| LUTON
VAGRANTS : 1
HARPENDEN III: 3
11.11.06
Harpenden 3s travelled to the rather less
than salubrious setting of Dunstable Leisure Centre last Saturday,
knowing they needed a win against fellow strugglers Luton Vagrants,
to kick start their season and avoid getting dragged into the
relegation quagmire. A much improved display from Simon Redford's
men duly secured a victory over limited if physical opponents.
The opening phases did not go entirely to script,
with the pace of the home side's forwards unsettling the re-jigged
Harpenden rear guard. One fluent attack led to a chance being
converted and the whites going 1-0 down. The back-line responded
marvellously to this set back, the skipper Redford leading by
example on his return to the heart of the defence, and it is much
to their credit that the Vagrants only threatened seriously on
one further occasion during the 70 minutes.
At the other end Harpenden began to take control
of the game, but couldn't convert their pressure into goals. The
home side's keeper must take some credit for this. He produced
a string of fine saves none better than the one to repel an effort
by Ben Thompson after the striker had been played in following
a lovely piece of control and a measured pass from Oliver Moore.
The visitors appeared to be affected by a general sense of hesitancy
in the D, as attempts to walk the ball into the net rather than
strike it early refused to pay dividends.
Recent arrival Ben O'Boyle decided to take matters
into his own hands, the impressive midfielder unleashing a fierce
first time strike on the turn as the ball broke at the top of
the area. The keeper could only parry away the effort and the
ever alert Alex Flitcroft was there to mop up the pieces and slot
the ball away for the equaliser.
The score remained all square at half time. In
the second period the Vagrants all but fell away as an attacking
force, and the game almost became a question of whether Harpenden
could find a route to goal. The introduction of Nyall Blackwell
to the midfield appeared to give the whites an extra dimension,
ensuring that the increased possession was used positively. Nonetheless
numerous chances came and went, and nerves were just getting on
the tingly side of jangly, when Ali Holland found Tom Preest at
the top of the D with an inch perfect past, Preest's cross found
Thompson, who controlled and finished with some aplomb.
The goal calmed Harpenden's anxieties and allowed
them to further dominate the encounter, forcing a number of short
corners. The routines at shorts could not yet be called a thing
of beauty, but they are becoming increasingly effective. On this
occasion O'Boyle showed great presence of mind by efficiently
dealing with a mis-directed injection, swiftly and calmly taking
it outside the D and finding Preest in space on the right. His
cross made it's way to Holland at the far post, who had little
hesitation in sealing the win by placing the ball into the far
corner.
An excellent win for Redford's men, opens a gap
between them and the relegation places. As the skipper said afterwards,
"It was good to score 3 goals today. The
construction of our play seems to be progressing more quickly
than the work on the building site adjacent to the pitch. I think
we found a new place to dwell today, which is down the end of
mid table in SW Division Five."
Match Report by Tom Preest
Team:
John Allen, James Bird, Simon Redford (Capt), Andy Lunn, Martin
Pugh, Ben O'Boyle, Pete Evans, Alex Flitcroft, Ali Holland, Ben
Thompson, Oliver Moore, Nyall Blackwell and Tom Preest
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