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OPPOSITION |
Royston
3 Away Astro W 5-0 Paul Brady; Andy Latham (4) |
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After two wins on the trot in the 4th and 5th matches of the season, the pressure was on to keep the winning run going when the Bar turned up at Royston last Saturday. After heavy rain the night before, parts of the pitch looked like a lagoon. The home umpires offered us the cancellation but after the longest drive of the season and general faffage getting through security to the ground - anyone would have thought it was an army base - there was no way we were not going to play. The home team manager had an ankle injury and generously agreed to umpire enabling Bar's umpire, Chris Edwards to play, despite his own injury. Team formation presented the first challenge, with no fewer than 7 defenders (including 'Big Al') in the starting line up - but then it does only take one to score a goal... So, with a diamond formation four-man defence, Richard Atkins and Spencer Randon stepped up into the midfield in inside right and inside left positions. The first half
started at a high pace with the youth of Royston giving Bar a reasonable
run for their money in midfield. The unconventional formation held together
well and Royston were closed down rapidly in all areas of the pitch. After
10 minutes, a Potters Bar break down the right hand side saw the cross
to Andy Latham part cut out by the Royston defender, falling neatly to
Paul Brady on the edge of the D. Royston continued to enjoy possession for decent spells of the game, but they rarely advanced into Bar's half. 10 minutes after the first goal, another attack down the right led to a pass to Latham in space and oodles of time. Was it too much time? No, the accurate lifted shot found the back of the net - 2:0. More attacks through the first half gave Bar numerous chances, mostly originating in the midfield with good width provided by the wings - Owen Hughes, Daniel Adams and Toby Seaman. Just before half time another attack, this time from a break down the left by interplay of Hughes and Randon, gave Latham a shooting opportunity from just inside the D. The keeper just missed the well-struck shot on its way past him, only for the ball to rebound off the post at pace onto the back of his helmet and finally ricochet into the net - 3:0 was the half time score. The second half continued in much the same way as the first. With Royston having the drier side of the pitch on their right wing, they were confident of more attacks. They had reckoned without the bar left side of Hunt, Hughes and Randon and no attacks reached the D for almost the whole of the half. Instead, Bar kept up the pressure on the Royston goal, earning two short corners in quick succession about midway through the half. After using the first to gauge the speed and spin on the slippery surface, the second was finely executed from a Hunt whizzing push out to give Latham his third goal of the game. Just before
the end, a further attack saw Latham unmarked in the D with plenty of
time to pick his spot. The shot came off the defender on the line's leg
and onto the back boards. 5:0. In the last minute of the game, the third
of Royston's short corners gave them an opportunity for a shot on goal.
The shot gave Field his first opportunity for a touch of the ball and
he parried it acrobatically behind and over the goal. This week saw this season's most consistent and confident performance. The attacking sharpness of the last 2 weeks was accompanied by good tackling in midfield and defence and good concentration throughout. It would have been 10:0 with Woods! Men of the match: good performances all round with special mentions for Spencer Hunt, Adam Reader and (can't leave him out with four goals on the board) Andy Latham. ------------------------------------------------------ Team: Alan Field, Cliff Hawkins, Adam Reader, Spencer Randon, Chris Edwards, Richard Atkins, Spencer Hunt, Paul Brady (Capt), Toby Seaman, Daniel Adams, Owen Hughes, Andy Latham ------------------------------------------------------- |
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