After a week off Stewkley were back in league action at the Rec on Saturday, as they welcomed Hanslope aiming to make it 16 wins on the bounce. Budgen & Howard were able to welcome Okolie back into the fold this weekend which was a welcome boost to the squad.

The game got underway and it quickly became apparent that Stewkley's free flowing football was going to be really difficult to execute in the conditions. The pitch was incredibly wet and soon became a mud bath in the middle of the park which meant it was a challenge to get the ball down and play in central areas.

There was little to report in the early exchanges with both teams trying to get to grips with the slippy pitch as the rain continued to fall. In truth the boys in yellow were lacking in urgency and it was all a little bit flat. Hanslope began to grow into the game and they carved out the first real opportunity of the game which resulted in a goal. The Hanslope 10 found some space inside the Stewkley half and played a great ball into the path of his striker which caught Wagner flat footed and stuck in the mud, he advanced into the box and floated the ball beyond Essex and into the top right hand corner. Stewkley 0-1 Hanslope.

There was little reaction from the home side who were huffing and puffing but rarely threatened the Hanslope stopper. The nearest they came to scoring was from a corner when Roadnight's cross was met by Whittemore who's header just rose over the bar. At the other end Stewkley were their own worst enemy, giving the ball away in poor areas and inviting pressure from the away side who had a couple of efforts from the edge of the box which Essex was equal too. The half-time whistle was blown and it was a welcome opportunity to get some instructions into the boys in yellow.

The half-time talk seemed to spark little reaction from the starting 11 and they were nearly punished straight from kick off when Alligan uncharacteristically gifted the ball to Hanslope on the edge of the box and a shot beat Essex but smacked the upright and was cleared to safety by Whittemore. At this point the changes were rung as Okolie entered the fray for Waldram, and Kirchin made way for Iannelli and there was a bit of shuffling the pack. Again it was set pieces that Stewkley looked most dangerous from, Roadnight's corner from the right found Wagner at the back post but he couldn't keep his header down, Hanslope were still a threat going the other way too and the bright 10 forced Essex into another sharp stop.

It was still proving difficult for Stewkley to breakdown a stubborn and determined Hanslope side so Faulkner and Atkinson entered the game for Reeves and Alligan. These changes begun to make an impact and Stewkley started to gain some control of possession and put pressure on the Hanslope backline, who were beginning to drop deeper into their own half.

Atkinson begun to get on the ball in dangerous areas and was linking up well with Roadnight and Okolie. Faulkner came on and immdeiately beat 3 players and struck a shot which worked the keeper, and he was involved again soon after, when creating himself some room from 20 yards out he hit a shot which bounced awkwardly for the keeper as he spilt his strike, Okolie reacted quickest and beat the keeper to the ball to squeeze his shot in off the right hand post from 10 yards out. 1-1 and Stewkley tails were up.

After this it was a barrage of yellow attacks, and Boucher entered the game for McKenna for more fresh legs. Stewkley were finally attacking down both flanks and it was Roadnight who picked the ball up from 25 yards out, cut inside one defender but his shot sailed over the bar. The wave of yellow kept coming though and this time it was Atkinson who picked out Okolie on the edge of the box he knocked the ball beyond the Hanslope centre back and smashed a shot towards goal which beat the keeper but crashed against the crossbar and away to safety. Stewkley still weren't done as again Roadnight found Okolie who broke into the box on the right handside, he cut back inside and whipped a shot towards the far post which the keeper got a strong hand to, the ball rebounded back to Boucher who got his volley all wrong and the ball went well wide.

It was so nearly for Stewkley in the end as again Boucher was involved down the left as he combined with Atkinson and a dangerous ball into the box fell perfectly to the feet of Faulkner who from 6 yards out somehow blazed his shot over the bar. There was little time left on the clock at this point and there was still time for one more glorious opportunity. This time from a corner where Faulkner put in a great ball and the ball dropped 3 yards out but stopped dead in the mud and Okolie's attempt to get something on the ball failed and somehow Hanslope smuggled the ball away to safety.

The barrage of attacks was finally over as the referee blew his whistle, but it was all a bit too little too late and Stewkley had to settle with just a point.

Full-time: Stewkley 1-1 Hanslope
Scorer: Okolie

Next Up: Great Horwood (H) 22 February - 14:00 kick off