| HARPENDEN:
3
WEST HERTS: 3
12.12.05
Saturday brought
the final match of 2005 for Harpenden Ladies 1st XI. It was to
be a tough encounter as they took on West Herts. West Herts were
table leaders with no points dropped and only 5 goals conceded.
They had also scored over 40 goals already this season.
But Harpenden wanted to get their own back on
West Herts who had beaten them 5-1 in the away fixture at the
start of the season.
After some words of encouragement from, B Smith,
T Bunbury and V Borman Harpenden were feeling positive and up
for the fight even though Captain Dear was missing from the fixture.
Harpenden rode the initial storm which lasted
about 5 minutes with some good defending from Gardner, Slough
and Naden. Harp’s regained pressure and left no room for
West Herts to make an impression on the match.
Lythgoe and Lincoln won several short corners,
Lincoln struck to work the keeper, England came close at right
post and the V also narrowly missed out on the opening goal.
Harpenden could feel the goal coming after 20
minutes of constant pressure.
After some good interlinking play by Concagh,
Quinn and England, England fired a cross into the area, after
some scrappy defending from West Herts Rees slotted the ball home
from 5 yards with her no messing attitude.
The re-start was taken, Harpenden knew they needed
to win back the ball to stop West Herts firing straight back,
this was exactly what they did with Lythgoe putting pressure on
the west Herts forwards keeping them in their own half and forcing
the mistake, Lynam picked the ball up and drove forward. A lovely
ball wide again to England was driven up the wing, another great
ball into the area was played and a 2nd goal for Rees came in
much the same way as the first, as West Herts floundered trying
to clear, Rees stole the ball and slammed it home.
2-0 up and Harpenden could hardly believe their
eyes, Harps stayed strong and kept possession until half time.
Harpenden were keen not to let the lead slip after
half time and set out just as they had started within 2 minutes
Harps had extended their lead to 3-0 a lovely run to the base
line was pulled back for Lythgoe who was waiting on the P spot,
a first time sweep sent the ball crashing into the back board
and the training ground practice had paid off!
All Harps had to do was keep possession for 30
minutes and they’d take all four points, Not as easy as
it sounds when you consider West Herts are averaging 5 goals a
game!
The biggest compliment was paid to Harpenden when a very talented
coach brought her self on to try and ad to West Herts game. Harpenden
carried on playing well, but West Herts broke with more purpose
and some important decisions seemed to go against Harpenden, West
Herts managed to get two goals back via short corners.
In the last five minutes West Herts got the equaliser after a
great sliding save from Clark, Clark was unable to get up as the
Herts attacker flicked the ball over her, Slough and Gardner had
both positioned there selves on the line, but as the ball came
towards Slough, the awkward height of the ball deceived her and
the ball dipped onto the back board.
The sintalating game finished 3-3.
Although Harpenden would have taken two points
at the beginning of the game after being 3-0 up Harps were disappointed
they couldn’t hold onto the lead.
Harpenden have set the pace of the second half
of the season and who knows what they can do with this sort of
form.
Goal Scorers: Jules Rees x2, Debs Lythgoe.
Man of the Match: Jules Rees.
Team: Bab’s Clark (GK), Vicky Borman
(VC), Claire Gardner, Karen Slough, Georgia Naden, Jules Rees,
Becky Concagh, Vicky Quinn, Louisa England, Karen Lincoln, Debs
Lythgoe & Emer Lynam.
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