Mens 1st XI Match Report
Potters Bar Mens 1st XI v West Herts
19 March 2011 | by Miles Tomkins
1st versus 2nd in 'the game of the season' was how this match was billed. Potters Bar came into this game having already secured promotion with 10 wins on the bounce (their last loss coming against West Herts on a cold November evening) while West Herts had their own reasons to be confident having won their past 7 games, scoring an incredible 59 goals in that process.
It was inevitable that both sides would come out hard but, within 5 minutes, Bar had succumbed to a huge sucker punch. A nothing ball came into the Bar D but what should have been a regulation clearance for goalie Maidment somehow ended up striking Ben Graham on the foot and deflecting across the goal leaving a gleeful West Herts forward with the simplest of finishes.
What followed was an attritional 20 minute period with possession evenly spread between two closely matched teams. However, West Herts dominated the territory, as Bar frequently gave the ball away too easily, and Chris Chittleborough and the Bar back line had to be alert to prevent further scoring opportunities.
The Bar forwards were virtual spectators during this period, only testing the opposition keeper once as a break from Ed Whybrow and Dave Fennell presented Mark Turpin with an opportunity.
Having absorbed lots of pressure, Bar finally started to play some hockey of their own as half time approached. Jon Cuff showed again how much he adds to the Bar line up as he performed his usual trick of converting a long corner into a short corner. A nice move followed as Whybrow's ball to the back post was deflected past the keeper by Cuff, only for him to be denied by outstanding work by the defender on the goal line.
With just minutes left until half time, West Herts broke out and won a short corner of their own. No neat move followed, just an innocuous straight strike from the top of the D. Somehow though this trickled in past the keeper and the man on post.
2-0 down at half time had not been the game plan but the skipper pointed out that, given the two sides on display, there were likely to be at least 3 goals in the second half and that they could come Bar's way if enough hard work went in.
Sure enough, Bar started the second half really brightly, overcoming the loss of Dave Fennell with a foot injury. The passing was crisper and the movement of the forwards lifted to another level. It wasn't long before a super ball from Cuff found Miles Tomkins in behind the defence just outside the right hand side of the West Herts D. Tomkins bore down on goal and, ignoring the back post run of Turpin, went for glory instead. He was left furious and red faced as his shot crashed 2 inches over the bar.
Moments later Tomkins had a chance to redeem himself as he picked up a lovely aerial ball from Whybrow on the left of the D this time. He again opted to go alone and tried to lift the ball past the onrushing keeper, who reacted well to make a good save.
Although West Herts remained dangerous on the break, Bar were coming more and more into the game. Sustained pressure led to a second short corner and another neat training ground move followed. Whybrow's resulting shot was well saved, at which point chaos followed: he was prevented from shooting again by a defender but the ball fell to Andy Foster who smashed a bullet-like shot onto the inside of the post, started celebrating and then watched in horror as the ball came back parallel to the goal line, hit the opposite post and came back out. Fortunately Turpin reacted fastest and slammed the ball back into the post and, this time, over the line.
The game continued at a breakneck pace with opportunities at each end. As Bar pressed further and further forward looking for an equaliser, the West Herts forwards started to find more space in dangerous positions and, after they had wasted a few half chances, a well struck reverse stick shot from the top of the D restored their 2 goal lead.
Bar refused to give up though and continued to hound the West Herts back line. With 5 minutes to go, Cuff released Whybrow down the right and he drove a powerful cross into the D. The ball came to Turpin, who in a reversal of the earlier situation, ignored Tomkins at the back post and fired off a reverse stick effort. The difference being that he scored to set up a frantic final few minutes.
West Herts kept the ball very professionally though and didn’t give Bar another sniff. Bar were left knowing that a win in the final game of the season would still seal the title but that they will have to raise their game next season, cutting out defensive errors, and making more of clear goal scoring chances, if they want to succeed in division 2.
Final Score: Potters Bar 2 - 3 West Herts
Goal Scorers: Mark Turpin (2)
Team: R Maidment, Hughes, Graham, Newbery (c), Donoghue, Kulendra, Chittleborough, Whybrow, Fennell, Foster, Cuff, Tomkins, Turpin, Sayers
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