CROSTYX: 1
HARPENDEN: 5
14.10.06

After suffering their first defeat since February, Harpenden sponsored by Kingston Smith travelled to Crostyx to get their season back on track. This was always going to be a tough game against a side with a very good history but going into the game looking for their first victory. Harpenden started on the back foot and conceded within the first 10min, when a few miss tackles allowed the Crostyx forward to commit Alan Clarke who slipped the ball across goal for an easy tap in.

With the experience in the side and the number of goals Harpenden has scored in open play you would bet on them coming back from this. Danny Burgess came close finding himself free, fired a vicious shot into the bottom right only for the Keeper to make an amazing saves. Crostyx Keeper was having an amazing first half saving everything that the blues could bombard at his goal mouth. Right near the end of the first half, after a few good one touch moves Dave Thomson put through Whippet (replacing Russell Timms who received a head butt from the opposition) who lifted the ball over the approaching keeper to draw level. The boys went into the break, and had encouraging team talk from both the skipper Emesy and his second in command.

The second half started and Harpenden continued to increasing the tempo, with great build up play down the right from Spencer Mbanga and Tom Kavanagh put the home side on the back foot. From the first short corner in the 2nd Half, Emesy dragged flick was half saved only for Burgess to tap it over the line. Great work from Lance in the midfield led to another break, rounding the keeper to make it 3-1.

With the game still up for grabs Paul Davison clumsy tackles led to Harpenden seeing their first Yellow card of the season, as discipline been greatly improved this year. Crostyx now a player up continued to play a half pitch press (a strategy more seen in a basketball court) and never really got back into the game. The game's man of the match Lance Boyd-Clark aka Sir Lancelot struck again from a world class pass from Tom Kavanagh, controlling his first touch to place the ball into the bottom corner. David Jeffrey then finished off Crostyx misery by neatly finishing off a move from a cross ball by Todd Baines.

It finished 5-1 to the mighty Harpenden who are straight back in the league chase. A lot of goals scored but still none from the so called South African International (Spencer Mbanga) who is yet to see the net this season. More hard work is required at training this week to prepare for the next fixture, West Herts 2nd XI at Vauxhall Brache ground in Luton at 12.30pm on Saturday.

Match report by Spencer Mbanga

Bad Boy Davo - sees Yellow

Scorers
1) Whippet
2) Danny Burgess
3) Lance Boyd-Clark
4) Lance Boyd-Clark
5) David Jeffrey