HARPENDEN IV: 8
BERKHAMSTED IV: 2
04.02.06


Harpenden 4ths played host to 2nd in the table Berkhamsted this Saturday in a late afternoon push back at the field of dreams, on the back of their first reverse of the year, and suffering the loss of a number of players to holidays and injuries.

Having already lost twice to the days opponents in two keenly fought contests, Harps were keen to get off to a good start, but none could have envisaged the audacity of Dave Wain, to slap the ball between his legs in only the first minute, beating a dumbfounded oppo keeper to chalk his first goal of 2006. Thierry Henry eat your heart out!

More was to follow as before not even another minute had passed, skipper Dan Carter reverse stick flicked a ball home from an acute angle. The fact that the keeper completely scuffed his kick at the ball and that it went under his feet has largely been left out of the in-bar analysis, but should be recorded for posterity.

Less than two minutes in and all the Berko keeper had done so far was to pick the ball out of his own net. Twice.

He might have had reason to think that the worst had passed, but before the ten minute mark had passed, Malcolm Jones, playing on the right wing had set Neil Berry up for an easy finish, and had the favour returned by Carter for an even easier one himself.

A brace of short corner strikes from Jones, and Carter on the stroke of half-time finished the period with aplomb, a 6-0 lead at the break the highest of the season so far, beating the 5 scored away to Winchmore Hill in the first third of the season.

To their credit, Berkhamsted came out strongly in the second half, with nothing to lose they attempted to throw as much as possible at the resolute young Harps defence of Stuart Berry, Rich Harle and Adam Cole, but marshaled superbly by Ben Wain in goal, they never looked in danger of conceding.

Until, that is, in a moment of suicidal misjudgment, the keeper let a fairly innocuous speculative effort from the top of the D rattle into the backboards, reducing the deficit to a mere five.

Simon and James Evans, playing at left and centre half respectively, were awesome through the entire game, and the former was rewarded with his second goal in three games mid-way through the second half, as he latched onto a loose ball in the D and flicked the ball into the roof of the net for the goal of the game. A spectator was heard to comment “he only scores good goals”. The spectator is the master of understatement. I can safely say that he only scores quality goals (see West Herts report).

Malcolm Jones completed the rout with a well-taken third – his third hat-trick this year, fast becoming a prime candidate for club top scorer, but with three men in double figures for the season, (can any other Harpenden side boast that?) the honour is far from settled!

Apparently Mike Emes (thank for umpiring) let Berko have another consolation goal late on, but we won’t talk about that.

An 8-2 victory (read massacre), taking the goals tally in 2006 to 22 in four games, season goal difference into double figures (positive before you cynics get stuck in), and we still haven’t drawn a game (well where’s the excitement in that?!).

On a more sombre note, we were all saddened to hear about the death the previous weekend of Vauxhall's Nasser Ahmed. Many members of the club have played and/or toured with Nass who, sadly passed away on the morning of Sunday 29th January. He had played his last game on Saturday and suffered a heart attack on Sunday morning. Nasser played hockey for 30 years at Vauxhall and previously at Beds Eagles (now Luton Town). He was a regular player, coach and umpire across the East Region. Nasser's wise words and gentle manner will be sorely missed. Nasser was 47 and he leaves behind a wife and three teenage children. The thoughts of all who knew Nasser will be with them during this testing time.