Bar once again fielded a 12-man squad with an all GMc centre half pairing, a welcome rare appearance from Adam Croutear and Richard Calver arriving not long before the start (but thankfully not run over as he approached DAOS by your match reporter!)

Initial signs were not good as Bar conceded a short corner after just 60 seconds following a block by keeper Tom Miller, but fortunately James McCormick was quick off the line to get his stick on the ensuing effort. However, Bar soon found themselves in the ascendancy, with Adam Croutear twice making tackles deep inside the Harpenden half to help win a short corner. Although that effort came to nothing, another short corner won by Mark Turpin after 6 minutes saw a fine save from Adam Croutear’s shot.

Bar continued to dominate – after 11 minutes James Brooking’s pass found Mark Turpin close in but the ball was scrambled away. Another short corner was won 2 minutes later and this time the shot from Miles Tomkins was deflected onto the post by a defender. Another short corner soon afterwards was easily cleared. Bar finally took the lead after 17 minutes with a rare unassisted goal, as James Brooking intercepted a clearance out of the D and drove straight back into the D before drilling a low shot into the corner. Bar were playing their best hockey of the season and a fine team move on 23 minutes deserved a goal but Simon Tenwick’s effort from a Miles Tomkins pass was blocked by a combination of goalkeeper and defender.

Harpenden then changed tactics with a full press which in the end decisively changed the course of the match. They won two short corners after 27 minutes with both efforts blocked by James McCormick – the first deflecting the ball over the bar and into the school. Soon afterwards and the match was level – James Brooking gave the ball away in midfield and although the first effort on goal was well saved by Tom Miller, a looping ball in the D was spectacularly finished with a reverse stick volley by a Harpenden forward.

Despite conceding the initiative Bar could easily have retaken the lead before half time. With a minute remaining in the half, more good work from Bar star man Adam Croutear won the ball high up the pitch and his pass to Mark Turpin saw a reverse stick effort that was saved by the keeper. A short corner was then won on the stroke of half time but the opportunity was wasted as the initial injection was miscontrolled with all of the Bar players up for the chance.

It was a relaxed half time team talk covering a few tactical issues but perhaps the Harpenden press needed further discussion, as within 6 minutes of the restart Bar found themselves 2 goals down with the chances resulting from conceding possession in dangerous areas. A debatable short corner was conceded on 38 minutes (ball lifted or blocked by the shin?) and although Tom Miller made a great save from the initial effort (the ball unfortunately rebounding into the head of a Harpenden player, with treatment needed), the second effort on the angle found its way into the goal. Just 2 minutes later a cross from the right found a finish that gave Miller no chance.

Harpenden then seemed to abandon the tactics that had brought them 3 goals inside 11 minutes and this allowed Bar to get back into the game. Bar nearly halved the arrears after 47 minutes when George Fennell’s run set up Miles Tomkins to find Mark Turpin close in but his effort was blocked by the keeper resulting in a short corner. From that corner Mark Turpin played an astute pass towards Miles Tomkins but he was unable to lay stick on ball. However, the next short corner Bar won debatably on 52 minutes (no one seemed to understand the rationale for the award) resulted in a goal as Mark Turpin again found an astute pass from which Miles Tomkins’ mishit shot - only joking, well placed pass - enabled Adam Croutear to turn the ball home from close range.

The game became far more open from this stage with Harpenden generally attacking on the break, but unable to make it past either GMc, while Bar had far more of territory and possession but unable to create a clear cut chance. Perhaps the best opportunity came with 9 minutes left when another good move down the left saw the ball played across the D to Jonathan Elms who saw his shot blocked before being cleared to safety.

Disappointment once again for Bar at the final whistle, as outside of the period of the Harpenden full press, they had largely been the better side but had been unable to make the most of their opportunities. A trip away to fellow strugglers Sudbury awaits next week.

Potters Bar 2 Harpenden 3 (HT: 1-1)

Team: J McCormick (Capt), T Miller (GK), G McConachie, G McCormick, J Elms, J Brooking, S Tenwick, G Fennell, M Tomkins, M Turpin, A Croutear, R Calver

Goals: James Brooking (17) and Adam Croutear (52)

MVP: Adam Croutear
TFC: Tom Miller