PELICANS: 5
HARPENDEN: 4
02.12.2006

It was a mixed weekend for the Kingston Smith sponsored Harpenden Hockey Club, with a double-header in the league on the Saturday against Norfolk based Pelicans and a tough draw in the Trophy against Kent side Bexleyheath & Belvedere HC. It was to be one of highs and lows.

Harpenden started the game on Saturday poorly, after a long journey to the team based in Kings Lynn. The ‘Great Whites’ knew to expect a physical game from the mid-tabled side and they were disappointed. A number of early tackles were thrown in by the opposition and the umpires grabbled to keep control of the game. The first yellow-card was awarded inside 15 minutes to a dangerous sliding tackle by the home side in the middle of the park. However, the physical approach worked for the opposition, and they managed to create a 2 goal lead out of seemingly nothing. Harpenden were in trouble early!

Harps managed to pull a goal back quickly after some neat work by Lance Boyd-Clark in the circle. His pass was turned goal bound by forward Danny Burgess to claw a goal back. The Pelicans keeper made two fine saves from drag flicked corners to deny Harpenden the lead. But despite the renewed vigour from Harpenden, the umpires again struggled to maintain the discipline in the game with the physical approach of the Norfolk side. Unfortunately, it was their strictness which led to midfield maestro Tom Kavanagh being ejected to the sin bin after an innocuous foul. This again put Harpenden under pressure, and Pelicans capitalised scoring two more goals to go into the break 4-1 up – unknown territory for Harpenden!

After some tough words at half time, les Blancs of Harpenden came out fighting. There pressure was quickly rewarded after a penalty corner was stopped on the line by a foot of the home defence. Skipper Emes dispatched the resultant penalty stroke to make it 4-2. Shortly after, Rob Arnsby diverted a set play past the keeper to make it 4-3 – Harpenden had a sniff of blood. But this was to be short lived, when Pelicans converted a penalty corner to extend their lead once more. Despite continued pressure from Harps, and a goal 5 minutes from time from Todd Baines after more good work by Burgess, it wasn’t enough and Harpenden sank to a 5-4 defeat.

Skipper Emes commented after the game "I’m clearly disappointed with the result after losing to a side which we were more than capable of beating today. We will need to toughen up and cope better with physical sides in the future. I’ll look forward to the return match".

Burgess scores on his return

Scorers
1) Danny Burgess
2) Mike Emes
3) Rob Arnsby
4) Todd Baines

Mens 1st - League Goal Scorers