Mens 1st XI Match Report
Saffron Walden 1st XI v Potters Bar Mens 1st XI
08 October 2011 | by Owen Hughes
On Saturday, the men’s 1st XI once again took to the field looking for their first points of the season in their third game of the term. Facing up against them was perhaps the youngest team Bar had ever played, with only one player appearing to be over the age of 20. At least one member of the Bar XI wondered whether this really was Saffron Walden’s 1st XI and not their development XI. However, this theory was soon banished as the team of youngsters won the early exchanges against the relatively experienced Bar.
Despite being the better team in the first 10 minutes, Saffron Walden were not creating clear cut chances. Bar began to settle and gain in confidence, controlling the ball down the right wing for a lot of the next 10 but unable to unlock the Walden defence. Slightly against the run of play, Saffron Walden won a short corner and from here, slightly fortuitously, scored the opening goal. Keeper Jonny Weller was only able to parry the initial shot straight to a Saffron Walden player who made no mistake from close range.
Saffron scored an unfortunate second goal near the end of the half as a shot on the turn from the edge of the D went straight through the legs of the normally reliable Weller.
Bar’s half time talk focussed on exploiting the pace of Dave Fennell against the Walden right back who Fennell had had the better of in the first half. Fennell did not disappoint and in the early skirmishes of the second half, Bar often managed to get the ball to Fennell on the left wing to skin the opposing full back. Chances were not being created however and as Bar pushed higher to get back into the match the skilful Walden midfield profited.
One Saffron Walden attack led to Ed Graves attempting one last ditch tackle too many and his failure to get stick on ball led to a clumsy-looking challenge for which he was given a yellow card. His 10 minute spell on the bench a slight on what was for him an otherwise excellent afternoon.
Despite Bar’s attacking mindset, Walden had the best opportunities and indeed had 2 goals correctly, but rather strangely, ruled out. The first, for a foot around the midfield area, and the second, for a foot in the D during a short corner, were both given by the near umpire but then overturned by the far umpire long after the offence occurred. Bar then had a goal of their own by Rory Brett ruled out, again correctly.
Saffron Walden did find another breakthrough; their pressure telling when a ball into the D found an unmarked forward to deflect home. And in the dying minutes, they could have scored a fourth but narrowly failed to turn in the cross.
In the end it was another loss for the Bar 1st XI in what is proving to be a difficult first season in the heights of division 2 South. However, Bar can take some solace from the fact they have played against a well-drilled and technically excellent Saffron Walden side who will no doubt finish high up in the standings come the end of season.
This week, Bar take on early pace setters Bishops Stortford in what should be a good exhibition of hockey at Dame Alice Owen’s starting at 1.30pm on Saturday 15th October.
Final Score: Saffron Walden 4 - 0 Potters Bar
Goal Scorers:
Team: Jonny Weller, Ed Graves, Owen Hughes, Ray Li, Rob Donoghue, Ed Newbery (c), Rory Brett, Chris Chittleborough, Ed Whybrow, David Fennell, Miles Tomkins, Mark Turpin, Chris Filbey
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