Mens 1 vs Potters Bar 1

Riding high after back to back wins, our "big November" rolled into Potters Bar to face a team situated close to us in the league. Another six-pointer for the forces of Harpenden in a late pushback, which doesn't tend to suit the O40s in our team as by that time of the day they've normally got their slippers on, next to the woodburner with a cup of tea and the paper.

A full unit of 15 for us today, George's fractured finger is now healed and Ross Cato stepped up to play in goal. Our focus was to start with the speed of the SAS, look after the ball and get some pot shots off. I was mightily impressed by Dave in the warm up on two counts, and I'll try and do what I witnessed justice in this paragraph. Firstly the shot he produced I could have sworn he used a cannon, it certainly sounded like it as it whistled into the top corner. Secondly he flicked a ball into a bag, it might not sound like much but Russel was holding the bag, and the accuracy of the flick was akin to a sniper from 1000yds - the whole team's jaws dropped to the floor simultaneously in astonishment. Truly a lifetime achievement, like winning Wimbledon or the Masters.

Anyhoo, the game went to plan in the first 15 minutes, we were on top, controlling the ball well and had some chances whilst Potters Bar's main threat seemed to be via the longball. An accidental ricochet to the head of a Potters Bar defender saw the match pause whilst first aid was administered. On the restart we seemed to have lost our fizz, becoming less special forces, more Dad's Army. Ross was called on to make a couple of saves, but Potters found the by line, a 90 pass back to the top of the D and a shot found its way into our goal. This was not the plan!

Potters Bar 1 - 0 Harpenden

We had chances, Mark had a smartly struck shot saved, Todd's flick from a narrow angle went across the face of goal, but we couldn't get on the scoresheet. "Two words, no three: Composure and Decision Making" was the message at half time, I'm pretty sure that was four words but thought better about pointing it out as there were plenty of glum faces. Overall though we felt as if we were underperforming. 

The second half started like the end of the first, we were not under lots of pressure but coughed up the ball too easily. Tom Bunbury brushed a PB player who collapsed to the floor as if he'd been sniped. Rob Walker took a ball to the foot, valiantly told everyone he was ok whilst limping, repeated he was ok and limped more, repeated he was ok and at this point I was convinced he'd starred in Monty Python as the black knight.

Potters Bar had an attack, our number 22 Skills decided it was nap time and lay down in the D, their shot brushed him slightly, unseen by the umpire and rolled off the backliane. Cue plenty of appeals for everything from a short corner, to a flick, and a referral request to the European Court of Human Rights.

We needed a spark from somewhere, up stepped Ian Durbidge, heroically playing in the midst of vertigo but managed to stop spinning long enough to fire a ball into the D, it took a deflection off Todd's stick - i'm not sure exactly how much Todd knew about it, and beat the keeper.

PB 1 - 1 Harps

Now we'd come to life, suddenly everyone was running 20% faster, pressing hard and the ball was being passed with the zip of a howitzer. Another attack from Durbidge, finding Todd on the edge of the D who passed the ball slowly towards the goal. The keeper blundered and stepped over the ball as it rolled over the line, they all count eh!

PB 1 - 2 Harps

The match finished and thanks to us playing well for 5 minutes we secured the 3 points! Their striker is still searching for our Number 22 (I just want to know who was lying down in the D!!!)

Full Time: Potters Bar 1 - 2 Harpenden 

Harps: Ross, Nick (c), Tom, Reesy, Ollie, Durbs, James, Skills, Russ, Rob, Dave, Danny, Todd, George, Mark

MoM Sir Ian Durbidge - for creating the spark to ignite us.

DoD Me, I took two Penguins at match teas.

Side notes: I was quite tickled on the car journey home when Ollie's Mum asked for the score, "2-1". "Did you score a hat-trick?" Asked his Dad. "No, that's quite difficult when we only scored twice".

Report by Reesy