OPPOSITION	Welwyn Garden City 3rd XI
VENUE	Home
DATE	01-12-2007
RESULT	Won 4-1

Against local rivals Welwyn Garden City 3rd XI, Potters Bar edged a close first half before turning on the style in the second.

With half of their summer influx of players coming from the nearby Welwyn club, Potters Bar’s NE14HOCKEY East League Division Six South West game against Welwyn was always going to be full of feeling. However, with Welwyn missing a penalty flick that would have brought them level late in the first half, the game was not as tight as it could have been.

Potters Bar started well, creating pressure early on. When a Welwyn clearance was picked up on the 25 yard line by Owen Hughes, he was not closed down and drove the ball into the circle to shoot. However as the ball was drilled towards just inside the post, the Welwyn keeper casually stuck his foot out at the last minute and deflected it wide. This was a warning of the form the Welwyn keeper was in as he made a number of good saves throughout the match.

It wasn’t long before Bar got their first goal. With the ball loose in the D, Andy Stokes bravely dived to get there before the defenders and keeper and knocked it in one-handed.

Bar got their second when Chris Wood crossed from the right to Ed Newbery. Newbery skilfully chipped the ball over the diving keeper and then calmly ran round and finished.

Welwyn then got back into the match in slightly controversial circumstances. Following a dribble from midfield, a pass found the Welwyn centre-forward who carried the ball away from goal. Just as the ball was exiting the D he shot and scored. Had the ball left the D the goal would not have counted, but the umpires ruled, despite Bar’s appeals, in Welwyn's favour.

Although Bar were still territorially the better team, Welwyn were looking skilful on the break. From a Bar short corner, Welwyn nicked the ball and quickly broke up field. With their centre back up for the short, Bar were caught out. With huge holes in the Bar defence, Welwyn almost scored but won a short corner of their own. As they prepared to shoot from this, an obstruction of a clear shot on an open goal resulted in the award of a penalty flick. Crucially the Welwyn flick was straight at Jonny Weller in goal and Bar went into half time with a slender 2-1 lead.

In the second half, Bar began to dominate, with the exception of the odd break down the right-wing by Welwyn. Mark Turpin got the third goal, a result of his persistence. Having been involved in many of the attacks and having had a number of shots well saved by an in-form keeper, Turpin got his goal. Stokes crossed the ball from the left and Turpin dummied the keeper before slotting home.

Shortly afterwards, Bar got a slightly controversial goal of their own. Carlo Tosello reverse shot the ball at goal. The ball popped up and was going past the far post until Stokes brought it down from about head height into the goal. Welwyn claimed this was dangerous play but the goal stood.

Jon Yates was unlucky when his shot from a short corner was stopped literally on the line by a defender. Bar had plenty of opportunities to score more goals but were profligate in front of goal in the second half.

(Photos from this game to follow soon)

Team:

Jonny Weller, Rob Donoghue, Tim Bye, Jon Yates, Paul Brady, Owen Hughes,
Carlo Tosello, Andy Stokes, Tony Sayers, Mark Turpin, Ed Newbery, Chris Wood

Umpire: Alan Field

Goal scorers:

Andy Stokes	Ed Newbery	Mark Turpin	Andy Stokes