| HARPENDEN:
2
ROYSTON: 1
05.11.05
Harpenden
celebrated firework night early after a convincing win over strugglers
Royston.
With a somewhat depleted squad due to sickness
and holidays Harpenden 1st XI found there selves borrowing some
up and coming youngsters from the ever improving 2nd XI. This
time Becky Conagh and Lucy Clark stepped up to help the club.
The game started brightly for Harpenden and they
set to un-ravel the Royston defence straight away. Slough in a
midfield roll showed she could be versatile and play the pivotal
roll. England showed her tricky skill up the right wing to help
Harpenden progress.
The 1st XI showed there attacking force and had
endless shots on target but the Royston keeper stood strong and
didn’t let Harpenden in. 20/20 Showed good composer in front
of goal but with a slightly fuzzy birthday head found it hard
to convert.
Royston barely had a touch on the ball but when
the defence was called upon they stood strong to see the ball
off the back line.
The first goal was to come from a quick break
from Harp’s, Gardner taking a quick 16 square to Dear, Dear
drove the ball up the line to find England, a couple of tricks
and England crossed the ball to find Lincoln on the p spot, Lincoln
showed her experience as the keeper went down Lincoln cheekily
flicked the ball over her and netted Harpenden’s first!
Harpenden didn’t hold back they new they
were by far the better team and strove forward again, a free hit
was won by Conagh just outside the D, a quick ball was taken and
what followed was pure training ground genius, Lythgoe received
and with one touch to set up span and struck the ball goal ward
before the defenders and more importantly the keeper had time
to react! Harpenden were now 2-0 up.
Harpenden had many short corners and open play
shots but failed to convert more before half time.
Feeling confident Harpenden came out into the
second half much the same as the first, several shots were had
but again no cigar.
As Harpenden scupper all there chances Royston
gradually got a foot in the game, and some quick breaks were made,
Dear, Gardner, Quinn and Borman held strong and made some good
tackles.
It was a close shave once or twice though with Royston’s
best chance coming from a break down the right wing, a cross was
fizzed across the goal mouth, the cross was meet by a Royston
forward who slapped the ball goal ward, Dear stopped on the line…
just, Harpenden thought the inevitable was about to happen but
remarkably the Royston attacker kicked the ball into the back
of the net. Dear had done enough to prevent conceding.
Just as Harpenden thought they were going to get
the first clean sheet, Royston spoiled the party, a short corner
sore a well struck first time strike that both Dear and Keeper
Clark went for, the ball somehow rebounded up off of one of them
and the goal stood.
There was a few shaky moments remaining as Royston
tried to get the equaliser but Harpenden done well and took the
4 Points!
Harpenden play Chiltern next week at the Brache
10:30am.
Goal Scorers: Debs Lythgoe, Karen
Lincoln
Man of the Match: Louisa England
Team: Babs Clark (GK), Sue Dear (C), Claire Gardner,
Vicky Quinn, Vicky Borman, Louisa England, Karen Slough, Becky
Conagh, Debs Lythgoe, Karen Lincoln & Lucy Clark.
Written by: Claire Gardner
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