After what seemed a lifetime, Hambledon were back.
And it was a tricky away fixture to local rivals Shottermill and Haselmere.
The last two seasons the Dons have lost this fixture as they looked to edge closer to a top 2 finish.

There was a strong squad to choose from with only Tom Winter, Greg Lyall, Seb Jefferies and Ollie Calcott unavailable.

Hambledon started the game with 4-3-3, notably Josh Hitchcock returning since impressing over the first half of the season.

The away side started well and showed intent by trying to keep the ball and move it around through the lines.
The long periods on the sidelines showed however will lots of miss placed passes, slow movement off the ball and a lack of desire.
Shottermill on the other hand had started to press high and quickly which was causing Hambledon some issues.

The ball seemed to be playing down the left with Cal Roots and Josh Hitchcock seeing plenty of the ball.
A few missed passes and short balls allowed the right winger in behind a few times but once Cal Roots recovered well and Ryan swept up.

Shottermill seemed to want to play down their right but Manager Will Grove had the beating of his man and sniffed out danger a few times.
Matt Metcalfe and Chris Turner were trying to get on the ball but it wasn’t happening in the first half.
One chance fell to Josh when Mazza played in a ball over the top but Josh in on goal was flagged offside.

The home side took the lead on 24 minutes when good work down their right saw a cross met with a lovely finish into the bottom left of Will Edwards goal.
1-0

The Dons had to react and they again looked to get on the ball in the right areas.
Kuda and Felix were doing their best to link up top but for the moment the home side were defending well.

On the stroke of half time, Hambledon got an equaliser from the in form Josh Hitchcock.
Cal Roots with a lofted cross, or shot, or drive down the fairway, saw it met with the head of Josh at the far right post- his header looped in the left hand corner over the stranded keeper.
1-1 Josh Hitchcock

Feeling a bit fortunate to go in level, assistant manager Adam Roots made it clear the Dons had to settle on the ball, move it quicker but more importantly talk more.

In took only 8 minutes for that message to drive home as Chris Turner put the away side 2-1 up.
Matt Metcalfe managed to flick on a long ball and while Felix onabanjo was offside he clearly wasn’t interacting with play, and Turner was the sharpest and coolest to play on take a touch, fend off his marker and slot the ball into the net.
1-2 Chris Turner

The squad is really going to be needed over these 5 games and on 58, 60 & 70 minutes, Charlie Reddick, Luke Winter and Jack Fiekd came on.

The Dons really saw the game out with good game management, discipline and work rate.
A few half chances came and went, Charlie Reddick coming the closest baring down the right after good work with Will Grove.

A good away win to kickstart this final stretch of the season.

MOM Ryan Luff

Next up another Derby where we host Milford and Witley.