DHL Game

The DHL Game

Sunday 13th May v DHL at Sixfields, report from Mark Spavins:

Paxton arrived at the impressive Sixfields Stadium in Northampton with the sun shining, and the expectations on the coach, for a good day pretty high amongst the players. Manager Mark Spavins chose to use this friendly to invite a couple of new faces along, who he may want to sign next season. Also Matt Plumb and Simon Anderson were invited to make guest appearances.

All three trialists started the game, Gareth Bridges the young goalkeeper from Fenstanton played well between the sticks on his debut, and has agreed to sign next season. Matthew Dixon and the exciting Adam Mayhew also impressed, and Spav will be talking to them over the summer. Also Ian Dawkes made his return after injury and looked just as good as ever.

Paxton started well against the DHL UK side, with Matt Plumb and his midfield having the better of the early exchanges.

Good movement and quick passing carved open the first real opportunity, with a super ball from Mayhew finding Graham Akers whose shot was easily dealt with by the DHL keeper. On fifteen minutes another Mayhew through ball found Knowles who got clear of his marker, only to see his shot saved by the keeper, but the rebound fell kindly to Garbould whose precision shot squeezed in between defender and post. Paxton deserved that lead and continued to dominate. DHL though slowly got themselves into the game with Erskine their talented midfielder starting to dictate proceedings, but for all ball they had, they never had a worthwhile chance on the Paxton goal. Paxton Manager made six changes at half time and also changed the formation to a 3-5-2, which is alien to the Paxton team, and this showed in the first few minutes of the half, with DHL able to knock the ball around with ease, and they should have equalised but the fowards shot was straight at Oxborough in the Paxton goal. After 17 minutes Paxton got their second goal, a corner from Danny Plumb found Robbie Seal whose header found the net, much to the delight of the traveling Paxton support. This though triggered a DHL recovery, and five minutes later, poor defending allowed Rob Worrall to get a shot in, the effort which was a tame one, somehow got under Andy Oxboroughs' body and in to the the net. And with time ticking away DHL broke away and with a clear run on goal, a DHL midfielder slipped the ball passed Oxborough for the equaliser.

Paxton again stepped up the pace, and in the final minute a good ball from Matt Plumb found Manager Mark Spavins in the clear out wide, he got into the penalty area and squared the ball to Lee Clutterbuck, who was beaten to the ball by a DHL defender who deflected the ball on to the bar. With that last piece of action the referee blew for full time, sending the game to penalties.

Clutterbuck and Manager Spavins had their penalties saved, but Dawkes, Seal and Harper scored theirs and with DHL also missing two, the game went into sudden death. DHL had their penalty saved by Oxborough and Simon Anderson stepped up to slot home the winner. That was the end of a super game, and I think everyone would agree a good day was had by all.

SUMMARY...DHL(UK) 2..GREAT PAXTON 2..Paxton won 4-3 on penalties

Rob Worrall says about the DHL game on the 13th:

It's now a 2.00pm kick off and the Coach will leave the Bell at 12.00 midday (rather than 11am as published in yesterday's match programme.) It will leave Sixfields approx 4.00pm (or once the money we've put behind the bar has run out!)

Although the game is only a friendly, we want to make it as much of an occasion as possible. To that end there will be 3 qualified officials, a match programme, we hope to have the teams announced over the PA system. Teams will change in the Home and Away dressing rooms and emerge together, lining up for team photographs. However, we will stop short of playing the national anthem!

As the DHL UK squad needs to practice penalties as part of our preparation, we will also hold a penalty shoot out at the end of the 30 minute each way match, regardless of whether or not the scores are level.

Let's get plenty of people along from Paxton on the day and make it a memorable occasion!

A friendly has been arranged for the end of the season....

MAY 13TH 2001 AT SIXFIELDS, NORTHAMPTON TOWN F.C.

GREAT PAXTON v DHL ENGLAND

1.30PM KICK OFF.

COACH FROM THE BELL £4.50

Background information on this fixture (from Rob Worrall):

"It is actually against the DHL UK Team, (it will include players from Scotland too) which Lawrie McMahon (a colleague from our Leeds office) and myself will shortly be selecting following a series of trials around the country. Lawrie is down this weekend, prior to the first trial at Watford on Sunday and will be coming to the Cottenham match with me on Saturday. The match at Sixfields on 13th May will be a warm up match for DHL before we travel to Belgium 2 weeks later to play in DHL Worldsoccer, a 48 team annual tournament. We will compete against DHL teams from around the world, including Australia, America, Brazil, South Africa, Russia, Middle East and Hong Kong, not to mention from all the major European Countries. The UK team returned as champions in 1994 & 1997 and are hoping to become the first Country to win it 3 times this year. The final is played in front of approx 3,000 people (I was fortunate to play in the 94 Final) and last year, the UK team reached the Q-Finals under the leadership of Lawrie and myself. We think Worldsoccer is probably the largest inter-company football tournament in the world - We certainly haven't heard of one bigger- have you?"