The Moles opened their 26/27 Isthmian League season at home against Hendon FC. The starting XI was pretty much a 50/50 split of returning and new players.
The home side had the best opening period with both Ty Moorcroft and Troy Williams creating chances. However, it was Hendon who took the lead in the 28th minute when the Moles conceded a corner and Radu Stefanoaica got his foot on a header across the goal. Shortly after that came the first of many yellow cards, by our reckoning there were 12 yellow cards across both teams, in a game that didn’t feel nasty at all.
The half finished 1-0 to Hendon and the Moles were forced to make a substitution at half-time with Quincy Paterson replacing the injured Sam Meads. It didn’t take long for the home team to equalise when Charley Tuttle scored a screamer from a 25 yard free kick.
It took 10 minute for Hendon to regain the lead when Isaac Stones beat the back line and put the ball through the legs of Moles keeper CJ Fubler. In the 66th minute, Hendon were awarded a penalty when CJ brought down Radu as he tried to round him. Feeling in the crowd from both sets of fans was that it was a harsh decision. Radu converted the penalty.
Binfield got one back when Tuttle swung in a free kick which Archie Simpson converted from close range.
And that is how the game ended with a first day defeat. Overall a good performance for the young squad who are straight back in action with a trip to play Ashford Town (Middx) on Tuesday night.
After the game, Moles manager Ross Weatherstone commented “Defeats are always harder to take when your opponents let you know, the penalty they got, to win the game, was never a penalty. A draw was probably a fair result but you can’t commit football suicide like we did for the other goals. Still lots of positives, bring on Tues”
Photos: Daisy Spiers
