Report

HTFC lost 2-0 to Grange Athletic at Wolverley on Tuesday night in the Hospital Cup Semi-Final. With it being a semi-final eighteen players rolled up and made their selves available for Lloyd to pick his team from. He stuck with a 4-4-2 formation. Steve Parker returned in goal. Dan Jones was right back with Aaron Stubbins at left back. Sean Wright returned to captain the side and partnered Jamie Willets at the heart of the defence. Dave Greaves was right midfield with Dan Sinton returning to play left midfield. Liam Stubbins and Mitchell Pearce were again in the middle of the park. Redd Savage returned to partner Chris Seekings upfront.

HTFC got to the 2nd minute without conceding a goal unlike in both league fixtures, which saw Grange take the lead within the opening 2 minutes of both games. But Grange clearly settled the better and they got the ball down on pushed forward with every opportunity. Prior to game HTFC knew their threat would come down the Grange right, and Grange kept finding space down their right and gave their right winger plenty of the ball. Grange had the first chance of the game on 8 minutes and it came after a cross from the Grange right winger was cleared by the HTFC defence, but the ball fell to one of the Grange midfielders and he shot wide from 20 yards out.

HTFC first effort on goal came on 14 minutes when Sinton got down the left and his pass found Seekings 18 yards out, only for Seekings to mishit his shot and the ball was easily saved by the Grange keeper. Grange continued to go down their right and trying to get their winger into the game, keeping Aaron Stubbins and Sinton both occupied most of the time. Grange again came close on 17 minutes when a snap shot from the edge of the area from one of the Grange strikers, saw an effort go just pass the post with Parker beaten. Parker did well a minute later when he held onto a well struck shot again from the Grange striker.

With Grange on top HTFC struggling to get anything going forward with Seekings and Savage not getting much service in and around the Grange box. In the 20^th minute Grange took the lead and it was no surprise it came from a good move down their right. The Grange right winger somehow dug out a cross on the by line, and the cross eluded every HTFC player in the box and the Grange striker made no mistake at the far post and gave Grange the lead. Grange continued to play the better football and came close on two occasions within minutes of taking the lead. A good save by Parker denied them on 22 minutes, and on 23 minutes Parker did well to push the Grange striker wide of the goal as the Grange striker beat the HTFC offside trap but could only fire into the side netting.

Good link up play by Seekings and Savage on 33 minutes saw Seekings put Savage in on goal, only for a perfectly timed tackle by a Grange defender to deny Savage just inside the Grange area. On 38 minutes the two linked up again this time Savage put Seekings in, but Seekings could only fired straight at the Grange keeper. Grange finished the half again on top and again most of their joy came down their right. And in the 44^th minute and cross from the right fell to one of their strikers on the edge of the box, with him firing just over with the ball clipping the top of the crossbar.

HALF-TIME: HTFC 0-1 Grange Athletic

Lloyd rallied his players at half time and said they were still in the game and the next goal would be crucial. HTFC did start the second half a lot better and got in to Grange a bit more. In the 53^rd minute good play by Pearce and Sinton saw Sinton find Seekings just inside the Grange box, with Seekings seeing his shot well saved by the Grange keeper. In the 57^th minute Grange were denied a second goal twice by Parker. Once again the Grange right winger was put clear down their right; his pulled back cross was met by a Grange striker, who saw his shot from 12 yards well saved by Parker. The ball fell to the other Grange striker and he was denied by another good save by Parker. Just after the hour mark HTFC forced a couple of corners, but both corner were headed over by Liam Stubbins.

On 67 minute Lloyd made his first change bringing on Richard Ward on for Pearce in a straight swap. Ward’s all action style did add energy to the HTFC side, his strong run down the right saw him cross to Seekings, only for Seekings to fire wide. HTFC had close escape on 72 minutes when Grange got in behind the HTFC backline and the Grange striker blasted over from 10 yards out. With just under 15 minutes to go Lloyd made his second substitution bringing on Chris Fellows for Sinton. With Lloyd changing to a 4-3-3 and pushing Fellows upfront with Seekings and Savage, and Greaves into the middle of midfield with Liam Stubbins and Ward.

Fellows combined with Seekings a few minute later, and Seekings cross found Savage who turned his marker and saw his shot from 18 yards tipped round the post by the Grange keeper. The resulting corner saw Willets head into the side netting at the far post. Only some scrambling defence by Willets and Wright stopped Grange getting a second goal on 82 minutes, as they both made blocks to deny two Grange players certain goals. With 5 minutes to play HTFC won a free kick 20 yards from the Grange goal after Seekings was fouled by a Grange defender. Jones stepped up but his effort was straight at the Grange keeper.

With 4 minutes to go Grange got a killer second goal. As HTFC played out from the back a pass was intercepted and Grange broke quickly, and with one quick pass the Grange right winger was in on goal and made no mistake as he fired past Parker from 10 yards. Despite that killer goal HTFC manage to have the last chance of the game in the 88^th minute, when Ward found Fellows and his shot was well saved by the Grange keeper.

A disappointing result in the end against a very good Grange Athletic side that was excellent on the night. Grange’s experience of semi-finals showed and it wasn’t until the second half HTFC got into the game and that was the difference. Overall a very tough season for HTFC the most testing in our history, but to gain a fifth place league finish and to play in a cup semi-final I think most of us at the club would have taken that in late January early February.

STAR MAN: Jamie Willets Was excellent throughout.