservatively in the second half, but were still able to cap the scoring as Hurst found Jami Puustinen parked and unmarked in front of the Torquay goal and he blasted a shot past Royce. Craig Farr earned his clean sheet with solid work in the first half when Torquay managed their brief rally. Nathan Edwards earned another MOM for his silky attacking on the leftwing.

"Excellent match! Just what I was hoping for," beamed Heartwood.

"The boys certainly played well today," agreed Pearson.

"Nathan Edwards is going to put Peter Wilkinson on the bench- he is playing so well right now."

"He was terrific again today."

[Faramir]

3.1.09

Preston Ends Hill Run

Preston managed to take a 1-0 win over Harrow Hill at Larksfield Road in their FA Cup 3rd Round match. Though Preston did outplay Hill, it was a Hill gift of a goal that allowed the Championship level side to move on to the 4th Round. Hill's Keeper- Martin Pearson- looked stellar in the early going as he held Hill in the match with a series of nice saves. Hill managed a couple of good opportunities of their own, but Luke Steele was rock solid in the Preston goal. The turning point came in first half injury time when Pearson mishandled a backpass from Gary Bailey. Dave Nugent was right on top of him to knock it into the goal for his 20th goal of the season after Pearson lost the ball to him. Hill tried to rally, but wasn't nearly sharp enough to seriously threaten the visitors and could only wonder at what might have been as they were broomed from the Cup.

"We didn't play well enough to beat them, but I am still disappointed we lost on a bad goal like that," sighed Heartwood.

"A momentary loss of focus, and it proved pretty costly," replied Pearson.

[Faramir]

6.1.09

Hill Edges Gateshead

In a spirited match that saw 12 yellow cards, 2 redcards and a total of 44 fouls it was Harrow Hill who managed to find the goal they needed as they won a close 1-0 match over Gateshead at International Stadium. The lone goal came early in the match as Paul Wilcox, who had already missed a couple good chances by failing to put shots on goal, took a long header from Anthony McMahon and raced past Gary Pinch. Wilcox took a sharp angled shot that Peter Mccorkell got a hand on, but couldn't keep out of the goal. The first sending off in the decidly ill-mannered match was Gateshead's Anthony Shandran for a 2nd yellow card in first half injury time. It took only a few minutes in the second half for Hill to also wind up with only 10 men as Wilcox was sent off for his 2nd yellow card. Hill had chances to increase their lead, but just wasn't able to in the second half. The Hill backline, led by MOM Chris Poole, did a superb job cutting out the flurry of crosses from the home side as they tried to rally. Craig Farr's clean sheet was well earned as he made some excellent reaction saves in the first half to keep Hill in the lead.

"I was really happy to see our defensive focus never wavered in the match," commented a pleased Heartwood.

"That and we had the goal to allow us to play that way," agreed Pearson.

***

8.1.09

"Are you sure you want to do that Jim? Lee (Williams) is still not ready to play due to that gashed leg he suffered..."

"He just agreed to a new contract and I think he needs to be on the Senior side- He is too good to remain only on Under-18s or Reserves."

"I agree with you on that, but I wasn't sure if you wanted him fully match fit before bringing him up."

"No, he can heal up while observing. I am also sending Jordan Robertson down to you on Reserves."

"We can use him."

[Faramir]

17.1.09

Hill Rolls Past Newport

Harrow Hill used a strong performance from the opening whistle until the closing whistle as they easily defeated Newport County 3-0 at Newport Stadium. Though Hill missed a couple chances early they took the lead midway through the first half when Martin Wharton whipped a 25 yard shot past Peter Caldwell as he caught the Keeper looking for a pass instead of a shot. Newport kept the match close until halftime, but hadn't been able to generate a good scoring chance. Early in the second half Scott Price found Martin Clark with space on the right and Clark blistered a shot past Caldwell. John O'Keefe was the triggerman as Clark made it a brace. O'Keefe slipped him a pass up the middle and Clark raced past two defenders trying to close him down before he flipped his shot past the sliding Caldwell. Hill was content to help Andrew Evans notch a clean sheet as they closed out the win. Rightback Gary Bailey received MOM honours for Hill in the match.

"Another solid match where everyone did there part and we got 3 points because of it," stated a pleased Heartwood.

"The backline contributed as they pushed the ball up quickly this match. We got a lot of chances because of that."

"And we weren't even counterattacking," grinned Heartwood.

[Faramir]

20.1.09

Hill and Morecambe Draw

Harrow Hill did everything they could to try and score against Morecambe Keeper Ryan Robinson, but the final whistle found them frustrated as they only wound up with a scoreless draw. By this reporter's notes, Hill had at least 8 very good chances to get the goal they needed, but between inaccurate shooting and timely saves from Robinson, they weren't able to find a way to stretch the twine. Martin Pearson only had to make one save, but it was a match saver for Hill as he parried away a blast from Stuart Fleetwood. Paul Wilcox was especially frustrated as twice he was ruled offside when it appeared that Hill had scored and both goals were waved off.

"We played well, but we didn't execute well," commented Pearson.

"Andy Hurst wasn't his usual self today, he just could not put his shots on net- that is why I brought on Carl Gibson for him."

"That move- bringing on Gibson- almost worked, but Robinson just tipped his header over the bar."

[Faramir]

24.1.09

Hill Stuns Southend

Harrow Hill scored an impressive 3-1 win over 1st place Southend at Roots Hall in clearly one of their most important matches of the season. Coming into the match trailing the first place side by 6 points, it was a crucial match for both clubs. Southend looked well on their game as they scored in the 4th minute. A quick counter attack where Luke Gutteridge found Gary Wood with space in the area turned into the lead for the home side as Wood's blast slightly deflected off Scott Robertson and past Craig Farr. Hill fought back to even the match at 10 minutes when a counterattack started by Martin Clark whipping a pass out to Peter Wilkinson on the left turned to gold as Wilkinson's delicate layoff allowed Martin Wharton to drive a shot inside the left post past Darryl Flahavan. The match remained even at halftime, though Hill had the better chances to take the lead in the first half. Hill came out with more pressure to begin the second half and it paid off when Johnny Mullins, preoccupied with Clark coming close in his own area, failed to see Wharton come from his blind side. Despite the last minute warning from Flahavan, there was little Mullins could do as Wharton took the ball away and drilled a shot past Flahavan for his brace to give Hill the lead. Hill played conservatively with the lead and a counterattack saw Robertson's through ball put Clark in free. Clark made a beautiful lob over Flahavan to give Hill a 3-1 lead. Southend desperately tried to rally, but found Hill's quickness in the midfield and backline a problem as they couldn't get men free off the ball. The final whistle saw a very happy Hill side heading to the dressing room with an important 3-1 road victory.

"I love it when they execute a gameplan to perfection," said Heartwood with pleasure.

"Well, except for that first goal we gave up..." replied Pearson.

Heartwood laughed, "Yes, that was a brutal start- still it was nice to see we had the spirit to keep coming after them and get the win."

[Faramir]

27.1.09

"Well, at least they have seen enough playing time to be prepared," sighed Heartwood.

"I think both Martin (Pearson) and Andrew (Evans) have proved they can play...still losing Craig (Farr) for two months at this point of the season is a problem."

"Nothing we can do about that- broken collarbones just don't heal all that quickly."

***

28.1.09

Hill Mashes WSM

Harrow Hill shrugged off the loss of their team leader- Keeper Craig Farr- to a broken collarbone for 2 months as they dominated visiting Weston-super-Mare in a 4-0 win at Larksfield Road. Hill was clearly the quicker club in the early going and after a trip on Lee Sawyer yielded an early free kick- Andrew Hodgson made the visitors pay by blasting the free kick past Lawrence Matthewson for his 1st goal at Hill. Paul Wilcox then put the WSM backline to the sword. Wilcox finished off a beautifully choreographed passing sequence by Hill that featured a 1-2 by Chris Poole and Nathan Edwards and then a pass through to Andy Hurst before he whipped the cross that Wilcox half-volleyed home. Wilcox made it a brace late in the first half as he took a pass from Hodgson and burst free to score past Matthewson. There was no letup in the intensity of the Hill defensive effort in the second half, though they did play more conservatively. Hill turned another counterattack into the final scoring of the match as Hurst whipped a shot into the left corner of the goal for his 10th goal of the season to cap the strong win. Andrew Evans notched the clean sheet for Hill in goal.

"Excellent effort. I am really happy with the way the boys are playing," beamed Heartwood.

"I don't know that I have seen many better passing sequences than the one that got Paul Wilcox his 1st goal," answered Pearson.

"Nor I, it was a pretty one."

[Faramir]

31.1.09

Shrewsbury Slips Past Hill

Shrewsbury used a goal late in the second half as they edged Harrow Hill 1-0 at Larksfield Road. Hill had put on a fine first half display, but had little to show for it as they weren't able to get their shots on goal. Peter Wilkinson, Martin Wharton and Martin Clark all had fine chances, but sailed their shots over the goal. Martin Pearson looked very steady in the Hill goal as he kept snaring off their attempts to score past him and the two sides headed to halftime scoreless. It was more of the same in the second half as Hill had more problems getting their shots on net. Shrewsbury scored the match winner late in the second half when Brett Hinks blistered a 30 yard shot that Pearson should have had, but missed as it sailed past him into the goal. Hill wasn't able to rally and suffered the disappointing 1-0 home loss.

"We didn't play up to the level that we had lately," said a thoughtful Heartwood.

"Neither our execution, nor our determination was where it needed to be," agreed Pearson.

[Faramir]

4.2.09

Grays Fight Back to Hammer Hill

Harrow Hill took the lead at Larksfield Road, but faltered badly late in the first half and fell 3-1 to visiting Grays. Things looked good for Hill early in the match as Paul Wilcox crossed smartly to Andy Hurst and Hurst whisked it into the goal past James Courtnage. Hill's backline seemed to falter when Anthony McMahon was stretchered off after being tripped by Gary Hooper. Wayne Wallace, who had triggered Hill's 1st goal, gave one back when his poor pass bounced off Andrew Hodgson and right to Hooper- who slammed it past Andrew Evans. Less than three minutes later it was a failure to clear away a loose ball that found Dennis Oli sending a rebound past Evans for the halftime lead. Jamie Humphries struggled trying to fill McMahon's shoes today, and his push on Hooper gave Grays a penalty early in the second half. Paul Culshaw converted the penalty past Evans and Hill seemed visibly out of determination as they never managed a serious scoring chance in the remainder of the second half.

Heartwood was mad, "I can accept losing a match like the Shrewsbury one- but not this one. We showed nothing in the second half, no life, no spark, no effort!"

Pearson slumped in his chair with his head down, "I don't know why, it shouldn't have been because of McMahon, but you're right- we clearly had nothing in the second half."

[Faramir]

7.2.09

Hill Falters at Farnborough

Harrow Hill held a 1-0 halftime lead and looked like they might be in control of the match, but gave away a penalty and had to salvage a 1-1 draw against the 19th rated side. Martin Wharton scored an excellent goal early in the first half as he took the ball at midfield and attacked down the left side before drilling a shot past Kevin Scriven. Martin Clark missed two sitters in the first half and was clearly frustrated at his efforts as Hill failed to add to the lead. After John McCombe was sent off for a redcard for taking Clark down just beyond their area as last man Hill seemed set for the half. The failure to add another goal came back to haunt Hill as Scott Robertson earned a redcard for holding Garreth O'Conner in the Hill area and Jermaine Wright converted the penalty kick past Martin Pearson. Both sides had chances to win the match and Pearson stood tall with a trio of saves to at least preserve a split of the points for Hill, while Clark missed another sitter that had the Hill bench clearly shaking their heads.

"Things went so well...until Scott Robertson held O'Conner," sighed Heartwood.

"We certainly looked on track for the win," agreed Pearson.

[Faramir]

14.2.09

Hill and York Play to Draw

Harrow Hill had to overcome a goal they gave away, but managed to fight back for a 1-1 draw against surging York at Larksfield Road. Hill came out and played a good first half, but found themselves trailing when Gary Bailey passed it directly to Andy Bishop in front of the Hill goal and Bishop rocketed a shot past Andrew Evans to give the visitors an unearned 1-0 halftime lead. York was content to play defensively with the lead and Hill wasn't having much luck in the match as Andy Hurst hit the crossbar and Paul Wilcox headed off the right upright. The equalizer was definitely dramatic as Alex Coulson was trying to send a long cross on for Hurst, only to wind up on his knees with joy as it sailed past David Stockdale to help earn Coulson MOM honours. Chris Casement was redcarded for taking down Wilcox as the last man moments later, but Hill could not find a way to score the goal they needed to win.

"Better than a loss, but another match we should have won," murmured Heartwood.

"We did a lot of things right in the match, but it was another match where better finishing and avoiding defensive mistakes would have given us a win instead," replied Pearson.

***

14.2.09

Conference National Set for Tightest Finish Ever?

The Conference National has become one of the most closely watched tables in English Football as no less than 7 clubs remain not only in the running for Playoff spots- but for the title itself. With 12 matches remaining, Torquay continues to cling to the top spot, but there are 4 other clubs within 4 points of them.

Conference National- 34 matches played

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">

1- Torquay 65 pts (+20)

2- Harrow Hill 63 pts (+24)

3- York 61 pts (+19)

4- Southend 61 pts (+18)

5- Grays 61 pts (+14)

6- Stockport 59 pts (+19)

7- Woking 58 pts (+18)

</pre>

[Faramir]

17.2.09

Hill Wins Thriller at Woking

Harrow Hill managed to win a closely contested 2-0 match over Woking at Kingsfield Sports Ground with a pair of goals late in the second half. The first half, as was the case much of the match, found Hill muttering about a lack of luck. With Martin Clark out with the flu, highly touted Lee Williams made his debut for Hill. Williams showed some of the deft footwork that has some comparing him to Michael Owen, but he found the crossbar unfriendly as he blasted a shot off it in the first half. Williams also found Keeper Roberto Pampin unkind as Pampin made a diving parry to deny another good chance in the first half. Martin Pearson had a considerably easier time in the Hill goal, but had to push a Joseph Arnold header over the bar. The second half found Hill in firmer control of the midfield, but seemingly unable to take advantage to get scoring chances. It was clear that Williams was hurting after a rough tackle by Ezekial Tomlinson, but he remained in the match and had a big hand in finally gaining Hill the lead. Williams took the ball on the sideline and drew two defenders to him, before taking the ball and slipping a pass up to unmarked Scott Price. Price broke into the area and then laid the ball off and Jami Puustinen blasted a shot inside the right post past Pampin. Hill backed off and played to protect the lead, but was able to put a capper on the match as Puustinen found John O'Keefe breaking up the middle unmarked. Pampin made the parry on O'Keefe, but Price hammered home the rebound into the open goal to clinch the win for Hill. Peter Wilkinson earned MOM honours for his play on leftwing, while Pearson finished another clean sheet.

"That was a hard-fought win," said a tired Pearson.

"The boys worked and worked. I am proud of Lee Williams. He was hurting and I wanted to get him out, but with Wharton also injured- he wanted to stay in. That play of his made the difference- as he drew the defenders and then sprung Price," stated Heartwood.

"That is the same kind of effort he always gave me on the Under-18s. He is going to be a good one."

"I think so too. You did a good job developing him Bob."

[Faramir]

28.2.09

"It is hard to believe you already clinched it, great job Bob!"

"Good players Jim- you just keep them coming and we will keep on trying to win with them," grinned Pearson.

Hill U-18s Capture 3rd Consecutive Title

Harrow Hill Under-18s clinched their 3rd consecutive Group 9 Under 18 Title as they crushed Exeter Under-18s 5-0 at Larksfield Road. The amazing Hill Under-18s have won 18 of their 19 matches played and their only blemish is a draw against Portsmouth Under-18s.

***

28.2.09

Hill Fends off Fleet

Harrow Hill showed determination as they outlasted stubborn Gravesend to defeat them 2-0 at Stonebridge Road. Both goals from Hill were by Alex Coulson as the winger earned MOM honours in the match. Coulson gave Hill the lead in the first half with beautifully timed header on a cross from Andrew Hodgson. His second half goal came late and clinched the win as he deflected a long cross from Nathan Edwards. Andrew Evans surely earned his clean sheet with a pair of brilliant first half saves to keep Hill's early lead intact. Coulson earned MOM honours, but several press thought that defender Anthony McMahon would also have been a good selection.

"Another battling win," smiled Pearson.

"The boys are playing well. Their effort and work ethic have really shown through- and this match was a perfect example," agreed Heartwood.

"It's also encouraging to see their development. Andrew Evans is gaining more confidence every time out."

[Faramir]

4.3.09

Hill Bobbles Against Halifax, Settles for Draw

Harrow Hill looked the much the better club as they hosted Halifax at Larksfield Road, but they allowed the visiting side to escape with an unearned 2-2 draw. The early going looked very good for Hill as Martin Clark fired home a rebound after Keeper Stephen Henderson stopped a wicked shot from Lee Williams. Despite having dominated the first half of play, Hill found themselves trailing 2-1 thanks to two key defensive errors. David Mills evened the match for the visitors with an ill-advised and panicky clearing attempt that saw him put the ball past Martin Pearson into his own-goal. Minutes later they fell behind when David Potter left James Smith completely unmarked on a free kick and he deflected the ball past a diving Pearson. Hill pressured the visitors in the second half, but it took until the late stages before they were able to come up with the equalizer as Martin Wharton, on for slightly injured Clark, took a pass from Michael Owen and slipped his shot past Henderson inside the near right post. Hill missed a chance to win the match as Henderson made a brilliant diving parry of Williams' free kick in second half injury time. Injuries played a big part in the match for Hill as both Scott Price and Clark hobbled off and Tim Spencer also appeared very tentative due to a leg ailment- but stayed in the match as Hill had no chance of subbing for him.

"I would call that a disappointing effort," sighed Heartwood.

"We didn't show much composure," replied Pearson.

"We didn't show much of the same kind of defense that has served us so well. Potter and Mills didn't play particularly well, they wandered all over the place and made key mistakes."

[Faramir]

7.3.09

Wild Ride for Hill in Win at Cambridge

Harrow Hill staked out an early 2-0 lead at The Abbey, gave it back as Cambridge evened things, retook the lead in the second half and then had to survive a couple heart-stopping moments in the late stages to hold on for the 3-2 win. Paul Wilcox showed the ability that has Hill fans naming him their favorite player in a recent poll. Wilcox skinned Andy Duncan and then made a terrific dribble around a diving Anthony Betterton for a fantastic goal that gave Hill the lead in the opening moments of the match. Wilcox made it a brace when he alertly hammered home a rebound after Betterton stopped a hard shot from Martin Wharton. Cambridge rallied and drew a goal back with a thunderous 30 yard blast from MOM Stephen Smith past Andrew Evans. Conal Platt then shed his marking to whip a shot past Evans on a nice pass from Smith to even the match at 2-2 going to the dressing room. Hill seemed fully composed to begin the second half and went back to attacking the yellow card riddled backline of Cambridge. Gary Howard keyed the match winning goal as he launched a beautifully curled pass to Wharton in full stride down the left. Wharton fired a well placed shot inside the far right post past Betterton and Hill had reclaimed the lead. Hill threatened to add to the margin, but Betterton came up with a brilliant save on Andrew Hodgson. Evans then provided the final heroics for Hill with two late saves to preserve the win.

"I was really happy when the final whistle sounded," admitted Heartwood.

"It was a close one. It could have been a lot easier if we had played better in the first half."

"Smith's goal was just a good strike, Andrew Evans couldn't be faulted on that one. Still, we should have marked out Platt on his goal."

"At least we got the goal in the second half and hung on for the win."

[Faramir]

14.3.09

Hill Tops Weymouth in Close Tussle

It was another difficult match against Weymouth, but Harrow Hill managed to survive a late rally by the visitors to win a closely contested 2-1 match at Larksfield Road. Hill played extremely well in the first half and took the lead when Ian Bennett came out to try and cut-off a long centering pass, but the ball took a strange bounce and Bennett couldn't stop it. Martin Wharton was quickest to the ball and smoothly lofted a 30 yard shot into the open goal. Bennett made up for his mistake by making key saves on Paul Wilcox and Lee Sawyer to keep Weymouth only a goal down at halftime. With Wharton clearly struggling due to a hard tackle to open the second half, the Larksfield Road crowd's excitement when Lee Williams entered to replace Wharton was clearly evident. Williams had impressed with his first two Senior matches, but he was finally able to score his 1st Senior goal in this match and a tremendous goal it was. Wilcox flicked on a long goal kick from Martin Pearson and the ball went into empty space in the right side of the area. Greg Strong and Ian Pearce failed to react to the ball- both apparently thinking it had been headed elsewhere- and Williams turned on the jets to race all the way across the pitch. Williams collected the loose ball while Strong and Pearce were just reacting and then made a sensational impossible angle shot past a stunned Bennett to move Hill ahead 2-0. Pearson was trying desperately to keep a clean sheet and had narrowly escaped Chukki Eribenne heading closely over the goal twice, but the 3rd time was the charm for the determined Eribenne as he deflected a cross from Wayne Purser past Pearson in second half injury time. Pearson then had to tip a last second header from Tim Sparv over the bar to preserve the close win.

"That was a pretty close win," sighed a relieved Heartwood. "I thought they had us early in the second half."

"If they had made any of their headers count then- it would have been a lot different match."

"Lee Williams is really showing me he may claim a starting role sooner than I anticipated- he was sensational on his goal."

"That is pretty much what he had been doing for the Under-18s since you signed him. He really is class," agreed Pearson.

[Faramir]

18.3.09

"I better watch out Bob, someone will be recruiting you for a head position shortly," laughed Heartwood.

Pearson smiled, but his voice was serious, "Would you have a problem with that Jim?"

Heartwood smiled back and shook his head negatively, "No Bob, if someone offers you a chance- I want you to take it. You deserve it for the job you have done these past three seasons with Under-18s and Reserves."

"I keep telling you Jim, you keep getting me bunches of very good players. We are working in concert to develop them and it seems to be working great."

"Don't forget the job that Rob and Spencer have been doing scouting. Without the influx of good players, neither of us would have much success."

"That's true, but look at Jimmy Sullivan and Terry Reed- our own youth program is starting to give us some good players as well."

"All of which hopefully leads to continued success on all levels."

Hill's Amazing Run

Harrow Hill Reserves have clinched their 3rd Consecutive Group 6 Reserve Title with 8 matches remaining, joining the Hill Under-18s who had already clinched their 3rd consecutive title. Hill Manager James Heartwood was quick to credit Assistant Manager Bob Pearson for the success of the two sides, "Bob is doing a tremendous job of developing all the young players we have under contract and in our youth program. I can't say enough about how well he has the players working to improve and performing on the pitch. We hope that this continued success continues to funnel the Senior side the players to keep improving." For his part Pearson modestly commented, "Look, this is all working according to the blueprint and master plans laid down by Jim Heartwood. He was scoffed at for his innovative ideas, but the entire Harrow Hill organization is taking those and turning them into reality."

[Faramir]

21.3.09

Hill Avalanche Crushes Accrington

Though Harrow Hill had taken an early 1-0 lead on Accrington Stanley, it appeared they might be in a bit of trouble as skipper Paul Wilcox left with an injury. Hill struggled to contain Accrington the remainder of the first half and could count itself lucky that Andrew Evans had made several timely saves to preserve the slim lead. When Accrington scored the equalizer early in the second half all the momentum seemed to be for the struggling home side. Up stepped Martin Wharton for Hill as he and Lee Williams ruined the Crown Ground's fans expectations in a 4-1 Hill win. Wharton scored a second half hat-trick to send Hill to an important 4-1 road win and earn himself MOM honours. Williams had setup Wilcox for the first goal as his burst of speed allowed him to push the ball past defender Andy Tretton and Wilcox fired the shot past Keeper Les Pogliacomi. Ian Craney scored the equalizer for Accrington past Evans after a nice layoff pass from Nick Travis. Wharton took over as Hill answered the equalizer by quickly regaining the lead as he rapped home his own rebound. Wharton's 2nd goal came when Andrew Hodgson skinned Gary Roberts and slipped a pass across that Wharton whisked into the goal. Wharton finished his hattrick with his 15th goal of the season thanks to a nice pass from John O'Keefe.

"An impressive effort by Martin Wharton off the bench," observed Pearson.

"Too right you are. Did you notice though that their backline was a bit preoccupied trying to keep Williams in check?" asked Heartwood.

"Yes, I saw that too. He helps everyone else get more space out there because they can't afford to ignore him for a moment. How is Paul?"

"He broke his wrist and will likely miss at least a month of play."

"Ouch, we could really use his leadership on the pitch."

[Faramir]

28.3.09

Hill's Late Charge Carries Past Kettering

The Larksfield Road faithful were clearly on the edge of their seats as Harrow Hill and Kettering moved past the midway portion of the second half still locked in a scoreless duel. Hill was clearly the better club in the first half, but good work by the Kettering backline kept them from taking full advantage of their edge in possession. Scott Peat had come up with every save the visitors had needed as they were pleased to still be scoreless going to the dressing room. Craig Farr celebrated an emotional return from injuries that have kept him out for two months by making excellent saves against Joel Grant and Liam Trotter in the opening moments of the second half as Hill came out on their backheels. Hill quickly righted themselves and when Kettering skipper Liam Nicell pushed Peter Wilkinson in the area on a throw in, it was Alex Coulson who stepped up and calmly converted the penalty kick to finally earn Hill the lead. Hill then finally put the visitors on ice as Wilkinson held the ball until he saw MOM Lee Sawyer coming free and crossed to him. Sawyer easily flicked it past Peat to put the final stamp on the 2-0 win.

"It was great to have Craig Farr's leadership back in the lineup- I think it made the difference in this match," stated Heartwood.

"Craig did do a good job at halftime- telling them to be patient and that the chances would be there."

"I was nervous before Alex's penalty kick."

"Who wasn't? he was overjoyed to score that one."

Conference National- 5 matches remaining

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">

1- Harrow Hill 82 pts (+35)

2- Torquay 78 pts (+24)

3- Grays 75 pts (+17)

4- Scarborough 73 pts (+16)

5- Stockport 71 pts (+24)

6- Woking 70 pts (+21)

7- York 70 pts (+19)

8- Southend 69 pts (+20)

9- Weymouth 69 pts (+13)

</pre>

[Faramir]

4.4.09

Hill Crushes Kidderminster

Harrow Hill turned a suddenly close match into a blow-out in the second half as they thumped Kidderminster 5-2 at Larksfield Road. Hill had jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead thanks a brace from Martin Clark and a solo strike from Martin Wharton in the first 18 minutes of play. It appeared the plan was for Hill to play more conservatively, but the plan clearly didn't work as Kidderminster got a goal from Adrian Rigoglioso to go to halftime down 3-1. Kidderminster struck again in the opening moments of the second half when Neil Wood got open at the far post and flicked a header past Craig Farr. Hill suddenly woke up and began playing with the same execution and intensity as they had shown in the opening moments and Wharton completed a quick-ending hat-trick and MOM honours as he scored two more goals in a three minute span past struggling Daniel Lewis to finally finish off the visitor's spirits and cap an important 5-2 win that coupled with a Torquay 3-2 loss at Southend now has Hill up 7 points on the 2nd place club with 4 matches remaining.

"I was worried there," admitted Heartwood. "I wasn't sure we were going to be able to turn it back on and I knew it was my fault for backing off so soon in the first half."

"It is the same move I would have made," replied Pearson. "We really didn't- or shouldn't have- needed any more goals after those first 3."

"When Martin Wharton scored his 2nd, I knew we were right back on track. Then he added his 3rd and I knew it was over."

[Faramir]

11.4.09

Hill Wins Slim Over Stockport

The final whistle found a clearly exhausted Harrow Hill side beaming as they had fought to the end to win a taut 2-1 match at Edgeley Park. Stockport was the better club in the first half, but found themselves shaking their heads several times as Craig Farr came up with timely saves and the alert Hill backline immediately cleared away any loose balls in the area. Hill struck for the lead against the flow of play as Martin Wharton broke out on the right and then sent a superb cross that Andy Hurst was able to tuck away inside the left post. Hill maintained that lead to halftime and then somehow kept Stockport from equalizing in a furious barrage at Farr to open the second half. Things appeared much more comfortable for Hill when Denny Kamara deflected a Ryan Barnes corner past Michael Poke midway through the second half. Stockport only seemed more determined after falling behind 2-0 and drew a goal back when MOM Matthew Hamshaw broke free on the far post and deflected a cross from Steve Beckett past Farr. Stockport sent everyone forward to try and equalize, but Hill managed to survive a couple scary moments to claim the 2-1 road win. With the win, Hill clinched at least a Playoff spot, but more importantly Torquay lost 1-0 at home to Shrewsbury to drop into 3rd place and now 2nd place Grays fought to a 1-1 draw hosting Southend- which leaves them trailing Hill by 9 points with 3 matches remaining.

Heartwood slumped in his chair, "That was a win we didn't deserve."

"I don't know about that. We played scrambling, aware defense the entire second half- that and Craig Farr's good work in goal was enough as it turned out."

"Farr deserved MOM honours, but I can't quarrel too much with Hamshaw- we couldn't keep anyone on him throughout the match."

"It's close Jim. With Torquay and Grays results- we only need one more draw to win it all."

Heartwood smiled wearily, "I don't want to jinx anything by talking about it. We have Forest Green next on Monday- let's make it a good one."

[Faramir]

13.4.09

Rapture!

The final whistle sounded and the few Harrow Hill fans that made the trip to Highwood Stadium came out to join the players in a celebration as Hill's 3-1 win over the hosts clinched the Conference National title and promotion to League 2. Forest Green had been determined that there would be no celebrations at Highwood and came out with tough tackling and determined defense. They were undone early when Keeper Tommy Forecast dallied a moment too long and Martin Clark swooped in to knock the ball away from him and into the goal to give Hill the lead. Hill wasn't able to build on the lead as there was no quit in the home side's determination. Forest Green evened the match in the opening moments of the second half as Matthew Gadsby deflected a cross from Steve McMillan past Craig Farr. Hill never wavered and went back to attacking. The pressure paid off when Anthony Morris was forced to take down Clark in the area. As last man, Morris earned a redcard and Bobby Johnson stepped up and converted the penalty kick to give Hill a 2-1 lead over the 10-man side. Clark put the match away and earned MOM honours when he made it a brace by snapping a shot inside the right post after John O'Keefe slipped him a deft pass. The Hill celebration caravan should reach Larksfield Road late this evening and there is expected to be more honours and a party there.

Heartwood beamed at the celebration, "Not too long out there Bob. We need to get them back on the bus and head for Larksfield."

"Will do Jim. Just a moment more..."

[Faramir]

18.4.09

Hill and Daggers Draw

In their final match at Larksfield Road this season, Harrow Hill closed the celebration of their promotion and Conference Title out with a draw against Dag & Red. Hill featured many changes in their starting lineup and this undoubtably added to their disjointed play in the match. Neither side managed many shots, but Martin Pearson made the best save of the match as he tipped a rising shot from Chris Moore over the crossbar in the second half to ensure that Hill would wind up splitting the points from the match. Hill's best chance came when Andy Hurst just missed slipping a shot inside the left upright in second half injury time.

"Not too bad, given that many of them haven't been playing much for awhile," stated Heartwood.

"They showed their heart, but not their exection," agreed Pearson.

[Faramir]

25.4.09

Chester Fight Back for Draw Against Hill

Harrow Hill failed to close their season out with a win as they allowed Chester to score twice in the last 10 minutes of play to salvage a 2-2 draw. Hill built an early lead when Jami Puustinen drove a shot inside the left post past Bradie Clarke for his 5th goal of the season. Puustinen scored again early in the second half and Hill seemed to be cruising to an easy win. Andrew Bridges changed that and ruined a fine way for Hill to complete their historic season when he scored a brace in the last 10 minutes of play to salvage a draw for the home side.

"Not exactly how I wanted to end the season, but it doesn't matter much," stated Heartwood.

"We just lost our focus those last minutes," offered Pearson.

[Faramir]

25.4.09

Conference National- Final Table

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">

1- Harrow Hill-CL 93 pts (+41)

2- Grays-PL 85 pts (+20)

3- Torquay-PL 84 pts (+24)

4- Southend-PL 79 pts (+21)

5- Weymouth-PL 79 pts (+14)

6- Scarborough 78 pts (+11)

7- Stockport 77 pts (+25)

8- Woking 77 pts (+20)

9- York 77 pts (+19)

</pre>

Harrow Hill Stat Highlights

Goals:

Wharton- 18

Clark- 16

Wilcox- 15

Hurst- 12

Coulson- 7

Puustinen- 6

Sawyer- 3

Wilkinson- 3

Assists:

Coulson- 8

Wilcox- 7

Wharton- 6

Wilkinson- 5

O'Keefe- 4

Hodgson- 4

Hurst- 3

Edwards- 3

Howard- 3

Price- 3

Owen- 3

Clark- 3

Shahin- 3

MOM:

Coulson- 5

Edwards- 3

Wilcox- 3

Wilkinson- 3

Wharton- 3

Clark- 3

Hurst- 2

Pearson- 2

Clean Sheets:

Farr- 10

Pearson- 9

Evans- 6

[Faramir]

27.4.09

The Little Club that Could

Interview with Harrow Hill's Manager James Heartwood

by Martin O'Hara- FMS May 2009 Issue

Harrow Hill completed one of the storybook seasons seen in recent years as they won the Conference National Championship and automatic promotion to League 2 for next season. Hill had climbed to Conference South play four seasons ago and achieved promotion to Conference National through the Playoffs that first season there. Harrow Hill's Manager, James Heartwood, was initially ridiculed for the somewhat radical thoughts he had made public about how to construct and manage a small side to be a viable, profitable club in today's climate. Despite the many negative assertions from the press and other so-called experts, Heartwood has remained true to the concepts and beliefs. The core of his belief is that for small clubs to remain profitable, they have to be willing to accept that they will lose any players over the age of 25- either to bigger clubs if they have talent or to release if they don't- because at that age their cost/effectiveness tradeoff becomes unmanageable for a small club (they would want too much in wages to stay). Harrow Hill managed mid-table placements in their first two seasons in Conference National, but this season undertook the radical approach of turning the club's fortunes over- completely- to a group of players that had gained success through the club's Under-18 and Reserve side play. Indeed, Harrow Hill's Under-18s and Reserve side have achieved unprecedented parallel success as both have won their respective Groups for the past 3 seasons running and this season they only had one loss between the two sides. Heartwood granted this interview the day after Harrow Hill completed their season.

O'Hara- So, how does it feel to have proven your theories?

Heartwood- [chuckles] I don't know that I have proved anything Martin. The players played our system with heart and determination. We got the results we needed to gain promotion out of it. Despite all the criticism and discussion my assertions initially caused, when it all comes down to it, it is still players playing football. If you can get them to play well enough, you have a better chance at success.

O'Hara- Do you mean you are backing off on those theories and assertions?

Heartwood- No, not at all. I still wholeheartedly believe that this approach is the only viable one for a club the size of Harrow Hill in tackling the current football world.

O'Hara- Then you haven't proven anything yet? At least in your view?

Heartwood- Not yet. I think what we have shown is that this approach *can* work. The success of our Under-18s and Reserves over the last three seasons also demonstrates that building from the bottom up is a key component. The success we have had in winning the Conference National title is directly related to those building blocks.

O'Hara- There is little doubt that your gutsy choice to dump the nominal veterans from your first two seasons in Conference National and going with all those youngsters was a key choice. What were your thoughts when you made that choice?

Heartwood- *laughs* That was an easy choice in retrospect Martin. Think about it- you have all these youngsters who have played together and achieved success together- and you have a smattering of players who have barely survived our first two seasons. Why not go with the unit that has played together in toto? But, don't forget one key component of our success this season was the leadership of Keeper Craig Farr- the one player we retained that played a key role.

O'Hara- How does Farr feel about your comments that it is time for him to move on?

Heartwood- Craig is very clear, and very supportive of that choice. Though he has yet to Cap with the Romanian National side- it is only a matter of time. Exposure from playing with a larger side than Harrow Hill will help him get that chance. I want him to succeed at a higher level and am confident he can accomplish that. Because both we and Craig agree on that- it makes the parting this summer much less painful.

O'Hara- Well, where do you stand now? How do you expect to tackle this summer?

Heartwood- This summer will be difficult, no doubt. Not because we are planning any major changes to our approach, but because now we face the difficult process of winnowing the club. Bob (Pearson) and I have a pretty good idea of who our Senior side will be next season. We also have a solid idea of who our Reserve side will be. We won't worry too much about the Under-18s yet, because our scouts will find more players and we will hopefully be able to promote some of our own from youth academy. The winnowing is what will be painful, because the simple fact is that we have too many youngsters and it is time to start giving those we don't believe have a true future with us the opportunity to go to new clubs and prove us wrong in how we viewed them.

O'Hara- Parting is such sweet sorrow in those cases?

Heartwood- Exactly. Even those players who haven't gained much of a chance were still a part of the success we have achieved on the Under-18 and Reserve sides. Unfortunately, we only have so many places available and for those who we don't feel will impact our future- it is time to start finding new homes for them.

O'Hara- One of the major reasons you stated you offered these unusual views on club development is that your ideas are to maintain small club's financial viability by staying in the black on the books. Has Harrow Hill managed to accomplish that?

Heartwood- Very much so, actually. Though our books and finances are not something I wish to discuss in more than general terms- we are over 2.5 Million in the black as we head into this summer. Our weekly wage budget, despite how many players we have under contract, is at least 10K a week under what the Board's expectations were- and that may change more this summer. We have a top-flight training facility and youth academy- due to our Board's whole hearted support of this approach.

O'Hara- One of the major rumours for the club is that the Board may now be willing to make the committment to Professional status?

Heartwood- That is the Board's decision and they know and understand my hope that they will make that committment. Whether they do or not won't change our approach to this summer.

O'Hara- Thank you for your time and best of luck in League 2 next season.

Heartwood- You're welcome and I look forward to talking to you again in the future about the club's development.

[Faramir]

30.4.09

"The exodus begins?" asked Pearson.

"If you want to call it that- yes," replied Heartwood. "Mark Bradley will be joining Airbus on free transfer as of June 1. Darren Fox will join Havant & W tomorrow on free transfer."

"But there are several more moving too?"

"Yes, there are several that are weighing various offers. I will let you know as they become final."

***

1.5.09

"Two more today Bob, but at least we received funds for them."

"Who?"

"Scott Price is headed to Slough for 26K. David Morrison is leaving for Hitchin for 30K."

"Emptying out the wings?"

"Yes, making room for some of our up-and-coming ones."

***

2.5.09

"Three more sales Bob, but none of them will happen until July 1st."

"Which ones this time?"

"Craig Farr will have a new goal to keep in Hereford, they paid 28K for him. Michael Owen is headed to Torquay for 45K. Brian Harvey will be leaving for Dulwich Hamlet for 30K."

"Every little bit will help us."

"My feelings exactly."

[Faramir]

3.5.09

"Two more leaving today, but both of these on free transfer," said Heartwood.

"Hmm?"

"Ryan Barnes will move to Chelmsford and Brian Poole joins David Morrison in moving to Hitchin."

"It's too bad, I thought Ryan might turn out to be superb, but he just wasn't nearly as good as the scouting report."

"I was hoping too. With Gary Howard able to show us that he can play leftback, there wasn't much reason to hang on to Ryan."

***

12.5.09

"First two signing from the wave of players released from Premier Youth programs," offered Heartwood.

"And they are?" asked Pearson.

"17 year old Lee Cook from Chelsea. 17 year old Daniel Harrison from Liverpool."

"I remember Cook- rightback, correct?"

"Yes, the one with the explosive speed."

"Did you have to give him first team assurances?"

"No, he was willing to accept the fact that he is prospect with us."

"I don't remember Harrison."

"Left footed DMC, also willing to sign on as a prospect."

[Faramir]

14.5.09

"He is a stunning addition," said Pearson shaking his head.

"I can't believe that Michael Stone actually selected our offer. He had offers from Portsmouth, Leeds and Norwich," replied Heartwood in an amazed tone.

"Still, the assurances that he would play must have made the difference. He wouldn't be anything except a hot prospect at those other sides."

"You're right Bob, I am sure that is why he chose us. He is a great pickup for us- he instantly became the highest valued player on the team."

"I can't believe that Liverpool let him go."

"Me either, but he will hopefully make a big difference for us on the leftwing."

***

17.5.09

Results Update

Euro Cup Final

HSV 2 Valencia 0

Champions Cup Final

Liverpool 2 Ajax 0

Conference National Playoff

Weymouth 1 Torquay 0 (Weymouth joins Harrow Hill in promotion to League 2)

***

20.6.09

"It's a proud day Bob," said a pleased Heartwood.

"The Board said much the same thing- that they were very pleased that we could now be considered a Professional club," replied Pearson.

"It should make things easier on both of us- though it won't change the approach any."

"How much transfer fund did they allow?"

"I chose from several budgets. The one I selected had a 1.7 Million transfer fund and 27K a week in wage budget. Since at most we will use maybe 3 transfer purchases, I don't mind the slightly reduced transfer budget."

"Let me guess- they expect us to battle bravely against relegation."

Heartwood laughed, "Well wouldn't you tell us that same message?"

[Faramir]

24.6.09

"Our first major transfer purchase is done Bob," offered a pleased Heartwood.

"Don't keep me in suspense..."

"We paid Newcastle 200K for 18 year old Center Defender Robert Ryan."

"Ohh, he should certainly help us. I hope there won't be too many bruised feelings."

"Me either, but I believe he can really help us in the middle, so am not overly worried about bruised egos."

***

3.7.09

"Sorry Bob, I meant to talk to you sooner- but there has been a bit too much going on."

"Not a problem Jim. I just wanted a moment to catch up with you before we play Harchester."

"What did you need Bob?"

"I mostly wanted to know if we would have any other new additions coming in for training in the next couple days."

"Hmm, I don't think so- I don't expect the other couple players to which I offered contracts to pick our offers over those of the bigger sides chasing them. You did know that David Green and Shaun Pearson will be leaving on free transfer tomorrow, correct?"

"Yes, I just heard about that. How many have we removed from the roster?"

"Counting those 2 it will be 14 since the beginning of June. We have received about 100K in total on the sales."

"Did you see that Michael Owen made some nice comments about you in his press conference at Torquay?"

"Yes, I did appreciate his kind words. By the way the total number of 15 year old prospects we have signed is 5 right now. They will all be melded by you on the Under-18s. Those, and Robert Ryan, are our only real additions to the roster at this point."

"Will there be more?"

"Could be, but I am not going to promise on that."

[Faramir]

4.7.09

"Quite a good effort for our first friendly of the season," commented Pearson.

"Harchester is a better side than us, I would have loved it if we could have made Alan Wilkins header stand up for the match winning goal," replied Heartwood.

"Still, a 3-3 draw against them with a fairly good effort is a decent way to begin the season."

"I have to agree with you on that."

***

11.7.09

"A disputed penalty kick and a fluke goal- otherwise we played pretty well on defense," commented Pearson.

"We needed more attacking to have a chance to beat a club like Dundee United."

"Especially when on the road facing them."

"A 2-0 loss under those circumstances is a fair result."

[Faramir]

14.7.09

"I signed him on free transfer because I think he can help us immediately," stated Heartwood.

"Will Danny French replace Richard Sinclair as the alternate for Tim Spencer at rightback?" asked Pearson.

"That is the plan Bob."

"Good. I agree with that because despite how well Sinclair did last season- I just don't think he is more than a fringe player for us. I like Danny French a lot and being able to get him on free transfer is a boon."

"I thought so too."

***

15.7.09

"It was only a friendly, but a 2-1 over Dundee at Dundee isn't bad for a result," commented Pearson.

"Alan Wilkins deserved his MOM honours. After spending all last season on the Reserves he has really impressed me with his play. He has earned the gameday sub forward role in my mind," answered Heartwood.

"I agree with you, he has been a much improved player- he didn't play that well on Reserves last season either."

[Faramir]

19.7.09

"The Larksfield fans enjoyed it," smiled Pearson.

"It wasn't our best match, but the brace by Danny Lynch surprised a few people," replied Heartwood.

"They were the difference in the 2-0 win," said grinning Pearson.

"Danny French played well at rightback as well- I think he will work out fine there."

***

22.7.09

"The fans were right- this was a boring match," sighed Heartwood.

"Longford isn't a bad club, but we let them dictate the pace of play today," agreed Pearson.

"Scoreless draws aren't much fun when neither club is really making good chances or things happen."

***

25.7.09

"It's not that I want do it Bob, but in a case like that I couldn't say no. The offer was too much," said Heartwood plaintively.

"Chris Poole would be the hardest player to replace on the entire club. We don't have that many quality leftbacks. The only other healthy one is Gary Howard. How much did Mansfield offer?"

"1.5 Million with a 30% sell-on clause. You don't have to worry about it though Bob, because Mansfield found out they couldn't actually come up with the money- so it was cancelled."

"That's a relief. By the way- get the scouts going because we do need more leftbacks..."

[Faramir]

26.7.09

"A nice comfortable 3-0 win over nearby Cinderford- a good way to end our friendly schedule," smiled Heartwood.

"But did it get us ready for League 2 play?"

"I'm not totally sure, but we played some quality opponents- so at least the boys have had a taste of the type of competition we are jumping up to."

***

27.7.09

"What is the opening day lineup for our trip to face Notts County?" asked Pearson.

"Here you go," said Heartwood as he slid the much-erased graph paper with listings over to Pearson.

>>

GK- Andrew Evans

DR- Tim Spencer

DL- Chris Poole

DC- Robert Ryan

DC- Danny Kamara

MR- Alex Coulson

ML- Michael Stone

MC- Andy Hurst

MC- Andrew Hodgson

SC- Lee Williams

SC- Martin Wharton

Sub- Alan Wilkins

Sub- Lee Sawyer

Sub- Nathan Edwards

Sub- Paul Barnett

Sub- Richard Sinclair

>>

Pearson looked up, "So you are still committed to playing Andy Hurst in the midfield?"

Heartwood nodded, "He is still a bit uncomfortable there- but I think his added ball movement and offensive abilities are what we need. We at least need to give it a good long trial. If it doesn't work then Lee Sawyer will move back to starting role there."

[Faramir]

1.8.09

Hill Surprises Notts County

Though lightly regarded going into their opening match at Meadow Lane against Notts County, Harrow Hill came out and demonstrated the same defensive resiliance they showed last season and managed to break through offensively to gain a surprise 2-0 road win to open League 2 play.

It was clear that Hill wasn't comfortable in the early going, which can be attributed to opening game jitters. They had problems moving the ball out of their end and Andrew Evans was forced to come up with big saves on Cherno Samba and Saheed Sankoh to keep the home side off the scoreboard. Hill settled down about midway through the first half and struck for the lead when Alex Coulson zipped a well placed pass to Lee Williams. With space Williams picked his moment and fired a shot past Philip Palethorpe inside the near right post. Both sides had more chances in the first half, but Palethorpe and Evans provided steady work in goal and kept the halftime score at 1-0. Palethorpe made a big save to open the second half as he tipped Martin Wharton's shot around the post and Evans answered that at the Hill end by knocking Rachid Tiburkanine's rising shot over the crossbar. Chris Poole earned MOM honours for Hill and it was partly due to his heady play in picking up a loose ball and racing unhindered down the left side before crossing to Williams coming free in the area. Williams made it a brace as he slipped his shot past Palethorpe's diving grasp. Hilll battoned down the hatches to try and protect the lead and saw Evans handle difficult chances from Samba and Enis Turkovic with aplomb as he completed the clean sheet.

"A great start for us," smiled Heartwood. "All I could ask for really."

"Well, the backline seemed a bit unsteady, but Evans' excellent work in goal kept us on track for the win."

"It was great to see Lee Williams get off to such a fast start, but I now see your point on Andy Hurst- he really doesn't seem comfortable or suited to play in the midfield. I think Lee Sawyer will be back starting next match- or possibly Paul Cross because we have a Tuesday match hosting Weymouth next."

"I believe that is the better choice Jim," agreed Pearson.

[Faramir]

3.8.09

League 2 Odds- Totalbet.com

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">

6-4 Brighton

6-4 Bury

6-4 Rochdale

6-4 Yeovil

7-4 Leyton Orient

2-1 Barnsley

40-1 Harrow Hill

</pre>

[Faramir]

4.8.09

Hill Washes Over Weymouth

Weymouth had been a problem club for Harrow Hill in the past, but no longer if today's match was any indication as Hill rolled over Weymouth by a deceiving 2-0 score. It was amazing that all the scoring in the match was over with by the 3 minute mark as Hill struck for goals in the 1st and 3rd minutes as they were off on a flyer. Martin Clark scored in the first minute of play on a nice pass from Paul Wilcox. Wilcox then added his goal as he deflected a cross from Neil Preece past Ian Bennett. Hill could easily have won this match by a much larger margin, if not for missed shots, unfriendly uprights, good saves and a couple timely tackles. As it was, this was clearly an impressive effort by the home side as they launched 23 shots at the Weymouth goal. Weymouth had only a couple middling scoring chances and Martin Pearson had an easy time keeping the clean sheet. Winger Peter Wilkinson was selected MOM for his swooping runs, but the debut of Preece and centerback Andy Reid also deserve mention.

"That is one of the best matches the club has ever played," said an enthusiastic Pearson.

"I wish we could bottle that and bring it out every time. We never let them have a free moment on the ball and they clearly were flustered the entire match," agreed Heartwood.

[Faramir]

8.8.09

Hill Scores Easy Win Over Yeovil

In another eye opening performance Harrow Hill easily outdid Yeovil at Huish Park and scored a 3-0 road win. Hill's forward combination of Lee Williams and Martin Wharton was the key component in the win, beginning with a good skip pass from Wharton that found Williams with enough space to hook a shot inside the right post at the 8 minute mark. Williams returned the favor with a beautifully laid off ball that Wharton drilled inside the left post past Stephen Collis, which helped cement his selection as MOM of the match. It was clearly apparent that things were going Hill's way when Robert Ryan was called for a push on Pablo Bastianini in the area. Mick Weaver blasted his penalty kick, but Andrew Evans guessed correctly and palmed the shot away. With Hill settling down for a more defensive outlook late in the second half, Andy Reid sent a terrific through ball that Andy Hurst ran onto. Hurst then slipped a shot inside the left post to cap the scoring and remove the last faint hopes of the Huish fans. Evans completed a well earned clean sheet for Hill and had able support from his backline throughout the match.

"It is scary how well we are playing to open the season," offered an amazed Heartwood.

"Yes and no. Remember there is very little gelling needed as most everyone has been here awhile, so we are just playing at a higher level than anyone exepected a little quicker than even we expected."

"Apt summation Bob."

[Faramir]

15.8.09

Barnsley Wins Barnburner

Barnsley used a last minute free kick to defeat Harrow Hill 2-1 at Larksfield Road. With second half injury time running out, Robbie Williams struck a rocket shot past Martin Pearson to cap a winning fightback from the visitors. Barnsley was much the stronger club in the first half of play, but Hill actually had the two best chances to score. Twice in the half Hill had sprung Paul Wilcox and Martin Clark away, only to see Wilcox hit the outside netting on the first and Clark dawdle and lose the ball on a tackle on the second. Barnsley was finding the Hill backline difficult to break down and though they had plenty of possession they didn't have many shots to show for it during the scoreless first half. The second half started out resembling the first, but the substitution of Jammal Shahin and Alan Wilkins seemed to give Hill life and it was Wilkins who battled past an attempted tackle by Antony Kay to fire a shot past Nicky Eyre for his 1st Senior goal in over a year. The lead didn't last long as Chris Shuker powered past Danny Kamara and blasted a low shot past Pearson for the equalizer. Barnsley showed more composure late in the second half as they controlled the flow of play and set themselves up for the dramatic match winner.

"I don't know Jim, I thought Martin should have had both of those shots..." offered Pearson.

Heartwood sighed, "It hurts me to say so, but I agree with you. Those are the kind of saves we need him to make."

"It was good to see Alan Wilkins get on the scoreboard."

"Yes, and I really thought we might have them when he scored. But they gathered themselves nicely and we didn't work as hard defensively as we needed to."

[Faramir]

19.8.09

Leicester Outlasts Hill

In a match that was described by several in the Press as the 'mismatch of the 1st Round', Harrow Hill lasted until the last moments of Extra-Time before falling to Premier side Leicester 4-3 at Walkers Stadium. Afterwards, many of the Press called the match the best one of the 1st Round as the young Hill side made mistakes against the veteran side, but never quit fighting and won a rousing ovation from the impressed crowd of over 18,000 as the tired Hill side trudged off the field after the loss. Hill surprised Leicester by taking the lead at the 18 minute mark as Nathan Edwards flicked a header past David Lucas on a cross from Alex Coulson. The home side quickly rallied and MOM Marcus Berg equalized when he deflected a cross past Andrew Evans. Berg made it a brace and gave Leicester a 2-1 halftime lead when he slipped past Andy Reid to volley a cross from James Walker past Evans in first half injury time. The comfortable feeling of the Walkers Stadium crowd slipped away when Lee Williams scored the equalizer early in the second half off a pass from Martin Wharton. Walker then burst past Wayne Wallace on the dribble and rifled a shot past Evans to return the lead to Leicester, but Hill wasn't quitting. Williams clearly established himself as youngster to watch when Wharton again put him free and he slipped a shot past Lucas to make it a brace with a dramatic equalizer late in the second half. Both sides were clearly tired as they battled through Extra-time, but it was finally the home side that broke through at the 118 minute mark when they hit Hill on the counter attack and Berg slotted the ball for Joe Hammill to score the match winner.

Heartwood brooded, "It was a mistake to give Dominic Booth his debut in this match, he was completely lost and cost us two of the first three goals when he stood around instead of challenging."

"It is a bit much to be playing a side like this in front of a full stadium, and then making your debut," agreed Pearson.

"Still, it was a great effort and Lee Williams really showed his stuff today."

[Faramir]

21.9.09

"John O'Keefe is off to Brighton," announced Heartwood.

"How much did they pay us?"

"160K. They were clearly his top choice over the other six clubs with the same bids in that I had accepted from."

"Hopefully he can be happy there, he certainly wasn't here."

***

22.8.09

Hill Dump Darlington

Harrow Hill moved back to their winning ways as they defeated Darlington 2-0 at Darlington Football Stadium. Darlington attacked from the onset but found the Hill backline, buoyed by the return of Anthony McMahon, very stingy as they helped ensure Martin Pearson had the support he needed. Pearson made a diving stop on Hameur Bouazza to keep things tidy for Hill. The lead went to Hill midway through the first half as Martin Clark slipped a pass through to Paul Wilcox. Wilcox, playing hurt already, knifed through to fire a shot inside the left post past Dean Gerken. Hill then staunchly defended the lead until halftime. Playing with more confidence after the break, Hill threatened several times and then finally broke through for their 2nd goal. Alan Wilkins, on in place of Wilcox, took a well placed pass from Neil Preece and bustled past John Thompson before dumping his shot past Gerken inside the right post. With the 2-0 lead, Hill played very conservative in assisting Pearson to another clean sheet and another Hill road win. Gary Howard earned MOM honours for his silky play from the leftback slot for Hill.

"Impressive rebound for us. We kept our focus the entire match," stated Heartwood.

"We took better advantage of our opportunities," agreed Pearson.

"The bad part is losing Lee Sawyer- three fractured ribs."

"How long is he out?"

"Mininum of 3 weeks, but likely closer to a couple months."

[Faramir]

24.8.09

Hill Bumps Bury

Another determined defensive effort keyed Harrow Hill's 3-1 win over Bury at Larksfield Road. Hill outshot the visiting side 22-7 for the match as they dominated the midfield with their relentless pursuit of the ball. Hill suffered an early blow when Lee Williams was forced to leave with a minor leg injury, but were boosted when his replacement- Alan Wilkins- scored to give Hill the lead at 35 minutes. Alex Coulson created the opportunity as he skinned Peter Gilbert and then Wilkins slammed home the rebound after Ryan Clarke stopped Coulson's shot. Hill easily maintained the lead to halftime, but Bury rallied to begin the second half with their first real pressure. Andrew Evans managed to smother a ball before Alex Varney could take it past him and then tipped a rising shot from Stephen Hindmarch over the bar. Hill made it 2-0 when David Potter's long header started a counter-attack. Wilkins slotted the ball across the goal to Martin Wharton and Wharton whirled around defender Keith Low before snapping his close-in shot past Clarke. Bury got back into the match thanks to a Hill error as Andy Reid handled a ball in the area and the Referee handed Bury a penalty kick. Craig Kelly fired the penalty kick past Evans to ruin his clean sheet and draw the visitors back to 2-1. Hill then finished off Bury's hopes when Coulson's hard work allowed him to reach a loose ball and slip a pass to Wilkins. Wilkins was free on the right, but showed superb vision as he picked out Jammal Shahin breaking past Lowe on the far post. Wilkins' cross was on the money as Shahin whisked it in inside the left post for his 1st goal this season to complete the 3-1 win. Hill will lose Evans for a brief time as he badly bruised his thigh in an accidental collision late in the match.

"I think the best moment of the match was Shahin's goal," said a smiling Pearson. "That really showed the teamwork and finding space that we have been emphasizing."

"It also showed that we are continuing to improve our composure. They did a nice job shrugging off the penalty and finishing off the match," agreed Pearson.

[Faramir]

29.8.09

Stevenage Beats Hill on Penalty

Harrow Hill gave a game effort, but it was too much to overcome the early sending off of Dominic Booth and later the penalty awarded on a disputed call as they lost to Stevenage 1-0 at Broadhall Way. Booth was sent off at 16 minutes for a trip on Anthony Elding. Hill Manager James Heartwood was clearly in disbelief that the trip had earned a redcard. At 34 minutes, in a highly disputed call, Danny French was called for a push in the area on a ball that was clearly free with both players racing for it. Paul Huntington converted the penalty kick past Martin Pearson for what would be the lone goal of the match. Despite only having 10 men, Hill attacked throughout the second half. Alan Wilkins, who had come on for slightly injured Martin Clark, was clearly hurting himself due to a gash on his face- but gamely played on. Hill had several excellent chances to equalize, but Keeper Tom Holt came up with a series of impressive saves to keep all three points for the home side.

"It is frustrating to lose a match that way," muttered Pearson.

"I was very happy with our effort. We worked hard and gained some excellent chances in the second half- but just couldn't solve Holt," offered Heartwood.

[Faramir]

30.8.09

"I wanted to go over our backline with you Bob," stated Heartwood.

Pearson sat down in the chair, "What do you want to discuss?"

"It is time to start making some decisions on the Senior side. We are carrying too many centerbacks and it is time to start looking at trimming. Whoever doesn't wind up in the 5-man rotation I am envisioning won't be happy, so I plan to transfer list them once we have decided."

"Anthony McMahon is the keeper of the bunch. He is the best centerback we have."

"I can agree with that. Who else though?"

"Robert Ryan should be in the mix. I still like David Mills to develop more. Andy Reid has been solid, but I know you like him more than I do. David Potter is like Mills, in that I think he can develop more. Wayne Wallace has value because he can also fill in at midfield. So, I guess I would recommend Dominic Booth and Danny Kamara for transfer list choices."

"Booth hasn't impressed me much with his playing- he just doesn't seem to fit into the style of play. Danny's lack of determination has been a problem at times- so I guess we agree on those two."

[Faramir]

31.8.09

"Well, that was easy," commented Heartwood.

"Both of them went?" asked Pearson.

"Yes. Eastbourne Borough paid us 130K for Booth and Wrexham won the bidding war of three clubs to pay us 75K for Kamara. Both were happy to move on when I explained that they wouldn't get as much opportunity here."

"Are you going to focus on two main ones out of who we kept?"

"Yes, McMahon and Ryan. But I want to continue to work in Reid and Mills as well."

***

1.9.09

"That was a nice sweep Jim," offered Pearson after reviewing the news.

"It was well earned. Martin Wharton as Player of the Month and Alex Coulson as Young Player of the Month- both were at the top of their game last month."

"Don't forget that Chris Poole was Runner-up to Wharton and Lee Williams was Runner-up to Coulson-- now that is a clean sweep."

[Faramir]

5.9.09

Hill Numbs Northampton

After an entertaining, but spottily played first half, Harrow Hill settled down and played a strong second half enroute to a 3-1 win over Northampton at Larksfield Road. Hill looked rather out of kilter offensively in the first half, but took the lead when Lee Williams made a good run down the right and crossed to Martin Wharton at the far post. Wharton deflected the cross past Graeme Smith and Hill had the lead at the midpoint. Northampton equalized late in the half when Mattia Graffiedi crossed and Matthew Gearing got up above Robert Ryan to deflect the ball past Martin Pearson. Pearson was replaced at halftime by Paul Barnett due to an injury and Barnett came up with wonderful saves against Andy Kirk and Mihail Istsuk early in the second half to keep the visitors from gaining the lead. Hill finally found their offensive measure and it Wharton's brace that put them back in front as he snapped a shot inside the left post after a good pass from Michael Stone. Craig Watts put the match out of reach for Hill when he scored his 1st goal after MOM Andrew Hodgson made a neat through ball to find Watts in the seam.

"A lot better effort in the second half," said Heartwood.

"It helped that everyone finally got on the same page offensively," agreed Pearson.

"Barnett's saves in the early portions of the second half were the difference."

***

6.9.09

"Some departures today Bob," offered Heartwood.

"Who and where?"

"Barry Richards is off to Cheshunt, that one netted us 14K. Gone on free transfer are Paul Reynolds to Lincoln United, Kevin Leach to Windsor & Eton and Phil Miller to Burton."

"Slowly but surely we are slimming the side down."

"Still more to go."

[Faramir]

12.9.09

Oxford Fightback Downs Hill

Oxford fought back to send the Kassam Stadium crowd home happy as they defeated Harrow Hill 2-1. Oxford outclassed Hill in the first half, but had nothing to show for it as Andrew Evans played well on his return from injury. Hill lost a pretty early goal when Lee Williams was ruled offside after he had made a superb flick past Trevor Carson on a cross from Michael Stone. Hill gained the lead early in the second half when Stone deflected a corner from Andrew Hodgson past Carson. Oxford managed to equalize when a through ball from Paul Quasten found Craig Davies behind the Hill backline and he lofted a chip past Evans. The match winner came late in the second half as Andrew Hodgson was called for a push in the area on Gabriel Agbonlahor. Oxford skipper Gary McKenzie stepped up and converted the penalty past Evans to cap the fightback win, though they had to survive a late chance by Andy Hurst that Carson made a stellar stop.

"I put this one down as my fault," sighed Heartwood. "I should have left Martin Wharton in the match."

"He was hurt Jim. I would have gotten him out of there too- with us having the lead."

"These penalties we are giving away are killing us."

"You can't teach wisdom Jim. We will just have to keep hammering away at the problem on the practice pitch."

[Faramir]

19.9.09

Hill's Turn for Fightback Win

Harrow Hill overcame another penalty kick to score a hard-earned second half 2-1 fightback win over Crawley at Broadfield Stadium. Hill played very inconsistently in the first half mixing superb passing sequences with shots that were well wide of the goal. Crawley controlled the early stretches of the match and came close to taking the lead when Andrew Evans was able to palm away a low shot from Jason St'Juste. Martin Clark found Giordano Vanin difficult as Vanin twice made good saves when Clark was free in the area. It appeared the match might head to halftime scoreless, but Bobby Johnson was called for pushing Chris Zebroski in the area and David Wood converted the penalty kick past Evans to give the home side a 1-0 lead. Hill began their rally in the second half when skipper Paul Cross deflected a looping cross from Gary Howard past Vanin, which helped earn him MOM honours. Martin Wharton then demonstrated why he is quickly becoming a feared forward as he skinned Darren Kenton and flicked a shot over Vanin for his 5th goal of the season as he came out and tried to smother the ball. Hill maintained their pressure through the remainder of the second half and never allowed the home side a good chance to equalize.

"Bad first half, good second half," stated Pearson succinctly.

"Another penalty kick. After all the discussion of this week about giving away goals- we give another one away. We escaped lucky here," muttered Heartwood.

[Faramir]

22.9.09

Hill Humble Hereford

Despite spotting the visitors the first goal of the match, Harrow Hill roared back behind the electrifying Lee Williams to post a 4-1 win over Hereford at Larksfield Road. Scott Brown and Ashley Stott played a neat 1-2 to allow Stott to score the first goal of the match just past midway in the first half. Hill fans didn't realize it, but they were about to see an amazing second portion of the first half as Lee Williams completely took over. Williams equalized for Hill when he took a deft short pass from Andy Hurst and moved around Alex Bruce before whipping a shot past Sam Ashton. Williams then quickly made it a brace as he lurked and took a quick through ball from Andy Reid just inside the edge of the Hereford area before blazing a shot past Ashton. Williams then made it a hat-trick as he rapped home the rebound when Ashton made a nice parry on Hurst. Williams was slightly nicked in first half injury time and was subbed for to open the second half as he received a standing ovation and eventually MOM honours. Hill closed out the scoring in the second half as Alan Wilkins, on for Williams, converted the penalty kick after Glenn Wilson brought down Hurst in the area.

"An amazing performance by Williams. Pretty soon we are going to start hearing the big clubs scouts about him," said an enthusiastic Pearson.

"They likely were here already Bob. Still, Lee isn't going anywhere unless they come up with a boatload of money for him. He did hurt his ribs badly enough that I will keep him out for a couple games though."