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Hachioji Park Monday 11th Feb,
After a few disappointing results the Hibs came out Monday night with a full squad and plenty of motivation. On the beautiful Hachioji pitch, under the lights, both teams were up for it.
The Jets pressure the ball relentlessly and can make it hard to play, but after a few minutes the Hibs wrestled control of the game and began to knock the ball around. We had some forays early (turns out new recruit Marcio is really fast) and got our break when Dre got service in the box and laid it off for Mike, who burned his man with a step-over, then dribbled past three more, teed up his left foot and rifled it far right - a beauty, 1-0 Hibs. Next we broke out on the counter, Marcio took the ball wide left at full speed and sent it across to Mike, who was chopped down in the box, but got up and calmly netted the PK, 2-0.
Our next goal was fortunate - Tomo got free wide right and blasted in a hard cross, it hit a Jets defender and looped over their keeper's head. The Jets had a good chance in the half off a corner, Jay cleared the cross but right to their man on the edge of the box, he fired a good shot low left but Hitoshi and Yasu were there for the save. 3-0 at the half.
In the second half both the Hibs and Jets threw everyone forward and the teams went back and forth on the attack. Hibs struck first - Dre again played a perfect pass, this time to Yama, who curled it in nicely to the left without breaking stride, 4-0. Later Jets struck back, they caught us on the break with numbers and eventually Nate ended up wide right with time to shoot, not good, he left Hitoshi no chance, 4-1. Finally Kuni, hardest working player for the Hibs all night, put a ball into the box and Dre got a well-deserved goal, sliding it around their sprawling keeper for the 5-1 final.
There could have been more goals as both sides hit the woodwork, but the final score reflected the run of the game. A good win for the Hibs.
Report by Jay Alabaster
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