| HARPENDEN:
4
RICKMANSWORTH: 2
15.01.05
Harpenden opened the second half of the league season with an
entertaining performance against Rickmansworth. A hard fought
game throughout, but Harps were just too strong for their opposition.
The
game started according to plan with Harpenden dictating the play
from the outset. Excellent sequences of possession from the blues
controlled much of the opening exchanges. However, the first goal
went against the run of play. A well worked penalty corner from
the opposition saw the ball slipped to the left of the Harpenden
goal back to the injector for him to slot past the helpless Alan
Clark.
Harpenden
were disappointed to concede a goal against the run of play. But
the blues reacted in style. Almost immediately from the restart,
left back Sam Martyn released a searching ball to find Ali Hutson
down the left wing. His pinpoint cross found inform striker Nigel
Timms in the front of goal. He managed to deflect the ball past
the opposition keeper to level proceedings.
Wind
in their sails, Harps continued to apply the pressure on their
opposition with excellent build up play by Paul Davison and Russell
Timms, later voted Man of the Match. It wasn't long before their
efforts paid dividends. After some excellent attacking play, a
penalty corner was awarded with seconds left of the half. Up stepped
captain Mike Emes whose drag flick from the corner could only
be palmed into the bottom corner by the Ricki keeper. Harps went
into the break 2-1 up.
A
goal down, Ricki came out from the half time break the more hungry
of the two teams. They managed to score from a penalty corner
early on to level the game. Harpenden were kicking themselves
for giving up their lead. But the Blues owed thanks to keeper
Alan Clark for keeping them in the game. A string of fantastic
saves keep the score at 2-2.
A
tactical change to the formation by the coaching staff, Paul Wise
and Paul Nash, saw captain Emes step into midfield from the sweeper
position to give a more aggressive feel to the Harpenden game.
This led to an overload in midfield which Harps soon capitalised
upon. Emes won possession in midfield and fed the ball to Todd
Baines. He beat 2 players and then squared the ball across the
circle to find Pete Kneale in space who slotted the ball home
to restore the one goal advantage to the Blues.
Minutes
later, the game was over. Another precise exchange of attacking
passes found Baines on the back line who pulled the ball back
along the goal for Niall Blackwell to tap in, putting the game
beyond reach. An admiral showing by the super blues. Great fight
in the performance but still plenty of room for improvement. They
will face a much sterner test this week against 4th placed Southend.
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