SHEFFORD & SANDY II: 1
HARPENDEN II: 2
20.11.04

The blues left it late but came back from Sandy with a deserved three points after a gutsy display on Saturday.

Veteran Irish Poacher Niall McAlister lived up to his sobriquet with the winner just two minutes from time, although the team's jubilation was shortlived; As Nigel Timms made the cross from which McAlister scored, his followthrough caught a Shefford player on the neck, from which blood was flowing profusely. The game was halted for five minutes as first aid was administered, and only after an ambulance had arrived to take the player into casualty did the game recommence. Needless to say, the blues wish him the best.

This unfortunate incident somewhat took the gloss off what had been a deserved winner. Having gone behind after 54 seconds - fast even by the unenviable 2s standards this season - the blues had steadily grown stronger and had played much the better hockey. Without any substitutes, nobody could hide, and despite one or two moments of Shefford pressure, Fraser Tant's men had the bulk of the possession before the break. But despite this, they were unable to score before the break and, but for a great save by ever-dependable keeper Ben Brind, could have gone in two goals down.

Too often this season, Harpenden have been the better team without capitalising, and after the break the blues were resolute that it would not happen again. Dave Munton was switched to centre half from centre back, with McAlister pushed in to the forward line, and this seemed to give the blues more drive in the middle of the park. With ten minutes to go, Steve Piercy broke down the left and, with the route ahead blocked, his calmness came to the fore with a sensible cross-field change of direction to Dave Waters. The tricky rightback beat his man and drilled the ball into the D, and as the centreback fumbled, Tant was in the right place at the right time to put the ball in to the roof of the net with the reverse-stick.

Level with just ten to go, there was only going to be one winner. Parity, and a run of three defeats on the spin, meant that the blues were determined not to concede so set about keeping possession for the rest of the game. This frustrated Shefford, enabled the visitors to control the game and wait for chances to come their way. Despite two earlier injuries that saw him unable to hold the stick or to run properly, Timms' last-gasp cross found the in-form McAlister, who made no mistake with an empty net, all of 30 centimetres out.

"Dat's roit. Oive begged tree in four and am feelin arn tap off moi geehm roit nye." said McAlister. "We're choffed widda tree pints, and hope dere fella's butter syoon."

The blues take on Stevenage IIs next week, keen to avenge an earlier defeat to Stevenage 1s. With a display like that of the second half against Shefford, they'll be in with a chance.

Team: B Brind, D Waters, N Liles, A Lunn, D Munton, S Piercy, T Pickard, D Pickard, N Timms, N McAlister, F Tant

Niall McAlister: Late late show

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