Royston: 2
Harpenden II: 2
11 October 2003

Harpenden were deprived a deserved victory against Royston when the host's last-gasp equaliser secured them a share of the spoils.

The blues will feel rightly aggreived, as a couple of incidents could - and perhaps should - have turned the game on its head. First, after just 90 seconds of play, Rich Stock broke free on goal and slotted the ball under the keeper and in the goal, getting clattered in the process. Somewhat inexplicably, and to the surprise of all 22 players, play was taken back to the 25, the goal not given, while Stock limped off in distress. Harps continued to pile on the pressure to get the lead that had been so cruelly denied them, with Royston getting men behind the ball and using all means to stop the Blues getting in to the D. On 15 minutes, Royston broke free after a clear foot from a defender, promptly maraunded upfield and put the ball past Ben Brind in the Harpenden goal to give the hosts a lead against the run of play.

Going behind galvanised Harpenden, who began to play their best hockey of the season. Ben Turner wasn't giving an inch in the middle of the park, the partnership he's striking up with Pete Kneale starting to look very solid. Harps were soon level when a tremendous run from Ali Hutson found skipper Fraser Tant at the top of the D, who crashed the ball past the Royston stopper.

Just before the break, Harpenden took the lead. A neat exchange of passes between Tom Vickerton and Dave Francis on the left saw Vickerton crudely felled in the D, and from the resulting short corner, comeback-kid Ben Thompson fired home his first of the season. It seemed that further goals were inevitable, and the half time whistle came as a welcome respite for Royston.

Harpenden will be disappointed that, despite the lions share of possession, they could not increase their lead in the second half, and the failure to do caused a certain amount of panic among the blues who could almost sense the sucker punch. Despite the best efforts of Messrs Liles, Lunn and Waters in defence, Royston were awarded a short corner in the dying econds and duly converted it for a share of the points.

Harps take what's left of an availability-ravaged squad to Bishop's Stortford next week for a clash with their all time favourite Barry Manilow lookalike.

Thompson: on target