Starting XI
1) Mark Manley
2) David Manley
3) Carl French
4) Andy Kingman
5) Richard Schuchardt
6) David Abley
7) Gavin Bishop
8) Craig Palfrey
9) Stephen Mustey
10) Phil Gough
11) Carl Manley

After the debacle of the previous match the return of Andy Kingman and Gavin Bishop provided Northern with an opportunity to go back to the side that had been so successful earlier in the season.

Both teams started slowly and seemed content to feel each other out while learning to deal with the long grass.  Carl Manley sent the full back the wrong way and crossed from the right for Stephen Mustey who rose well and buried the header into the top corner to put Northern one up.  HEPS fought back and the Northern defence were finding the HEPS front pair almost unplayable in the air due to their height.  HEPS won a corner and Northern failed to attack the ball and HEPS bundled it into the net past the static Mark Manley.  Minutes later an identical corner caused more confusion in the six-yard box and Mark Manley's poor punch fell to a HEPS layer and Northern found themselves 2-1 behind.

Then came the games main controversial incident - Carl Manley played a cross field ball from the left to Gavin Bishop who had taken up the right wing position. Gavin bundled his way between two defenders and dinked a shot round the keeper only to see it rebound off the crossbar. The ball fell into the path of Carl who had continued his run and his first touch took him past the defender and the ball headed into the empty net.  In order to make sure Carl followed up the ball and with the ball already on the goal-line volleyed the ball into the roof of the net.  To Carl's own amazement the ball found a hole in the net and went straight through. The referee who was poorly positioned thought that the ball had gone over the bar and the HEPS players were quite happy with his initial judgement.  David Manley tried to explain that the ball couldn't have gone over the bar as it was already on the line when it was kicked.  Steve Roche came onto the pitch to join the protest and it was only when a neutral bystander told the ref that it had indeed gone through a hole that the referee awarded the goal.  Several Northern players thought the ball had indeed gone over but the HEPS defenders who had seen it go through the net should have showed sportsmanship by telling the ref that the goal was good.

Another HEPS corner caused confusion in the Northern box and Carl French headed a goal-bound shot over the bar to safety. The introduction of Matthew Rowley for his aerial power meant that Richard Schuchardt and he could mark the two tall players.  A superb cross field ball by Carl Manley fell to Stephen Mustey who shot well from the edge of the area only for the keeper to toe it wide.  Mustey was actually in space to take the ball in further but didn't get a call and so didn't realise. That was the last action of the first half.

A team talk from Steve Roche and a game plan for dealing with corners later and Northern came back out with increased enthusiasm.  Stephen Mustey missed several chances and scrambled defence by Northern kept the score level until a good knock down by Phil Gough and an inch perfect cross from Carl Manley found Mustey in a good position and he volleyed past the keeper with confidence.  Northern continued to push forward and a cut back from Carl Manley (yet again) was met well by Phil who hit the underside of the crossbar only for the ball to bounce back out off the line.  A good break by HEPS and a cross from the left was finished well to level the game, perhaps undeservedly, at 3 goals each.

Almost straight from kickoff David Manley found Mustey down the line who ran past two players and slotted past the keeper from a narrow angle. Soon after another inch perfect cross by Carl Manley was met well by substitute Matthew Rowley who headed past the keeper to make the score 5-3.

The referee seemed to find an extra 10 minutes of time and with 3 minutes to go Andy Kingman brought down the HEPS winger and the penalty was duly converted.  HEPS threw everything forward in an attempt to get the equaliser and a free-kick just outside the box went just wide before the referee blew time in a half that lasted 10 minutes longer than the first.

Subs: Matthew Rowley, Gareth Bartlett, Courtney Philp
Scorers: Stephen Mustey 3, Carl Manley, Matthew Rowley
MOM: Gavin Bishop

* Match Reports represent the opinion of the author and in no way represent the opinions of CNFC.