When your match reporter first began his association with Potters Bar Hockey Club back in January 2008, the fledgling 2nd team were challenging for promotion from Div 9SW, ending the season as champions, winning 12 of the 14 games played. It is therefore remarkable that just 11 years later the Men’s section is not only running 4 competitive teams but its 2nd team has strengthened sufficiently to be challenging for promotion 5 divisions higher, hot on the heels of the first team that is now gracing Division 1. Many of the personnel have changed in that time but it was appropriate today that the defence was anchored by then 1st team captain and coach Ed Newbery, while James and George McCormick, early young recruits all those years ago, were also featured in key roles in the centre of defence and midfield respectively.

In total a 14 man squad was selected for this penultimate game of the season with Bar taking control early on as they played with the gale force wind at their backs in the first half. Tom Lazer, resplendent in his pink socks, went close with just 60 seconds on the clock as his reverse stick effort went just wide of the post, Rich Pineo was marshalling things from the centre of midfield and he twice went close – a run into the D from the 22 after 5 minutes led to an effort that went just wide, while a short corner flick after 10 minutes was saved by the keeper.

Bar continued to dominate and perhaps should have put the game away during this period. Sam Penn was just unable to get the required contact on 14 minutes when he was set up by Miles Tomkins and then Rich Pineo saw another short corner effort on 18 minutes turned away by the keeper – although crucially that short corner was awarded a split second before Christos Votsis put his effort into the corner of the net, so the goal was disallowed. Votsis really should have scored however 5 minutes later as Tom Lazer superbly dribbled to the by-line before cutting the ball back to Votsis in front of goal and his effort looked bound for the net but bounced back into play off the post before being cleared.

Bar looked like they might fall to the counter as Harpenden won two short corners on 31 minutes but both efforts were cleared away. Nevertheless it looked like Bar had failed to take advantage of the wind at their backs until a real moment of quality just before half time. James McCormick took a quick free hit inside the 22 to Nick Umney on the left and his first time cross was tucked home by Miles Tomkins to give Bar a deserved half time lead.

Discussion at half time stressed the need to keep passing the ball and to spread things out wide to bypass the Harpenden centre halves who looked the quality players in the opposition line up. Skipper Chris Smith called for a determined half to secure the title. Ed Newbery reminded everyone that playing into the wind meant it would be difficult to hear the calls and that it was likely to be a tough second half – and that it proved to be.

A Harpenden player saw green after 40 minutes and Bar almost took advantage of this from a short corner soon afterwards as the pass from Joe Corless towards Sam Penn on the far post saw an effort that hit the outside of the post before going wide. Nick Umney nearly gave Bar daylight after 43 minutes as he ran into the D and saw his low shot splendidly saved by the keeper.

The game was becoming scrappier as Bar struggled playing into the wind. Sam Penn received a green card on 45 minutes for a foul, although Bar easily saw out that period with only 10 men. Bar however were not creating the chances they had produced in the first half and Harpenden almost equalised on 53 minutes when a neat short corner routine found a forward in space on the left but his shot flashed wide of the post.

The game remained tight and Harpenden secured an equaliser on 61 minutes, although Bar were perhaps unfortunate that an initial decision to award them a free hit in their own half was overturned and Harpenden were able to take the free hit quickly while some of the Bar players were running in the wrong direction! The initial effort on goal was blocked but the second effort was bundled home.

Bar kept trying to force the pace to secure the win that would guarantee the title but in their enthusiasm, all that they were to win was a second green card as Ryan Prygodzicz was sent on his way for not retreating 5 yards from a Harpenden free hit. Bar still celebrated at the final whistle as only a defeat at Broxbourne 3s next week, couple by a 14 goal swing in goal difference will deny them a deserved league title.

Potters Bar 2s 1 Harpenden 2s 1 (HT: 1-0)

Team: C Smith (Capt), M Umney (GK), E Newbery, G McCormick, R Prygodzicz, R Pineo, J McCormick, T Lazer, J Corless, D Smith, S Penn, M Tomkins, N Umney, C Votsis

Goal: Miles Tomkins (34)

Umpires: Alan Field & Chris Edwards