Mens 2nd XI Match Report
Bishops Stortford 5th XI v Potters Bar Men's 2nd XI
21 January 2012 | by Anthony Levy
In theory a trip to bottom of the table Bishops Stortford V should have been a nice easy work out, but despite the final score line, this game was to prove anything but simple, as the home side were able to field the type of side they had not managed to put out all season. In fact those of us there to see the second half of the preceding game should have sensed the impending battle as Stortford’s bottom of the table 4th division side were putting 7 past our old friends St Albans Exiles!
Before the game started however there was a perfectly respected minute’s silence in memory of Nishal Shah, a key member of last season’s promotion winning side, following the shock news earlier this week of his untimely death at a ridiculously young age.
With uncertainty over whether Shag would show, just 11 players made it to the start with Andy Stokes deputising in goal and both Simeon Nichols and George Wickham making rare starts up from the 3s. However a forward line of Miles Tomkins and Andy Latham was always likely to be a handful for any defence.
From the start it was clear that this was not going to be an easy game as the Stortford players made their presence felt with plenty of good passing and movement that belied their position in the table, as they began to dominate proceedings, as Bar failed to get their passing game going with any consistency. There was little in the way of chances however and when one came on 18 minutes, it was very much against the run of play as Bar took the lead – Miles Edson was able to find Richard Hughes from the sideline and two quick passes via Danny Becker found Andy Latham close to goal and he did what he does best as he slammed the ball home.
The lead was short lived however, as following a series of short corners – two of which had seen first a save from Andy Stokes and later a clearance following a goalmouth scramble – Stortford found the net with a well worked routine on 22 minutes that gave the Bar defence no chance. The rest of the half continued in the same manner with Bar occasionally looking dangerous, with Miles Tomkins denied when he was put away on goal, but generally not getting their passing game together, which allowed the home side to dominate so that if anything Bar were fortunate to get to half time on level terms.
At half time the skipper decided to turn into Tony Blair as he pointed out that the side needed to concentrate on 3 things – possession, possession & possession! The need to find players with black shirts was a common theme as well as a tactical change as Miles Edson and Simeon Nichols switched wings to try to take advantage of a perceived weakness in the home side’s defence.
The start of the second half was much improved with Bar going close on 39 minutes when John Yates was denied from a short corner and then 3 minutes later Bar regained the lead when another Danny Becker assist was superbly turned in on the reverse stick by Miles Tomkins. However Stortford continued to more than hold their own – in defence John Yates was a rock all afternoon (and needed to be) with plenty of last ditch tackles ably assisted by the rest of the back line with George Wickham working hard on the left hand side.
There were chances at both ends – on 49 minutes Miles Tomkins was denied by an excellent save following a superb long pass from Danny Becker but the Bar goal was also under threat with Andy Stokes doing well to keep out a short corner on 52 minutes and then being called upon again on 59 minutes to make another fine save. The game was very much in the balance at this stage and could have gone either way. Shag was now on the pitch, doing his best to calm and slow things down at the back. Meanwhile in the midfield Bar were starting to at last take control as the home side began to tire. Michael Levy worked his socks off making lots of tackles and key passes whilst Simeon Nichols appeared to be growing in confidence as the game went on.
Just when it looked like it might be a nervous finish the floodgates opened. An excellent pass from Miles Tomkins on 63 minutes found Andy Latham in the D to again fire home. Just 3 minutes later a short corner was played to John Yates who had his first effort well saved before hitting the rebound high over the keeper. Bar visibly relaxed and started to play their best hockey of the afternoon, while the home side were suddenly shattered as 2 more goals came – on 68 minutes a long pass out of defence from John Yates was allowed to get through to Andy Latham who easily beat the keeper to secure his hat trick; and just a minute later John Yates was again on hand at a short corner – this time not needing a second effort to incredibly make it 6-1, when just moments earlier Bar were hanging on!
In the final seconds Stortford won a short corner and it was the least they deserved to see a well hit shot find the goal as even the final 6-2 score line did them little justice in a game where they were at least the equal of this Bar side for 60 minutes. For Bar, this was just the sort of game that would have been lost last season, so it was particularly satisfying to see them come good at the end of the game to secure the 3 points.
Final Score: Bishops Stortford 2 - 6 Potters Bar
Goal Scorers: A Latham (18, 63 & 68), M Tomkins (42), J Yates (66 & 69)
Team: S Randon (Capt), A Stokes (GK), R Hughes, J Yates, G Wickham, M Levy, M Edson, D Becker, S Nichols, M Tomkins, A Latham, C Edwards (last 20 minutes!)
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