| UPMINSTER
I: 2
HARPENDEN I: 0
13.11.04
Harpenden never got going on Saturday after
they made the long trip to Upminster.
The home side started brightly and put Harpenden under a barrage
of pressure. Harpenden’s few spells of possession were squandered
as they were unable to put any sort of fluent passing sequences
together.
Upminster opened the scoring from the second of two successive
short corners. A right slip opened up the Harpenden defence and
returning keeper Alan Clarke had no chance to make a save when
the shot came in.
A yellow card for Russell Timms didn’t help matters as
he was sent from the field for a clumsy challenge in the middle
of the park. Hard work from Paul Davison thwarted one of the better
Upminster breaks but when Upminster’s second goal came it
was well deserved. Harpenden gave away possession cheaply in their
half and were punished as Upminster pressed quickly on the Harpenden
D. Overrun, the Harpenden defence could do little to prevent the
second as a well placed cross from the right was slotted home
at the far post.
Harpenden started to show signs that they were going to make
their mark on this game, putting together a couple of spells of
possession in the Upminster half but again it was the home side
who looked the most dangerous.
At half time Harpenden knew not to panic but any talk was not
enough to change the balance of the game. Harpenden again played
most of the second half on the back foot and struggled as the
defence was never really able to contain the Upminster forward
line. Harpenden were having a difficult day and however hard they
worked nothing seemed to go for them. Passes went astray and an
increasing number of mistakes were made as the game went on. Paul
Davison was temporarily sent from the field for a misplaced challenge
and shortly after Davison returned, Upminster lost a player for
the same reasons. This brought about Harpenden’s best spell
of the game, with Mark Wakeling coming closest to pulling Harpenden
back into the game with a fine strike which went just the wrong
side of the right post.
Upminster celebrated a well deserved victory as full time blew
and Harpenden left knowing they will need to be back to their
best next Saturday if they are to maintain their position in the
league. They play joint second team Letchworth in a six pointer
at the Brache.
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