HARPENDEN: 2
CAMBRIDGE CITY: 4
01.03.2008

Harpenden Hockey club were yet again unlucky to come away with nothing to show from this weekend’s fixture in Premier A of the East League. This weeks opponents were Cambridge who currently lie in 3rd spot in the table and therefore provided formidable opposition.

Indeed, in their first encounter this season HHC went down 9-1 to this side. It was with great pleasure therefore that coach Tom Bunbury saw his side taking the game to away team in throughout the match. Within the first 5 minutes Lance Boyd-Clarke passed across the face of the goal to Dan Burgess only to see the ball fizz off his stick wide of the post. Dave Burns and the returning Russell Timms made some great runs and were causing all sorts of havoc for the opposition defence in the early stages. And it was with just rewards that Boyd-Clark opened the scoring for Harpenden. More chances followed but it was Cambridge who nicked a goal just
before half time to go into the break even at 1 goal a piece.

The opening encounters of the second half were much more even with both sides creating some good chances in a fast paced game. Cambridge were the team that finally broke the deadlock with a classy finish in the top corner that left keeper Matt Beggs with no chance. Harpenden certainly kept on fighting, playing some of their best hockey this season. Dan Burgess continued to trouble the Cambridge defence down the right but was guilty of spurning a number of opportunities to level the scoring. Indeed, it was Harpenden's lack of clinical finishing that ultimately meant they got zero points out of the fixture.

Cambridge got a third but were still not safe with Burgess finally netting after a short corner broke down to make the score 3-2. With a tight final 10 minutes impending Paul Davison made a cynical challenge which resulted in a yellow card and Harpenden down to 10 men. Cambridge then piled on the pressure which eventually lead to a converted short corner giving them a 2 goal buffer. This lead was not to be dented but despite not getting a result, Harpenden can be pleased in the knowledge that they gave one of the top teams in the league a real scare.

Report by Daniel Burgess

Scorers
1) Lance Boyd-Clark
2) Daniel Burgess