Mens 1st XI Match Report
Potters Bar Men 1st XI v Luton Town
15 January 2011 | by Anthony Levy
The 1s were back in action after having had an extra week off due to managing to complete their pre Christmas schedule on time. A game against 3rd placed Luton Town was an opportunity to make amends for the defeat on the opening day of the season. That day half the Bar team arrived late, and it was little better this afternoon as a number of players only made it barely 15 minutes before the start, in addition to already having to make use of Michael Levy as an emergency stand in for the late arriving Charlie Irish.
From the outset Bar showed their attacking intent in the opening couple of minutes with Mark Turpin making a typical foray into the opponents D before his shot was deflected wide by the keeper. Not long after, he was through away again – this time he took the ball wide of the keeper but Dave Fennell was unable to take control of the ball when it had looked inevitable that he would find the empty net.
Luton began to show why they are a top of the table team by beginning to take more control of the game but the Bar defence were able to keep them at bay with Ben Graham and Owen Hughes superb at the back and Geoff Smith looking assured behind them on the rare occasions that he was needed.
On 23 minutes Bar took the lead. Ed Whybrow was as usual in the thick of things, making his way into the D from the right hand touchline, drawing the defenders, before pushing the ball across to an unmarked Mark Turpin to scoop the ball into the net. Just 2 minutes later Luton had an excellent chance to equalise when a forward at last broke free of the Bar defence but Geoff Smith came to the rescue with an excellent save.
Bar continued to look dangerous going forward and it was another well worked move that doubled the lead on 28 minutes. This time the goal started from a long pass out of defence. Andrew Foster-Yeow picked up the ball and fed Ed Whybrow who scooted into the D before rifling his shot into the corner. Ed could easily have made it 3 just before half time but his effort was well saved by the keeper after he had been set up by Mark Turpin.
The half time team talk was far too scientific for this match reporter.....but the one thing that was stressed was how vital the next goal would be and so it proved, as just 3 minutes into the half a wayward defensive pass put Dave Fennell and the clear and he pushed the ball past the keeper to Mark Turpin to tap in. In fact Mark should have put the game completely beyond doubt on 49 minutes when more good attacking play again set him up close in but he was perhaps too casual and allowed the keeper to make an excellent save.
This was to almost prove costly as not for the first time this season a Bar home game saw a difficult last 20 minutes. On 51 minutes Luton’s attacking endeavour in the second half was rewarded with a goal from a fine strike from the angle. This led to sustained spell of pressure on the Bar goal with a number of short corners conceded along with a number of last ditch tackles.
Just when it looked like Bar had fully relieved the pressure Luton came forward again with 3 minutes to go and were initially awarded a penalty flick when the ball was hooked away by a defender’s stick from above his head. After the umpires consulted a short corner was awarded instead but with potentially the same result when the strike was helped over the line by skipper’s stick. Bar managed to easily see out the remaining couple of minutes to secure a vital and deserved 3-2 victory.
Final Score: Potters Bar 3 - 2 Luton Town
Goal Scorers: M Turpin (2), E Whybrow
Team: E Newbery (Capt), G Smith (GK), O Hughes, E Ogbourne, B Graham, C Chittleborough, E Whybrow, A Foster-Yeow, C Irish, D Fennell, M Turpin, M Levy
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