Mens 3rd XI Match Report
Luton Town 4th XI v Potters Bar Men's 3rd XI
26 March 2011 | by Adam Maidment
The Men’s third team held destiny in their hands going into the final game of the season. A win against Luton Town would not only secure a promotion into League 8 next season, but would also crown them supreme champions, better than the 1s, better than the 2s and forever more, THE team to play for.
Still buzzing from the 15-0 destruction of Stevenage 6s the week before, coupled with Steve Walters elation that his “Emile Heskey” forward in the guise of Adam Maidment had finally come good (2 goals don’t you know), the team arrived at the pitch with an air of confidence. Even Pearson, having had his hand held by Maidment on the train from London, had arrived early for the game and in suitable attire – well not jeans.
Push back in the first half went to Luton and their youthful team put their energy to good use pressing Bar hard from the offset. The opening minutes were a tight affair in the middle of the park with the ball being pushed about by both sides in desperate attempt to find space.
Bar struggled to adapt to the newly laid surface (laid early this year) and the long “grass” made play drastically slower than the potential champions were used to. Luton, on the other hand, were at home here and made good of short passes and ball retention. At 10 minutes in neither team had really gone anyway, the surface was making play tough and Bar were starting to look a little nervous.
A short while later, however, the first of two goals arrived by a courteous pass from Pearson, who having chased down a long ball played through the middle of the field, found himself in an ever increasingly tight angle as he bared down left of goal, thus, with a glance up, played the ball square across, wrong footing the goalie and leaving Bradley Sayers the simple task of tapping in.
Bar anxieties started to lift at this point and very soon after the second goal went in from a lovely rehearsed short corner. Unfortunately this goal was disallowed due to a Bar player entering the D before the ball was injected. Seconds later Bar were awarded a short corner again and this time, with exactly the same move; Blakemore injecting, Tomkins playing the ball to right post and Bradley ready to flick in, the point was proven. Bar were two nil up.
The pressure from the title chasers had boosted confidence and complacency in tandem and as a result, Bar were punished 7 minutes later by a breaking Luton side. Mistakes were made and the deficit dropped to just one goal. Bar needed to calm things down a little and regroup.
After some nice wing play from Queenie and Bradley on the right and a couple of missed opportunities another beautifully worked short corner put Bar 3-1 up almost on the second half whistle.
The young Luton side didn’t seem to be tiring at all at this point while Bar were feeling a little heavy on the slower surface. However the individual skill of the Luton players wasn’t quite a match for the experience and assuredness of the Potters Bar team and in the second half Bar held off sporadic attacks from the home side with solid defending from Peter Simmons, Dave Blakemore and Iain Martin. With Tim Bye collecting loose change in the Makalele role, bar pushed forward and although their star forward Maidment was adapting to the pitch like a hippo in treacle, Bar managed to bypass their failing front man and score another two goals.
The whistle blew at 5-1 and Potters Bar were named Champions. Captain Steve Walters won’t get the sack (shame) however did fail to bring any form of celebratory beverage to the game for fear of ‘tempting fate’ – shows what confidence he has in his team.
All eyes on PBHC Men’s 3s next season as they chase the 2s up the league tables…
Final Score: Potters Bar 5 - 1 Luton Town
Goal Scorers: Bradley Sayers (3), James Pearson, Dave Blakemore
Team: Steve Walters (C), Jordan Page (GK), Nick Burrell, James Pearson, Adam Maidment, Miles Tomkins, Dave Blakemore, Nick Tilley, Peter Simmons, Tim Bye, Iain Martin, Dave Ensor, Bradley Sayers
« Back to Match Reports