HARPENDEN II: 0
ROYSTON: 3
25.02.06

A season that began with hopes of promotion is in danger of fizzling out following a disappointing showing against bogey-side Royston on Saturday.

Beginning the game higher in the league than their opponents, and with skipper Steve Piercy and regulars Rob and Ali Arnsby back in the line-up. Harpenden had every reason to begin confidently. However, they were strangely muted, unable to secure and then retain possession for any length of time. It was little surprise when the visitors to the Brache scored, and this at least seemed to spur the blues in to action. Fraser Tant came close with a turn and shot, and Al Clarke conjured up some space in the D only to shoot extravagantly rather than play in a teammate, but these were little more than flashes in the pan. Harps could consider themselves unlucky to go a second goal behind when an infringement went unnoticed, but in fairness the second goal always looked more likely to come from a black shirt than a blue one.

Harpenden improved in the second half, having much the better of possession and throwing men forward to try and get a foothold in the game. Graham Smith joined the midfield and acted as the pivot the blues had lacked before the break, but despite a great deal of effort, the blues could only forge one chance, spurned by Nigel Timms. Smith's advance role left the blues inevitably understaffed at the back, and a late breakaway goal for Royston compounded Harps' misery. "We had to take chances, and got punished for it" said Smith. "3-0 was a bit harsh, but we weren't at the races in the first 20 minutes and paid for it."

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