Hambledon welcomed Lightwater in Game 04 of the league season.
A bit of a bogey team over the past two seasons meant Manager Will Grove and Coach Adam Roots drove home the tactics during the weeks training and before kick off.

The Dons had a strong 17/18 to choose from which saw Jack Field come back into the squad.
He was one of three subs alongside Greg Lyall who had overcome a thigh injury & Matt Metcalfe who had started the season well for the Dons.

Captain Luke Winter chose to play ‘up’ the slight slope much to Ryan Luffs disappointment!
The home side started brightly playing with a back 3 and wing backs on Calum Roots and Ollie Calcott. Nice link play down the left saw Calum receive the ball from Jay who’s low cross was smothered by the keeper.

The intent from Lightwater was clear from the off, get the ball wide and play out there.
Hambledon contained it however and the anchor of James Mariner and in form Tom Winter had started brightly.
Chris Turner was playing behind Kuda Kamoto and Felix Onabanjo, the match winner last week.

It took 21 minutes for the home side to break the deadlock & it was Kuda Kamoto played in by his strike partner Felix Onabanjo. A Will Edwards ( MOM from last week ) hit his goal kick wide right which was controlled by Felix and played in Kuda down the right. He broke away from his marker and audaciously clipped the ball from 23 yards over the keeper into the far left corner. A superb strike and composure to open the scoring.

Lightwater were trying to play their game and the away side no4 was getting on the ball and trying to make things happen. Something which Adam Roots noted in his HT team talk.
Hambledon had to defend 4/5 long throws and the threat of the no5 captain who was a foot taller than everyone else. But the Dons did deal with it well with Mazza and Jay making two important headers.

The Dons went 2-0 up after 33 minutes. A Tom Winter corner from the right was won by Chris ‘Shearer’ Turner, and after an attempt to clear, Kuda Kamoto pounced on the ball and lashed home.

HT

A change at the break saw Greg Lyall enter the field for Felix Onabanjo who took a knock to his Knee.

60 minutes in and Matt Metcalfe was introduced for Chris Turner.
Matt had an immediate impact when he was played through by Tom Winter to the right hand side of box, before composing himself on the ball and squaring it back to Kuda Kamoto to complete his hat trick with a strike which went under the goalkeeper who was unable to keep it out.

Shortly after James Mariner was taken off for Jack Field.

The Dons controlled the game here on in but Lightwater had a chance to pull a goal back. After the ball was turned over on the half way line a pass was made through the defence and the striker raced onto the ball and toe poked it only for it to bounce back off the post and get cleared.

Hambledon continued to threat down the left with bundles of energy from Calum Roots but Lightwater defended well.

Lightwater did score to the disappointment of the home side, with only 5 seconds left to play. Having not cleared the ball down the left, it was lofted back into the box for the left winger to ghost in and nod home from 5 yards.

3-1 FT

MOM Kuda Kamoto

Up next an early top of the table clash as we face Uni away.
COYD