Mens 2nd XI Match Report
Potters Bar Men's 2nd XI v Hertford 3rd XI
14 January 2012 | by Anthony Levy
Back after the winter break following a number of mild days, it was perhaps inevitable that the temperature would drop so that it was another cold afternoon on the sidelines for the watching spectators. However a solid Bar team were available and the game turned into an ideal opportunity for the side to get back to the displays shown before Christmas. The skipper made a claim for the best dressed player award arriving in a suit (although not sure about the shades!)
From the outset Bar dominated possession and territory, with the midfield and defence seemingly winning every 50/50 ball so that the ball was always heading back towards the Hertford goal. Dave Ensor and Miles Edson were looking sharp along with the wings with plenty of balls flying across the D, where a much younger Andy Latham might have had a field day. As it was Andy struggled to get decent shots away as the Hertford goal led a charmed life. Oddly the 1st shot on target after 6 minutes came from Paul Brady, who despite being assigned a role in front of the back 3, ended up spending most of the game foraging forward whilst Michael Levy instead filled in for any defensive gaps.
Bar thought they had taken the lead on 10 minutes when Danny Becker put the ball away – however as the Hertford umpire was signalling a goal, Alan Field had been signalling a Hertford free hit due to seeing the use of a Bar foot, and the effort was ruled out. It looked like it might be just one of those days when, following a triple substitution, Bar opened the scoring after 21 minutes. A surging run from James McCormick took him past the Hertford defence before he laid the ball off to Danny Becker to score from close distance.
If the sight of Paul Brady having a shot on goal was already strange, what came next was even more bizarre, but with a suitable element of luck! Paul picked up the ball just inside the D on the right hand side and his attempted cross was not heading towards the goal until it was inadvertently deflected in off a Hertford stick to bring his first goal for longer than most of us could remember. In fact there could have been complete fantasy as half time approached as Shag fired in a shot that might have been headed in (Shag claims it was destined for the top corner!) before it was blocked by Danny Becker.
At half time the skipper didn’t have a great deal to say – just some advice about drawing the defender before making the pass and trying to take our chances.
The next 15 minutes or so continued in the same vein as the first half with Bar in complete control with the only question being the final goal tally. Danny Becker was inches wide soon after half time and on 40 minutes Miles Edson had a point blank effort saved by the keeper. Five minutes later though came the vital 3rd goal – James McCormick was again in the thick of things when his effort was illegally blocked on the line. Danny Becker stepped up for the flick, and with the club Chairman giving odds of 2-1 against, his effort beat the keeper low down so that once a Bar player had scored from the spot!
Andy Latham continued to have a frustrating time in front of goal and on 49 minutes was in the thick of an amazing goal mouth scramble where a number of efforts were blocked before the ball was finally hit away to safety. Paul Brady still wasn’t through with the goal bound efforts, firing in another shot on 52 minutes that was well saved.
What came next however was the only disappointment of the day as Bar completely lost their shape and concentration, and as a result their control of the match. Hertford, who until that point had looked completely out of things, to their credit stepped up their game to at last put some pressure on the Bar goal as Richard Hughes and Jon Yates were now regularly called into action. Although it looked like a clean sheet would be maintained Hertford got a deserved consolation goal in the final minute.
Final Score: Potters Bar 3 - 1 Hertford
Goal Scorers: D Becker (21 & 46), P Brady (28)
Team: S Randon (Capt), J Weller (GK), R Hughes, J Yates, P Brady, M Levy, M Edson, G McCormick, J McCormick, D Becker, S Nichols, D Ensor, A Latham, C Edwards
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