Harpenden Ladies: 3
South Herts Ladies: 1
28.01.2006

Harpenden 1st XI are still on track to promotion as they won a big game against South Herts with a convincing display of fluent passes and clinical finishing.

Harpenden took no time at all to settle into their flow, the ball was being fizzed around from back to front and left to right despite the difficult sun light. It didn’t take long for Harpenden’s pressure to convert into the first of many short corners. Lythgoe injected Quinn stopped and Lincoln struck, a foot stopped the ball going goal ward and another short was awarded. A succession of short corners came and went with Gardner coming closest hitting the post.

Harp’s battled in the midfield to regain possession each time the ball was given away, and the hunger for the 4 points was evident. Some excellent work by England down the right lead to interlinking play and more short corners.

This time Harp’s made it count, from a slightly wayward injection, Quinn done well to react, again a slightly wayward pass that Gardner picked up well, with plenty of time to strike Gardner flicked the ball towards the keepers left knee the ball was again going slightly wide but the eager England pounced on the misdirected shot and deflected goal ward.

Harpenden regained back possession from the off and Rees showed good enthusiasm up the left this time, Lincoln awaited a well timed pass but the shot was wide.

Harpenden used the press well and gained back the advantage the switch was made via Slough who played a good pivotal game, Dear had joined the attack and fed a neat ball through to Borman, England had made a super run into the D where Borman found her, England who is in top goal scoring form coolly slotted the ball into the corner of the goal. England was now on 4 goals in two games and had taken her team to 2-0.

Some good work at the back by Naden stopped any progress by Herts and Harpenden went in at half time feeling very happy with there selves.

Harpenden knew only 4 points was good enough so came out to the second half with maximum concentration.

Lincoln had a succession of near misses, the closest came with a brilliant run beating two players and the keeper only to slot the ball wide of the goal, credit was given to the keeper although beaten she stood up and pressured Lincoln enough to put her off.

As time went on Lincoln was more and more frustrated by the Herts keeper who was on fire, even short corners could not see her guide the ball home.

The third goal came from defender Gardner, A short corner injected directly to Gardner was hit with power and a slight deflection from a defender didn’t altar the direction of the ball but did see the ball hit the roof of the net; this was to be a carbon copy of the goal she scored in the away fixture.

Their was time for Herts to get a cancellation a momentary laps lead to a light ball from Naden finding Slough in the centre, Slough was unable to recover enough and was robbed of the ball, Harp’s who had been enjoying a lot of attacking play was left flat at the back and a quick break left keeper Clark no chance, Clark came out to the player on the ball and stood tall, but their was a striker waiting to receive the ball on the P spot, with good vision and composure the Herts attacker found her fellow striker and an easy goal into an open net was the result.

Clark was rightly upset with her defence, who had otherwise had a faultless performance.

Harpenden finished the game 3-1 and continue putting the pressure onto the two teams above.

Team: Bab’s Clark (GK), Sue Dear (C), Claire Gardner, Karen Slough, Georgia Naden, Julie Rees, Vicky Quinn, Vicky Borman, Louisa England, Becky Concagh, Deb’s Lythgoe, Karen Lincoln.

Goal Scorers: Louisa England x2, Claire Gardner x1.

Man of the Match: Louisa England