Salisbury FC > News > Extra Time Photos 6 – Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick
In this episode of Extra Time, we feature Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick.
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Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick – a name to conjure with, and one which sends reporters, and defenders, apoplectic! This reporter soon agreed with him that after the first mention in a match report, he could then be referred to as just “Shaq” (to my great relief!), but when he was in full cry, not many defenders had much rest. His first important contribution to our FA Cup win at Thatcham on 7 September was to bamboozle home full-back, Michael Miller, into conceding an early penalty, which set the Whites on the way to a 3-2 win.
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In the next round he was strangely subdued on a Portland stone-like surface, and only got a couple of report mentions. However, I recall that on that occasion the phrase “only piece of real quality seen in 90 minutes” applied to a late skilful effort that might have made a narrow 1-0 win less tense, had the ball gone in. That came after another much easier effort being ballooned over the top! Least said….!
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After those earlier Cup games, it was back to the league at home to Hartley Wintney, and although he didn’t get on the scoresheet, he did the next best thing, setting up Bay Downing for a ninth minute opener, and then being unlucky later with a scorcher, which the opponents’ keeper knew little about, but nevertheless somehow kept out. The 2-0 win was completed with a Lewis Benson goal just before the break.
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Back in the FA Cup in October, he went one better on a personal note in getting on the scoresheet, but alas his effort with seconds to go was scant consolation for home fans as they saw their team sink to a 4-2 defeat against Margate to end the season’s interest in what for some is the only serious national cup competition.
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And so the Whites entered the second ranked cup competition, the FA Trophy, and were handed what looked to be a straightforward home tie against strugglers Dorchester. It was anything but, and it took a very late Toby Holmes goal to take it to a replay. Shaq, seen here in a regular tussle with Magpies’ Billy Lowes nearly got his name in lights on the stadium scoreboard, but Visiting keeper Shane Murphy denied him. The game ended in a six goal stalemate, creating the replay in which the Whites prevailed with some ease.
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In November, he couldn’t find the net in the games at Farnborough (0-0) or then at Hayes & Yeading. No other Salisbury player did any better in either game……….
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…….. the Hayes meeting seeing a 1-0 defeat on 16 November.
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…but with memories of that defeat only 7 days earlier still in mind, it was good to exact some kind of revenge over United, and a seven goal thriller saw Shaq again set up Bay Downing for an early opener. After that great start it was once more a “late, late show” as just after our man was denied a reasonable penalty shout, Warren Bentley popped up to grab the all important odd goal in seven.
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You would think that, living in London, Shaq would really make the most of a very short journey to Walton on the last day of November, but he fared no better than those who had come further as the Whites slumped to a disappointing 2-1 loss.
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Happier times, especially for Shaq, returned just before Xmas when he grabbed the winner just before the end against rivals Poole Town, to send Salisbury supporters home with some early Christmas spirit. No doubt he had brought different Christmas cheer to Amazon customers – he works for Amazon – but on this occasion the good cheer didn’t come in a cardboard envelope!
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Referee Lewis Sandoe suffers Shaq’s wrath in the Bank Holiday Boxing Day tussle with Wimborne, (and maybe the ref’s performance deserved it!), but after the Whites had fallen behind to a Sam Bayston wonder strike, the wide man equalised on 51 minutes. Toby Holmes would have loved to find the net against his old club, but it was not going to be his day and the 3-1 win was completed by goals from Bay Downing and Lewis Benson.
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Shaq may not have scored against Wimborne, but he warmed up with a goal in a hard-fought 4-2 win at Yate to make it two strikes in two games. He couldn’t make it three in three though as Chesham provided stiff opposition in another close thing on 4 January, the Whites shading it 3-2.
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Equally tight was the 1-0 win over Eastbourne in the Trophy replay against Eastbourne Borough, but although he often skipped past (or over) his marker, he had little opportunity to score after going close after half an hour.
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Here’s a Magpie being grounded, and here’s Shaq doing the grounding on one of many similar occasions. This 5-0 win at Dorchester was as easy as the scoreline suggests, but he couldn’t cap it all with a sixth goal.
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Again, in the thick of it here, with Tiverton thinking it necessary to surround him with three players, one of whom, Chris Shephard, struggled to keep up. The Whites always seem to struggle against sides like Tiverton, but gained a well deserved point in a 2-2 draw in early February.
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… and talking about struggling against certain teams, that was a relevant comment 7 days later at Met Police, where a not unexpected 3-2 defeat followed a crazy last few moments.
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As usual, and as will be seen in almost any picture of Shaq (except the following Gosport one!) there are rarely times when he isn’t being dealt with by multiple defenders, and here against Truro, the opponents took what has become necessary action. The one time he got away in this game he appeared to be brought down in the box, but no penalty resulted at an important stage of the match, which was a surprise to most, interestingly also to the Truro Radio commentator! The match ended 0-3, but had the decision gone the other way, maybe it would have finished 1- something. We’ll never know.
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Happier times against Hendon though on 22 February, as the Whites made it 6 from 6 against the Londoners, and although Shaq couldn’t find the net against his old employers, Salisbury completed the double with a comparatively easy 2-0 win.
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Not a lot to say about the dull 0-0 draw at Gosport at the end of February, and no-one, on either side could “outshine” the efforts of the referee to take centre stage. It’s a pity when that happens, but it’s worse when a goalless stalemate does nothing to feed the entertainment value!
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A typical situation here for Shaq against Merthyr at home on 7 March and in the first half his magical weaving past three defenders resulted in a clear penalty. Winning penalties was something that he had achieved several times during the season but on this occasion the Whites didn’t take advantage and had to overcome a half-time deficit to eventually emerge 2-1 winners.
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So this is where we came in, with Shaq regularly terrorising defenders, and the season came to an end just a few games later at Harrow on 10 March. The image shows a massed attack on the home defence, with a 2-2 draw being a disappointing result. Without football, I expect more Amazon customers have had their deliveries on time since as Shaq, like every other Amazon delivery guy, will have been kept especially busy of late. Now, let me see, would he have been keeping fit by running his delivery routes? Hmmmmmmm! Hopefully he’ll be able to deliver for the Whites when things start up again.
All images are reproduced by kind permission of our photographers, Michael Berkeley and Roger Elliott and are copyright, so they should not be reproduced. Please seek agreement should you wish to do so, by contacting our Press Officer Alec Hayter on [email protected] or on 07884 477168 when any requests can be forwarded. The Club would like to thank Michael and Roger for the images, Alec for some of the words, and Ian Pearson for his website expertise, as part of the effort to alleviate football withdrawal symptoms! Roll on next kick off!
