Mens 1st XI Match Report
Potters Bar Men's 1st XI v Crostyx 2nd XI
26 November 2011 | by Anthony Levy
After 3 wins from the last 4 games it was vital for Bar to continue the good work and in theory there should have been no better opposition than a Crostyx team propping up the division with no points and having let in an average 5 goals per game.
The signs were good early on as the early exchanges had Bar in control with 2 good chances to take the lead in the opening 10 minutes. On 5 minutes Andy Stokes had his effort saved by the keeper when he might have been better off feeding the ball to Miles Tomkins, while a few minutes later Mark Turpin might also have been better off looking for a team mate as his effort from a tight angle went wide of the goal. However Crostyx were staying in the game and Jonny Weller had to be alive to push away a short corner effort on 11 minutes.
Despite the Crostyx defence clearly struggling with the runs of the forward line, Bar were continually looking for the magic long pass when crisper short passing had brought chances early on, and as a result the home side became far less effective. In fact just one more scoring chance was created in the half as a short corner to Ed Whybrow was well saved.
Half time arrived with game scoreless and the skipper was none too pleased with the first half stressing the need to get back to basics and start to use the pace of the forwards to properly stretch the defence. There was a general belief that the Crostyx side were likely to tire in the second half if Bar could pile on the pressure against a team containing no replacements. Amazingly as it turned out, the second half then went entirely to script!
Soon after the restart a surging run by Ed Graves looked to pick out Miles Tomkins in the D, and although the ball in was deflected by Tony Sayers, Miles still managed to get a shot away only to be denied by the keeper. The opening goal was not far away however, as on 38 minutes Tony Sayers mishit a pass in towards Mark Turpin, who was able to take advantage of some slack defending to win the ball and then finish neatly past the onrushing keeper.
Despite the goal, Bar still weren’t having it all their own way, and the visitors almost equalised on 43 minutes when a short corner beat Jonny Weller only to find Ed Graves by the post to superbly turn the goal bound shot away from danger. However the play was starting to become more one way traffic and as predicted the Crostyx defence was beginning to struggle. Andy Stokes had an effort saved on 48 minutes after he was set up by Rory Brett and soon afterwards Mark Turpin was sent away and went round the keeper but his pass into the crowded goalmouth was put wide by Tony Sayers.
Crostyx were then briefly reduced to 10 men as a result of a yellow card issued following dissent towards the umpires, and before long Bar had picked up the crucial second goal. Miles Tomkins hit the ball all the way across the D from the left hand side and the ball was turned back in from the right by Andy Stokes to Mark Turpin, who scored his second of the game with a firm strike.
Visibly the confidence of the side grew, with Ed Whybrow and Chris Chittleborough at last starting to take control of the midfield as all around them the forwards were finding more and more space. Two more goals came and it easily could have been more – on 58 minutes Tony Sayers dispossessed the last defender, rounded the keeper and with both Mark Turpin and Miles Tomkins screaming for a pass in front of goal, Tony just kept hold of the ball to complete a deserved solo effort. Two minutes later Mark Turpin got his hat trick after more good work from both Tony Sayers and Miles Tomkins.
There were at least two more excellent chances to add to the lead as the Crostyx resistance fell away – on 65 minutes a fine move started by Chris Chittleborough, and continued by Tony Sayers, fell to Mark Turpin who rounded the keeper only to see his shot cleared off the line by a despairing dive from the covering defender. With 2 minutes remaining another save by the keeper ran loose to Rory Brett who shot wide with the goal at his mercy. Just time for Miles Tomkins to pick up one of the shortest possible yellow cards possible as he was penalised for playing the ball above his shoulder!
Not the best of performances to be honest (although with some key play makers unavailable) but a crucial result that makes it 4 wins out of 5 and a much more healthy looking league position heading towards the winter break.
Final Score: Potters Bar 4 - 0 Crostyx
Goal Scorers: M Turpin (3), T Sayers
Team: E Newbery (Capt), J Weller (GK), E Graves, R Brett, O Hughes, R Donoghue, A Stokes, C Chittleborough, E Whybrow, M Tomkins, M Turpin, T Sayers, W Stanyard
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