MORE POINTS LOST ON THE ROAD

There was a lot of head scratching after the loss of 3 more points in a game where we failed to take our chances particularly in the first half and were later undone by conceding from a set piece echoing a similar performance recently at Harpenden Town.

We certainly started well although after only 4 minutes gone we nearly allowed our opponents leading scorer Elijah Grant through on goal following an error but we quickly snuffed out the opportunity. Max Hercules and Harry Jones linked up nicely early on with the latter’s shot just deflected wide by a defender. From the corner Greg Deer had a free header which went just over the bar.

We were playing well and in the 10th minute there was a hectic scramble in our opponent’s goal area but the ball would just not fall for us which is how things are going for us at the moment. Brothers Frankie and Max set up a good shooting position for Harry Jones in the 13th minute but he failed to make a good connection.

Grant and Louie Pullen had openings for our hosts but their shots failed to bother Freddie Burroughs. A defender did well to clear the ball off the line in the 26th minute with new signing Pablo Kalamaris firing the loose ball wide of goal. Harry Jones had a couple of shots saved by the keeper who produced a series of fine saves. Dylan Fitzpatrick had a shot blocked in the 25th minute but went really close in the 37th minute when he slalomed through the oppositions defence but was really unlucky to see his shot just go agonisingly wide of the post.

More chances came our way as the half came to a close with Ed Daffern forcing a great save from Parker after he broke away and then Dylan Fitzpatrick produced a fine pass to pick out Greg Deer who fired a good opportunity over.

After a very good half the only thing missing was a couple of deserved goals and we would later pay for our wastefulness in the end. HT Score 0-0.

Max Hercules forced another great save from Parker soon after the restart and we then brought on Dylan Whitelock, who has missed a few games through injury and he immediately got into the action by firing a powerful shot just over. In the 68th minute we conceded a goal and again it was from a set piece with Michael Toner heading in a free kick. Score 1-0.

It only took 6 minutes to equalise with Max Hercules mummying a pass from Dylan Fitzpatrick which found Dylan Whitelock to slot home his 4th goal from just 3 games. Score 1-1.

But a lack of concentration saw concede another goal within a minute with Toner again the scorer. Score 2-1.

We pressed for a winner with our best effort coming from Frankie Hercules powerful effort which forced a great save from the keeper. Freddie Burroughs also produced a great save to keep the score line more respectable but we still went down to a very disappointing defeat. FT Score 2-1.

Full marks to our hosts who themselves had not been in great form recently with just one win from their previous 7 games but they defended well at times and they gave us a demonstration of how to take your chances when they come your way. The win took them up to 7th in the table just missing out of a play off place on goal difference.

We are without a midweek game so hopefully we will get some key players back for our trip to Crawley Green on Saturday. Our away League form has been very disappointing so far this season with just one win from 6 away games so we need to improve that record. As well as having problems converting our chances we have been poor defensively with our last clean sheet coming against Colney Heath at home in a cup match but since then we have conceded 14 goals in 6 games.

We are now 5 points off the play off places having played a game more than most of the other teams but that is not the end of the world because at the same stage last season we were 10th in the table and 7 points off the play offs and as we know after Xmas we went on an amazing run of results to eventually finish 2nd in the table. We are capable of going on a similar run and hopefully we can start stringing a few good results together.

TEAM,
TA: Freddie Borough, but ha Greg Deer, Mason Clarke, Harry Beaumont, Dylan Fitzpatrick (Bailey Osborne 77), Frankie Hercules, Ed Daffern, Jack Harvey (Capt) (Lincon Gilmartin 85), Max Hercules, Pablo Kalamaras (Dylan Whitelock 56). Harry Jones (Josh Chamberlain 65). Sub not used: Blake Argent,

Scorers:

ST: Michael Toner (68, 75)

TA: Dylan Whitelock (74)

Crowd: ?