HARPENDEN II: 0
BROXBOURNE II: 1
4.10.03

Harpenden IIs were unable to follow up their opening day victory with a further victory, losing a hard-fought home match with Broxbourne to the game's only goal.

But the team can take plenty of positives away from their collective and individual performances. Tom Vickerton made his debut at left half and provided some much-needed width, intelligent running and good stick skills, while Niall Blackwell's first league match at this level showed that he is the kind of young, skillful player the 2s are crying out for.

A reshuffled defence saw a rare start for the Club's Technical Director Gareth Lloyd, who slotted in with consummate ease at right back, with the versatile Andy Lunn do a marking job at centre back. Supported ably by stopper Ben Brind, Neil Liles and Dave Francis, they looked at ease and were rarely threatened despite Broxbournes plentiful possession. At the other end, veteran Ben Thompson was back in the fold and posing problems to the Broxbourne defence, while newly-formed front combo Rich Stock and skipper Fraser Tant showed the beginnings of what could prove a useful partnership. Tant went close with a flick from a clever through ball from Thompson, who himself shot narrowly wide from a short corner, and going in goalless at half time, Harpenden were confident that the game was their for the taking.

The game turned on two decisions ten minutes in to the second half. First, some clearly overzealous defending in the Broxbourne D went unpunished when a penalty flick, or at the very least a penalty corner, seemed inevitable. Then, moments later, a typically mesmeric dribble from centre half Pete Kneale was crudely curtailed just outside the D. To the surprise of Harps attackers and Broxbourne defenders alike, the umpire awarded possession to the latter. While Kneale remonstrated with the umpire, Broxbourne fled down the middle of the park through the gap he vacated, and rifled the game's only goal past the keeper. Said Kneale: "I should have known better. Umpires don't change their mind and you simply have to get your head down and get on with it. I'm disappointed. Fact."

Kneale almost made amends in the dying moments when another tremendous dribble set Tant free in the D, but despite taking the ball round the keeper, his pull-back was mopped up by a defender as Thompson closed in.

Harps head to Royston next week with a strong squad, keen to get the season back on track.