Match day one;
Hambledon travelled to Cranleigh with new summer signings in tow.
Felix, Callum, Mariner & Tezza all making their full debuts for The Dons.

It had been a decent pre season for Hambledon winning all of their games.
Manager Will Grove and Assistant Seb jefferies wanted to maintain that form and continue with the hard work and quality that we’d seen over the summer.

Early on in the game Cranleigh showed their hand by pressing high with lots of energy.
Rob Green had slotted into CB with Luke Winter with Ryan Luff away. The front two strikers were working the back four in the early stages and showed moments of getting in behind.
A few long balls were causing some problems without causing any damage.

The Dons won a corner on the right which was put in by Allen Tillyard, Rob Green couldn’t make the header but the ball fell out to Mariner who half volleyed the ball into the bottom left corner.
0-1 Mariner

Cranleigh kept moving the ball and trying to get in behind and after Hambledon didn’t shut a cross down quick enough, the home striker somehow in mid air directed his volleyed toe poke into the top corner- josh Hill got a hand to it but couldn’t keep it out
1-1

Hambledon could feel hard done by as they had kept shape well whilst being worked hard by this young Cranleigh side.

Only 5 or 6 minutes later the away side found themselves back in front.
Hambledon won a corner which Jamie Grove swing in from the right. Tom winter reacted quickest with a header which fell back to him following a save from the keeper and he reacted quickly enough to slot the ball in with his left foot.
1-2 T Winter

It wasn’t long before Cranleigh had the ball back in the net when the ball wasn’t cleared and a large gap appeared on the edge of the box to allow the right winger who had drifted inside to smash the ball beyond Hill.
2-2 and HT

The second half was a deadlock however The Dons had two great chances to take the lead and possibly three points.
Jamie Grove hit the post following a great move down the left involving Matt Terry and Calum Roots.

Cranleigh did have a few good chance in the second half when the striker beat the offside trap & one on one with Hill hit it first time wide of the far post.
Tom Winter cleared a loose ball off the line with ten minutes to go.

And with almost the last kick of the game after good skill by Felix, Kuda was in on goal only for the ball to bobble up after his first touch & by the time he settled to shoot the defender got back to block and clear.

2-2 and a point a piece.

Could and should have done better but a point on the road is welcome on match day one with a new look squad coming together nicely

MOM Tom Winter