North Companions FC all but sealed their 1st grade finals tickets in the Northern Inland Premier League against Tamworth FC on a rain-soaked Saturday. The local derby wasn’t just any fixture though.
Each year the match is a chance for the two clubs to battle it out in memory of Dan Haslem, a former player of both clubs who lost his battle with bowel cancer in 2015. He was 25.
Casting a watchful eye over the reserve team in progress earlier in the day, Tamworth 1st grade Coach Robert Jeffrey recalled the impact the young man left on both teams:
“It’s always a really special game, because of the way he presented himself and played the game.”
Haslem was able to access medicinal marijuana during the course of his treatment, something which Jeffrey said not only alleviated his pain, but did so to the extent that it allowed him to continue playing.
Going into Saturday’s fixture four points behind the finals-qualifying top three, Tamworth Reserves needed a win but ultimately left with a nil-all draw.
With the arrival of a serious downpour at that game’s final whistle, the stage was set for a muddy showdown in the top grade.
With finals tickets within reach for both sides, it was always going to be a high octane affair from the start. Firing on all cylinders, both teams adopted the tactic of aggressive long balls into the box with strikers screaming through looking for a volley.
It wasn’t long until legs came together; Callum Maughan was forced from the field seven minutes in after a hyper-extended knee ended his afternoon.
With the sodden conditions underfoot proving difficult to navigate, the ball was met with a volley of shin pads in midfield for the first several minutes thereafter.
It was a shrewd piece of work from North Companions’ Tomas Van Riet that ultimately lit the fuse, evading several defenders within range before smoking one across the face, where an unfortunate Tamworth defender found the back of his own net.
Throwing caution to the wind, Tamworth responded by charging en massé off the following restart where the ball soon rocketed past the hands of Companions keeper Josh Tumbridge for an equaliser.
Amidst the intermittent downpour, the two teams continued to eye each other; both unwilling to park the bus in defence, but neither penetrating the opposition box either.
Semici Kaltack of Tamworth FC caused considerable consternation on the left wing, his furious turns of speed burning defenders on more than one occasion. It was a battle of attrition however which saw both teams retreat at half time with tired legs.
Finally, with about twenty minutes to go, Van Riet once again stamped his authority on the match and beat Owen Rodgers to put Companions in the box seat, one they would not relinquish.
“Tough game, both sides fought hard. They probably just wanted it that little bit more than we did.” Tamworth captain Chris Hughes said,
“They got a scrappy goal too but that happens. We’ve still got the three games to go, they’ve only got the one. Anything’s possible.”
Robert Jeffrey spoke to the gathered teams at large post match:
“Not many might remember Dan, but he played with heart on his sleeve, every game he played he played with pain, and just a top lad.”
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