| BOURNE:
0
HARPENDEN: 6
28.10.06
Last weekend Harps played away to Bourne
on what proved a sunny afternoon with just a hint of Autumnal
bite! Every game is a big game but this was destined to be special
on account of the new kits - our thanks to Timms junior and all
those involved in intense negotiation to make sure the Kingston
Smith side looked a smart professional outfit.
From
the pushback everyone had added bounce in their step, perhaps
a function of the extra feel good factor that comes with new kits.
Enough chat on the new gear, suffice to say its fab looking as
one on the pitch these days! Harpenden got off to a flying start,
attacking for much of the first 20 thanks to thoughtful play down
much of the right side - enter Davo, Tom Kavanagh, Bainesy, Danny
B and Spencer! Early half chances to many of the forwards weren’t
put away (carpet criticism thought the best approach here) and
despite sustained pressure, Harpenden had nothing to show on the
scoreboard.
That
quickly changed when a neat move approaching the D allowed Russell
Timms the chance to finish and he didn’t disappoint, wrong
footing the keeper finding the bottom right, 1-0. With 15 min
to play in the first half, Bourne tried to respond and managed
a few breakaways but overall, the early trend had been set and
Harpenden shifted gears. The fast track allowed for some frenzied
ball movement that exposed the Bourne defence down left and right
sides. Some sublime longs balls, first from Emesy and then Kavanagh
gave Spencer up front the chance to find the net…which he
did with a neat finish to open his account for season 06/7 (on
ya Spence!). Before the break a corner allowed Emesy the chance
to go plum, safe to say he and the plum are back, 3 to the good.
Polishing off a well-constructed 1st stanza Wayne McGuire got
in on the act, nutmegged the Bourne Keeper making it 4 for the
half and Harpenden went to the break content but looking for more.
Expectations
from the second half were high but the take-away fell some way
short. Fluency evident in the first half seemed more sparse in
the second, this in a way some a tribute to improved efforts from
Bourne in the middle and up front. Harpenden’s back two
of Bumbers and Davo remained resolute, while DJ worked effectively
with Baines and DT to again take control. The game got a little
niggly at that point and verbal warnings were issued. Again pressurising,
Harpenden were rewarded with a penalty but Lance Boyd-Clark made
it too comfortable for the keeper and was denied the chance to
make it 5.
Frustration
combined with an indifferent decision made LBC see yellow and
the sideline for the best part of 15 minutes. Back with the action
and Harps reduced to 10 Bourne made good use of the extra player.
Clarky was tested late in the game and made valuable saves, first
from a contentious penalty and then from open play but he saved
cleanly and kept he status quo. To round out the afternoon Harpenden
sealed victory with close in ‘ruck and maul’ efforts
from LBC and then Spencer to make it 6-0. McGuire was unlucky
not to make it 7 in the closing minutes with an impressive back
stick, on this occasion denied by the post.
Best
for Bourne was their keeper who made many more saves than the
game gave him credit. Harpenden with a solid win but mindful of
the games to come.
Man
of the Match: Tom Kavanagh (brilliant)
Dick of the Day: no doubting it - Lance Boyd-Clark
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