HARPENDEN III: 8
BROXBOURNE V: 3
12.11.05

A stunning final 20 minutes of attacking hockey allowed Harpenden to see off determined Broxbourne resistance in this top of the table clash. However, up until then, this Saturday morning had been tense for Harpenden throughout. One of the reasons for this could well have been playing a home match…. away!

As skipper Ali Keith neatly summed up ‘a home match away in Hitchin – madness’, this meant that the team had an unexpectedly early meet of 9.15pm, although there were sadly few present to witness Jon Allen surprisingly turning up early for the first time this season. Keen to preserve their unbeaten streak in Div 6SW, Harpenden knew that Broxbourne would provide a stern test of character, being the league leaders and similarly defeat free. And so it proved. In the opening encounters of this thrilling game Broxbourne were noticeably sharper, with piercing attacks down the centre of the pitch causing the new centre pairing of Geoff Gould and Andy Lunn some problems.

After this scare Harpenden got into their stride, with midfield maestro Pete Evans orchestrating the centre, providing the likes of Toby Pickard and Niall Blackwell with scoring opportunities. Harpenden were soon two up in the first half thanks to fine strikes from these two but Broxbourne were still fashioning chances at the other end, and it was not unexpected that the pressure told with a (converted) penalty flick being awarded against Andy Lunn for unfortunate goalmouth footwork. At the break Harpenden could consider themselves unlucky to be only 3-2 up, and there was an air of uncertainty amongst the team.

This uncertainty turned to worry in the first quarter of the second half as Broxbourne camped themselves in the Harpenden ‘D’. Jon Allen was forced into making repeat short corner saves and the back four was severely tested. It came as no surprise then that a goal came, being tipped into the roof of the net from a short corner routine. This mighty Harpenden side didn’t crumble however – far from it. Showing an inner certainty that comes from having scored no less than 14 goals in their previous two matches, the team responded in magnificent fashion.

Five goals scored in the last twenty minutes tells its own story of how dominant Harpenden became, but even this doesn’t do justice to the skilful way they were created and finished. This attacking team movement was encapsulated by the sixth goal, an amazing nineteen pass move that started at the back and involved almost every Harpenden player before being neatly lifted over the Broxbourne keeper by Toby Pickard, on his way to scoring his hat trick. Further goals from Pete Evans and James Rodwell completed the show, leaving Broxbourne battered and bruised.

Harpenden have now scored 22 goals in their last three fixtures, as well as continuing their unbeaten start to the campaign. Next week the threes can look forward to taking on Welwyn Garden City in an away game closer to home than their previous home match…

Toby Pickard: Hatrick Hero