| OLD
DE FERRIANS: 3
HARPENDEN: 4
5.02.06
Saturdays game
saw Harpenden 1st XI travelling to deepest Essex to play league
rivals Old de Ferrians. Following two closely fought games in
the first half of the season both teams had a great deal to play
for in this fixture. Harpenden looked to be the favourites turning
out a strong team with the return of Tom Bunbury, Paul Davison,
Russell Timms and Paul Wise.
The game got off to the worst possible start for
Harpenden who found themselves two goals down after five minutes
following two textbook short corners from the home side. The first
saw keeper Jones helpless to stop the drag flicked shot as it
flew into the goals side netting. In the second, Jones was able
to save the second shot, but the ball rebounded straight back
to a de Ferrians attacker who slotted the ball into the corner
of the goal.
Harpenden regrouped and began to get into the
game, holding possession consistently and attacking the de Ferrians
goal. The first clear chance fell to Captain Mike Emes, however
on this occasion the prolific Emes drag flick was off target seeing
the ball fly past the left post.
A second short corner came shortly after as Wakeling
was fouled deep in the de Ferrains half. This time the chance
to shoot fell to David Jeffrey. His sliced shot left an embarrassed
goalkeeper as the ball bobbled straight down the centre of the
goal and into the net.
A well worked move shortly after culminated in
Dave Waters making a pinpoint pass to the quick-sticked Ali Hutson
who deftly turned the ball into the de Ferrains goal. Harpenden
were now back in the game at 2-2 which was the way it stayed into
the half time break.
The Emes drag flick appeared once again, shortly
after the break. Unlike in the first half, this time the ball
was very much on target leaving the de Ferrians keeper no chance,
putting Harpenden into the lead for the first time in the game.
Sensing a humiliating loss the home side upped
a gear and pressured the Harpenden defence. This sustained attack
was awarded with a short corner following a mix up between David
Jones and Tom Bunbury that saw them both in an embarrassing mound.
The home side again demonstrated their deadly short corner routine
bringing the score to 3-3.
Harpenden however had saved the best until last
overcoming both the de Ferrians defence and a force 10 headwind
to win the game. The winning goal was by far the best of the game
seeing the ball moved quickly from the Harpenden defence to midfielder
Paul Wise. Wise passed the ball left to Todd Baines. Baines easily
slipped his marker and ran to the baseline before returning the
ball to Wise now lurking at the top of the D. His pass picked
out Russell Timms who had nothing more to do than pass the ball
into the goal from 6 inches. The win brought sweet revenge for
the previous defeats earlier in the season and saw Harpenden move
into second place in the league.
Report by Mark Wakeling
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