PACQ-ING A PUNCH – AT 40!
RICHARD PACQUETTE famously scored at Anfield for Havant & Waterlooville and has been knocking in goals for more than 20 years – now the man Harefield United call ‘The Guv’nor’ wants to help his teammates live a Wembley fairytale.
On his 40th birthday, the well-travelled striker helped the Step 5 Hares into the last 16 of the FA Vase.
Perhaps it was written in the stars for Pacquette’s milestone celebration as they won their fourth round tie at Clevedon with his equaliser at 2-2 coming in the fourth minute of firsthalf stoppage time.
In the end, the two sides needed to be separated by penalties, Hares stopper Jacob Ballheimer the hero with three shoot-out saves.
And Pacquette couldn’t have been happier to celebrate on the coach home.
“It was worth the trip!” Pacquette, who also scored his spot-kick in the shoot-out, told The NLP. “We’ve got a good set of lads, a few fans came on the coach with all the committee and board members. It’s a tight knit club. It’s like a family there.
“We just wanted a good journey back and we did – and then continued in the clubhouse!
“I’m very proud to be a part of this team. I have been here four seasons now and it feels like home. Everyone around the club is fantastic – from the volunteers to the board members, management team and the players, we’re all together.
“Some lads haven’t played higher than this level. I just try and instil belief that, even though they haven’t played higher yet, they can achieve something good that’s memorable.
“It’s a club that has got very close to me and I am enjoying my football. I’ve still got a lot to give. I haven’t come here to toss it off, I’ve come to win, I don’t like losing. I try to bring all my experience to the table.”
Pacquette, who is also on the coaching staff and joined the Combined Counties League North club when they were in Step 6, was proud of how they fared at Clevedon with the tie finally played at the third attempt.
“We’d been waiting for the game for a long time,” Pacquette said. “We were missing players for the first game that was called off and another player the second time it was called off. But last Saturday we were missing even more players!
“So it was a bit of a makeshift side but we believed in ourselves. We know if we do the right things we can be a real handful.
“They took the lead and were 2-0, we were a bit sloppy but we kept digging deep. I felt we were the better side without causing much damage. But we got one back and then I scored at the right time just before half-time. I made sure we all ran into the changing room, settled everyone down and the belief was there.
“I said to our keeper Jacob [Ballheimer] before the penalties, ‘You’ve got two saves in you. Trust me, you’ve got two saves in you’. He saved three! So I was wrong!
“These moments are special. Quite a few of the squad have been together a while now. We’ve built a culture. We have a laugh and a joke but we are serious and want to achieve things.”
Up next is a home clash with Peacehaven & Telscombe in what is a wide-open competition.
“We’re trying to make history for the club – this is the furthest it has been in many years and there is an opportunity of going to Wembley, which some of the boys might never get to do,” Pacquette said.
“I am lucky enough I got to Wembley when I was at York City but I never played. I want to get there again but, this time, play. I’ve achieved a lot of things in my career but that would top it off.”