STEVENAGE II: 4
HARPENDEN II: 2
27.11.04

Harpenden succumbed to their second defeat of the season as Stevenage on Saturday in an entertaining but ultimately disappointing clash with Stevenage IIs.

The match was delayed for half an hour as the blues’ umpire failed to arrive. An internal enquiry will be conducted to find out why, but fortunately a Stevenage ladies player was of a sufficient standard to step in to get the fixture underway. Harpenden were slow to start, perhaps frustrated by the umpiring shenanigans that had gone before, but at least improved on last week’s concession after just 54 seconds. But the first goal in an evenly matched first half was nonetheless scored by the hosts, and when they scored a second with ten minutes to go to the break, Harpenden seem dead and buried.

But, as they showed in defeating Shefford and Sandy last week, the blues won’t lie down without a fight. Niall McAlister began to control the midfield, ably abetted by Rob Arnsby and Niall Blackwell, while the pace and bustle of Dan and Toby Pickard began to find gaps in the Stevenage defence. Harpenden were afforded a life-line when a goalmouth scramble resulted in a flick being awarded to the blues as the keeper lay on the ball. Blues keeper Ben Brind, never short of confidence, was vociferous in his assertions that he should be the one to take the flick – confidence demonstrated to be a little unfounded as he sent the ball a good 6 feet wide!

Shortly after the break, Harpenden found themselves three down, but rather than capitulate, the blues fought back strongly. Before long, skipper Fraser Tant had scored twice from carbon copy slipped short corners, and Stevenage were worried. Harpenden laid siege in an attempt to draw level, and as men were thrown forward, Stevenage hit them with the sucker punch breakaway goal to restore the two goal advantage. The fun and games was not over yet, though. From yet another short corner, the blues were awarded their second penalty flick of the game when Man-of-the-Match Dave Waters’ goal bound effort was stopped on the line. Up stepped Tant to show his keeper how to finish from the spot and claim his second hat trick of the season….only to see his rather lame effort saved. Dishonours even!

So, a gutsy effort from the blues saw them come home unrewarded but feeling positive that their hockey is improving with each game. Harpenden have two eminently winnable fixtures against Winchmore Hill and old adversary Manilow Stortford before the Christmas break and will be looking for 6 points to set them up for the UEFA Cup place chase in the New Year.

Team: B Brind, D Waters, N Liles, A Lunn, R Arnsby, S Piercy, T Pickard, D Pickard, N McAlister, F Tant, N Blackwell

Fraser Tant: Missed flick denies hatrick

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