| BEDFORD
II: 1
HARPENDEN I: 2
1610.04.
Harpenden
travelled to Bedford in week four and were hopeful of taking all
three points against a side who lost their first three league
matches. Harpenden were short of Ali Hutson, Paul Davison, Niall
Blackwell and Todd Baines and so welcomed David Waters for his
first ones league appearance of the season.
Bedford took
Harpenden by surprise in the first half and played the best hockey
that Harpenden had seen in the league in this season. They attacked
with pace, chased down every 50/50 and were by far the dominant
team in the encounter. It took the away side time to settle, but
they defended bravely and managed to keep the score at 0-0. Harpenden
slowly pulled themselves into the game and managed to win two
short corners. They were unable to take advantage of these chances
but went in at half time knowing that the points were still up
for grabs.
After the
interval Bedford again controlled the play but they didn’t
manage to create the chances that they made in the first half.
Harpenden’s defence was much more aggressive and as a result
the Blues held more of the ball. Peter Kneale battled well in
the midfield to claim the Man of the Match Champagne, and Graham
Smith stepped up well into the middle of the park to close down
the Bedford play. The home side became frustrated, and the breakthrough
came for the battling Harpenden side. Skipper Emes put the ball
across the front of goal and Russell Timms’ was able to
get on the end of it to put the ball home. Harpenden’s second
came soon after, a quickly taken free hit in the middle of the
park found playmaker Michael Emes who found Nigel Timms in the
D who converted for the second.
Harpenden
didn’t sit back on their lead but Bedford did manage to
pick up a consolation goal with the last touch of the game. With
3 more points in the bag, Harpenden move up the table and away
from the relegation zone. Harpenden have no game this Saturday
but look forward to a local derby against Vauxhall the following
week.
Report by Matt Horn
|
Pete Kneale: Former 2s man making 1s centre mid role his own
League
table
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