Premier Division
Hook Norton 0 Fairford Town 0
Saturday, 03 May 2003
Since this final league match of the season was, to all intents and purposes, a meaningless encounter for both teams, in terms of its relevance in affecting their respective safe positions in the table, it was not at all surprising that it turned out to be a rather dull, scoreless draw. Instead, the match was significant only because it was the last in which retiring Manager Dave Risato was in charge of Hooky and because it provided the launch pad for his replacement, whose identity was announced, officially, immediately after the match ended. The new Manager is none other than Hooky senior player, John Evans whose appointment is a popular choice with both the Brewery Boys themselves and with their supporters. It is strongly felt by the Committee of Hook Norton Football Club that, with ?Evo? at the helm, continuity of all that ?Rizzy? has so magnificently achieved for the friendly North Oxfordshire Village Club over such a short period of time will be maintained and, hopefully, improved upon still further in the years ahead as Hooky strive to build upon their highly respectable status and seek to bring first team football back to where it unquestionably belongs, in the Village itself.
The small crowd at the Spencer Stadium, Banbury on this occasion saw Hooky field a team identical with that which started Tuesday evening?s Oxfordshire Senior Cup Final against Oxford City, except that Mark Willis came in for the injured Ben Spiero, with Evans, Steve Thompson and Jonathon Jones on the bench. Fairford Town fielded an under strength team, doubtless in preparation for their impending encounter with Yate Town in the Gloucestershire Senior Cup Final and, in the circumstances, the final result was a credit to the determination and commitment of their players, especially as the home team dominated play throughout the match, whilst creating few real scoring chances. Indeed, the closest the Brewery Boys came to taking all 3 points was not until the 80th minute when Craig Pearman shot from 15 yards out towards the bottom right hand corner of the goalmouth, only to see visiting ?keeper and captain, James Price brilliantly fingertip the ball round the post to maintain his team?s clean sheet. Apart from this scare, Town held firm with little difficulty, with Lee Kilfoyle being outstanding in the centre of defence, but without ever creating a single scoring chance.
Hooky can now look back on another successful season of establishment and consolidation in their new surroundings in the Hellenic Premier Division and also with the satisfaction of having come within touching distance of scooping the prestigious Oxfordshire Senior Cup for the first time ever in the Club?s 100 years plus history. The mood within the Club is very much upbeat as its First Team seeks to move forward even further in the exciting times ahead under its new Manager.
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