WAPPING: 4
HARPENDEN: 1
12.01.2008

Harpenden Hockey Club resumed their foray into the Premier division of the East League with a slip date fixture against Wapping last Saturday.

They knew that this encounter against their long standing rivals could be key in the relegation battle that they find themselves in, just half way through the season. The opening encounters were fairly evenly matched with Wapping turning some early pressure into a couple of short corners that came to no avail. Harpenden however capitalised on their first spell of pressure with captain Mike Emes slotting the ball home from a short corner. This effort was cancelled out by the home side just five minutes later when a defensive error put through the Wapping striker to finish clinically. 1-1 at half time was probably a fair reflection of the game.

In the second half both sides created a number of chances but ultimately the game turned on a number of errors by Harpenden. Wapping took the lead from an excellent short corner routine but Harpenden could have easily kept themselves in it had it not been for 2 goals gifted to the home side leaving them with too much to do. Nigel Timms made his first appearance for the 1st XI in 2 years due to his good scoring form in the 2nd XI, nearly reduced the deficit after a glorious through ball from Todd Baines but it was not to be. The score ended 4-1 and left Harpenden propping up the league.

Scorers
1) Michael Emes