HARPENDEN III: 2
LETCHWORTH IV: 1
25.9.04

Comedy values were elevated to their usual exalted status on Saturday, as Harpenden 3’s continued their long tradition of triumph through (self-inflicted) adversity. The season started without a match ball or team shirts as the “introduction” section of the warm up acquired unprecedented importance.

Eventually a ball was procured from the opposition, and a slightly worse for wear Simon Redford arrived with the famous un-ironed blue shirts. Thus attired, HHC 3’s under the new leadership of captain Alisdair Keith were ready to kick-start their season.

The early exchanges were fairly even. This was to Harpenden’s credit as the Letchworth players did at least appear to know the names of all their team-mates. However the 3s did have a few secret weapons up their (creased) sleeves, notably a couple of players who wouldn’t necessarily grace a 3rd XI pitch on an evaluation of talent alone. One such, Nigel Timms produced a number of dazzling runs in the first half, Malcolm Jones being unlucky not to convert a Timms’ cross at the far post after 10 minutes.

The Blues were beginning to apply consistent pressure, especially through the good work of Alan Clarke, David McNichol and James Keith in Midfield. From one attack the ball broke loose in the D, Tom Preest managed to reach this on his knees and propel what can only be described as a miss hit shot towards the goal. The genuflecting posture proved appropriate, as prayers were answered by the ball bobbling over the keeper’s foot, 1-0.

Despite the best efforts of the defence vocally marshalled as ever by Redford, L’Worth came back into the game and equalised from a short corner. Undeterred Harpenden carried the game back to the opposition, another mazy run by Timms resulted in a cross being turned into the goal by a defender, 2-1 at half time.

The second half saw HHC 3s being asked to defend, and the question answered in the affirmative. Al Keith, James Stenson and Geoff Gould all deserve special mention, as does returning keeper Neil Symth, despite having a small helmet. Letchworth threw everything they could all the Blues, including attacks launched from deep by the slightly robotic Ronnie Corbett look alike, but could not find a way through. The 3s held on for a deserved three points, as Captain Keith plotted a victorious start to the campaign.

Report by Tom Preest

Tom Preest:
"It's not how, it's how many."