| LUTON
III: 3
HARPENDEN III: 1
2.10.04
Whether it was because Harpenden 3s were playing their first game
away from Fortress Brache, because the visitors had been forced
to get changed in the delightfully lavender-hued ladies’
changing rooms, or the fact that such trifling concerns as short-corner
routines were sorted out 30 seconds before pushback, remains moot.
What is incontestable is the fact that Harpenden 3s started the
game in slight disarray, suffering from a number of personnel
changes from the previous week.
Obversely,
Luton 3s started like a on a mission to avenge their reputation
as the hockey-playing ambassadors of the official Crap Town of
the Year. Short of yellow track suits, the Uma Thurmans of Div
6SW made a number of sorties to the Harpenden D and soon found
themselves with a short-corner. The benefits of a short-corner
routine not devised mere seconds before pushback soon became apparent,
as the ball resolutely beat Jon Allen on his left post.
Before Harpenden
could regroup, they found themselves two down, due to an interesting
interpretation of the laws of hockey. The Luton forward’s
scooped ball from inside the D was not goal-bound but arced instead
to the stick of a Luton player who in turn directed an undercut
towards Simon Redford. The hapless defender could only watch as
the ball deflected off his stick into the goal. Despite the Harpenden
protests the goal stood.
The start
of the second half saw les bleus put together a series of incisive
passing moves and the opposition soon looked like a Uma Thurman
denuded of her designer yellow tracksuit, and bedecked in the
kind of counterfeit labels that can be found at Marsh Farm Market
instead.
Unfortunately,
the danger of the game being put beyond Harpenden’s reach
as they committed men upfront in their salvos toward the Luton
goal was realised, as the home team hit them on the break.
To Harpenden’s
credit they showed great spirit and started to play the hockey
they are capable of. Mike Edmonds went close. James Keith could
not find the finish to match the quality of his late run from
the left. Simon Redford showed glimpses of the King’s ’67
Vegas moves of yore with a dangerous mazy run. Finally, the goal
came through a craftily extemporised short-corner routine as Fraser
Tant slotted the ball from close range.
Harpenden
finished much the stronger team but the game had long before been
put beyond their reach. However, it should be noted that the second
half performance showed much promise for the rest of the season.
Thanks should
be extended to those who were playing a second successive game
on the afternoon.
Report by Alasdair Keith
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