HOOK NORTON (SENIOR SECTION) FOOTBALL CLUB
Rain, rain, rain and still more rain! This has often been the complaint of our Cricket Club when inclement weather has frequently caused its matches to be interrupted or, worse still, abandoned or postponed. Whilst it's less usual for the 'wet stuff' to be disruptive to the football programme, the unusual in this respect has unfortunately prevailed of late, with the result that our First Team has had its last two scheduled matches on successive Saturdays postponed. Annoying and frustrating as this has been, we are fortunate that the problem has been widespread over the whole of the Hellenic League area, with the result that we are still 'hanging in' in 3rd position in the table and, therefore, are still handily placed for a possible promotion slot if we can maintain or, better still, improve upon our present playing performances. In addition to this exciting prospect, the First Team, at the time of writing, is still in the Oxfordshire Senior Cup, has reached the Semi Final of the Buckingham Charity Cup and, in two weeks time, begins this season's campaign in the League Supplementary Cup. So, once again, our club believes that it is playing its part in giving Hook Norton the level of prominence that all Hooky people surely agree that our village so richly deserves.
Our Reserve Team, also, is more than holding its own in its division and this article is being written, following yesterday's decisive 3-0 victory over Letcombe when the efforts of Billy Green (Groundsman) and others were sufficient to get the match played when so many other matches elsewhere had to be postponed because of the excessively wet weather. As well as this team managing to perform well in its own right, it is so gratifying to see young players emerging from this source and not only making their debuts in the First Team but also performing well at the elevated level. Indeed, in addition to village boy Pete Moulder, both Joe Davies and Nat Greywoode have begun to make their marks in the First Team and I have little doubt that further young players will follow in their footsteps. This is why it was so important that the Senior and Junior Sections of this club amalgamated just under two years ago; undoubtedly, discovering and nurturing your own talent are the way forward for clubs like ours and, with this aspect in mind, we in the Senior Section are so appreciative of the close relationship that we now enjoy with our Junior Section which is so ably led by Steve 'Dasher' Knight.
At this moment in time, both teams have much to play for and, with decisions awaited from the Football Foundation for grant funding towards the balance needed for the proposed new clubhouse/pavilion for the Sports & Social Club and for the necessary funding for new covered spectator accommodation, floodlights etc, we face the prospect of some exciting times ahead. But having said that, we must be careful not to count our chickens too soon!
As always, we thank you for your continuing support and encouragement, without which our young footballers would undoubtedly be less inspired. Up the Hooky!
