Mens 2nd XI Match Report
Potters Bar Men 2nd XI v Luton Town 3rd XI
23 October 2010 | by Anon
After last week’s disappointing result at Broxbourne it was vital for the side to get back to winning ways at home to a Luton side that arrived wearing clashing red socks but with only 10 players – the 11th man in theory on the way but as it turned out, he never showed. Despite only having 10 men it was clear that Luton were going to be a tough team to break down with plenty of skill and experience at the back and lots of youth throughout the rest of the side.
During the early skirmishes Bar struggled to maintain any control with only Freddie Waite and Richard Hughes proving regularly dangerous down the right hand side. At the back however the new centre back combination of Jon Yates and Nick Walton looked in full control in snuffing out any opportunities that Luton created. The defence also welcomed back Ed Ogbourne as a reliable presence.
As the half went on Bar took control of both possession and territory but without creating any real clear cut chances. Freddie Waite’s effort was blocked on 10 minutes and a short corner mid way through the half found the net, but the effort was rightly disallowed following Michael Levy’s effort to hit the ball from almost over his head!
Just as the half was looking like petering out disappointingly, Bar took the lead on 33 minutes. A hopeful ball into the D from George Nye somehow found its way through to Shag in the box and his silky skills (his words, not mine!) produced a goal bound shot that hit the inside of the post and the goal keeper and crawled over the line. There was considerable debate after the match as to whether this was really an own goal, but Shag was certainly claiming it!
A white board would have helped Shag with the half time team talk as he explained a revised formation in such detail that few of the side seemed to understand! What was clear was the need to use a bit more width and Paul Brady and Michael Levy were encouraged to play alongside one another to bolster the midfield.
The start of the second half saw some more determined play by both sides and after the shot shy first half 3 goals were scored in the next 13 minutes, aided it should be said by some shaky goalkeeping. On 40 minutes Bar won a short corner and Danny Becker played the ball inside to Jon Yates whose goal bound shot was simply helped in off the keeper’s foot. Two minutes later however a rare bit of sloppy defending by Bar allowed Luton a rare shot on goal. The effort was not well hit and Jordan appeared happy to watch the ball go past the post – except that it went in to make it 2-1.
Andy Stokes had once again looked dangerous, often just waiting for the right pass. At last on 48 minutes a quick break saw him gallop clear following a pass from Michael Levy, only to mishit his shot as the keeper advanced – the ball however trickled under the keeper and into the goal to make it 3-1.
Despite the chance now to really take the game by the scruff of the neck, Bar failed to make their supremacy count whilst never looking in much danger at the back. Andy Stokes had a goal correctly ruled out after Danny Becker had swung at the ball and missed, and with almost the final effort of the match Andy was denied by a great last ditch tackle just a yard out, after going clear and having gone around the keeper. Soon afterwards the final whistle blew and a crucial 3-1 victory had got the season back on track.
Final Score: Potters Bar 3 - 1 Luton Town
Goal Scorers: C Edwards, J Yates, A Stokes
Team: R Hughes (Capt), J Page (GK), J Yates, N Walton, E Ogbourne, M Levy, F Waite, D Becker, P Brady, G Nye, A Jones, A Stokes, C Edwards
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