BROXBOURNE II: 8
HARPENDEN II: 2
18.02.06

Harpenden took a much-changed side to Broxbourne on Saturday, and despite the result, can hold their heads high after competing with the table toppers for much of the game.

With injuries wreaking team selection havoc throughout the club, skipper Steve Piercy bravely took the view that asking the 1s to take a smaller squad than usual or taking players from the 3s would endanger the promotion aspirations of the three other sides in the club. With promotion effectively ruled out for his own side after two defeats in three games, but with relegation pretty much out of the question too, Piercy asked a number of former players out of retirement to minimise disruption elsewhere. So, the 2s were delighted to welcome back some familiar faces: keeper Neil Smyth, who's not played for a couple of years, replaced regular stopper Ben Brind, who suffered a season-ending knee injury at training three days earlier; Midfielder Stuart Terrell, who's not played for three seasons due to teaching commitments; and Ben Thompson, who hung up his stick 18 months ago to spend more time at home, with work keeping him away from the nest in the week.

With Piercy himself joining Brind and hamstrung veteran irish frontman Niall McAlister in the physio's room, seven of the starting line-up were playing either out of position or from memory, but the blues started exceptionally. Thompson and Terrell rolled back the years, linking neatly with Paul Nash and Fraser Tant to create a chance for Chris Parsons after just three minutes. Parsons made no mistake, to stun everyone. The blues were soon on the attack again, but when Tant's pass was intercepted by the Broxbourne Sweeper when he and Terrell had forged a two-on-one, the hosts swept forward and equalised in seconds.

By now, Broxbourne's class was beginning to tell, as they began to stretch Harpenden and give a tough time to acting fullbacks Dan and Toby Pickard. It's a great credit to the blues' own Gary and Phil Neville that Broxbourne were kept at bay, and when they did create chances, Smyth was on hand with a string of fine saves. Even when the defences were breached and Broxbourne went 2-1 up, Smyth kept his side in the game with an excellent penalty flick save, and soon Harpenden fought back and levelled through Nigel Timms. Still, only 15 minutes had passed.

The game was effectively decided in the 20 minutes before the break. First, Harpenden were denied two clear flicks, and then Broxbourne fired three quick goals. With the final strike of the half, Tant's turn and strike flew agonising wide, and what could have been 5 all at the break was a less comfortable 5-2.

At the break, Harpenden's management team of Brind and Neil Liles asked for more of the same. With only two recognised defenders in the team, they knew that trying to defend and keep the score respectable wasn't really an option. The only option was to attack - if they could score the next goal, who knows what might happen? Sadly, the next goal, just seconds in to the half, was Broxbourne's, and it was game over. But credit to Harpenden, they stuck at it, kept their heads high and kept Broxbourne at bay for the next 30 minutes. Two last minute goals rather skewed things, but there is little doubt that Broxbourne knew they were in a game.

"I couldn't ask for more from the lads" said Piercy. "We knew this was going to be a tough game against the probable champions, especially with a makeshift side, but the boys did me proud. It was a great effort by Neil, Stu and Thumper to come out of retirement to help the side out, and for Flimmsey, Dan, Tobey and Chris to play out of position. f we can show that kind of attitude in our remaining games, we'll win more than we lose."

Stuart Terrell: Rolling back the years

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