On Saturday morning I was over at Mabley Green, Homerton, to see the first ever Hackney Derby between Hackney Wick and Sporting Hackney.
This was Wick’s third game since formation whilst Sporting had celebrated 30 years as a club this year. Sporting play in the Middlesex County Premier, which is one level above where Wick will play in their first ever season.
Sporting started with purpose and were taking this very seriously and led after only 3 minutes when a through ball saw the forward pull away and finish past the keeper with his left foot.Wick 0 Sporting 1.
On 9 minutes another Sporting attack saw a ball across the area but it failed to find anyone so drifted out for a goal kick. On 18 minutes a Sporting corner saw a free header at the back post header over but you could see the difference in level early on between the two sides. That level was witnessed again on 27 minutes when Sporting doubled their lead as a cross was poorly headed out straight to a Sporting player who volleyed home from ten yards out. Wick 0 Sporting 2.
Moments later Sporting got in down the right again but saw the ball drilled across Wick’s six yard box but again it found nobody in the box sailed out for a goal kick. Sporting attacked again on 35 minutes with an effort straight at the keeper and then Wick finally managed to cause some concern inside the Sporting box with a couple of moments of their own but these ultimately came to nothing.
With eight minutes of the half remaining Sporting had another free header from a set play but once again they failed to hit the target and the header sailed well over. Then a minute later Wick’s best move of the half resulted in a shot from the angle but it was straight at the keeper before another ball into Sporting’s box was flicked just over the bar by Wick. Weirdly after this the referee blew for half time some six or seven minutes early. Pre Season eh!!! It had been a half mostly dominated by Sporting although Wick had battled gamely.
Half Time: Hackney Wick 0 Sporting Hackney 2
Wick came out second half with more purpose and on 50 minutes had a great chance as they broke from a Sporting corner but they didn’t take advantage of the two on one situation they had and the chance went begging. A minute later Sporting rattled one over from distance but it was Wick who were now taking the game to their opponents and on 57 minutes they got a goal back after a good ball through found a teammate he sent a good finish across the keeper into the far corner and it was very much game on. Wick 1 Sporting 2.
Wick were now looking almost likely to level and they should of done moments later but a poor finish saw that chance go and on 64 minutes they had another effort to level but the shot was struck just wide of the target. They were made to pay for these misses as Sporting went down the other end to score, attacking with venom and after a good clinical move a ball from the left across goal was tapped home from close range. Wick 1 Sporting 3.
Wick tried to not let this setback get to them and on 71 minutes they thought they had a goal back but the player headed the ball onto his hand before it went in so no goal was given, eventually, as the referee had given it to start with until his linesman intervened. Wick’s woe’s continued as they went further behind on 75 minutes as a long ball forward was controlled before the attacker turned and saw his effort deflect past the keeper. Wick 1 Sporting 4.
Wick were still causing problems in the Sporting box and on 77 minutes a dangerous corner from Wick flew across goal but away for a goal kick. With ten minutes left a great one handed save from Wick’s keeper kept Sporting out and a couple of minutes later there was another chance for Sporting as a volley across the area was just missed by the oncoming striker.
Then with six minutes left Wick got a goal back as a ball forward saw the keeper come miles out and get stranded in no mans land and allowed the Wick player to lob him and see the ball bounce into the net just ahead of a recovering defender who tried in vain to stop it going in, calamity keeping in every sense of the word. Wick 2 Sporting 4.
On 89 minutes some great football from Sporting saw them hit the bar as a cross into the area saw the attacker stretch and divert the ball onto the bar and over but they didn’t miss with their next chance as into stoppage time sloppy play from Wick allowed Sporting to get in and slip the ball past the keeper. Wick 2 Sporting 5.
This was the last real action of the game in what was a good hard but fair Derby match. A good workout for both sides as they continue their build up to the season opener on August 8th.
Full Time: Hackney Wick 2 Sporting Hackney 5
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