BACK TO WINNING WAYS AFTER SATURDAYS DISAPPOINTMENT

After the disappointment of not seeing our name going into the hat on Monday for the next round of the FA Vase we were back in action on Tuesday night for what has become known as the A41 derby as the distance between our two clubs is only about 11 miles.

This was the 36th encounter between us and although they started the season off badly, with 9 straight defeats, they had recently appointed a new management team and had shown an immediate improvement by picking up 4 points from their last two games. We of course were still smarting from Saturday’s defeat and were missing some key players so we were expecting a tough battle.

The game was played at a fast pace with Frankie Hercules fizzing a shot just wide of the post in the 10th minute and 5 minutes later from his corner Luke Peerless flashed a header just wide of the far post. Our opponents are a young side with plenty of talent with their main threat coming down their right through the speedy Levi Nicholson. He hit the side netting in the 6th minute and later on he forced a good save from Jake Alley.

With a lovely playing surface that suited both teams there was plenty of good football on display and as the game proceeded we started to look dangerous going forward. Jack Harvey just failed to get on the end of a cross to the far post and Harry Jones went close with a lob over the keeper that unfortunately cleared the bar.

Around the half hour mark George Devine forced the home keeper into tipping his shot round the post and from the resulting corner Dave O’Connor’s shot was tipped over the bar by home keeper David Nistor.

You could sense that a goal was coming and in the 41st minute it arrived when Frankie Hercules free kick was emphatically headed home by Dave O’Connor to give us a deserved lead. HT Score 0-1.

Early in the second half Frankie Hercules hit the post and by now we should have had a bigger lead but instead we found ourselves pegged back in the 62nd minute when from a corner we gifted an equaliser with a soft own goal. Score 1-1.

Encouraged by the equaliser our hosts went all out for a winner and we were forced into some rear guard defending. Fortunately we weathered the storm and in the 42nd minute we grabbed a late winner. Jack Harvey was the creator with a super cross to the far post where Harry Jones headed the ball over the keeper, which hit the bar and went in. FT Score 1-2.

This was a tough game especially during the last half hour and full marks to the home players who kept going right to the end. We still remain in 3rd place in the table but are without a game this coming Saturday so hopefully Max Hercules, Harry Shepherd and Mason Clarke will be back for our next league match on Saturday 14 November at home to Kempston Rovers.

In the mean time we have another long midweek trek to Harlow Town on Tuesday 10 November for a Gladwish Challenge Trophy (2nd Round) cup match. This will be second midweek visit to the Essex side and we still have to go there for a League match by which time we will be sick of the sight of each other!!

TEAM
TA: Jake Alley, Michael Olulode, Dylan Fitzpatrick, David O’Connor, Tommy Smith, Jack Harvey (Capt), Luke Peerless, Blake Argent (Lewis Dixon 75), Frankie Hercules, George Devine, Harry Jones. Subs not used: Caden Barber, Jimmy Doherty, Liam Mann, Elijah Hearn.

Scorers:

AVD: OG (62)

TA: Dave O’Connor (41), Harry Jones (87)

Crowd: 188