Match Report for 11/09/04
Reserves v Cuffley Res.
Buntingford Won 6-4
In the Reserve’s first league match of the season they took their part in a ten-goal thriller at Cuffley and came away with all three points after scoring six. Stuart Barber’s side started well and looked comfortable as they created early chances for the lively Jim Williamson, Jordan McGarvie and Kyle Darcy, so it was very much against the run of play when Cuffley’s Hunt sprung the offside trap and fired in low after 23 minutes. This immediately spurred the visitors on and Jim Williamson capitalised on a confused Cuffley defence to swivel and strike from 8 yards to level within a minute of going behind.
Five minutes after Town’s equaliser a static defensive line watched as Hunt fired another low shot from 18 yards which struck the foot of the post before his team mate Fitts was the only player to react and steer home the rebound past a furious Kelly Jones in the Town goal. Town’s custodian made his feelings clear to his defence in no uncertain terms. Again the visitors responded swiftly with Kyle Darcy drilling an 18-yard left foot strike through a crowded penalty area into the bottom left corner within a couple of minutes of the restart to equalise.
Town felt they had then done enough to go into the break ahead as McGarvie converted a Joe Tyler cross from within the box to put Town ahead but this time it was the home side who responded rapidly and on this occasion there was little complaint from Jones as a left side free kick was hit perfectly by Mitchell to beat Town’s keeper at his near post.
As the cross wind picked up in the second half so did the number of mistakes from both sides and early on it seemed obvious that there were more goals to come in the match and indeed, with Town starting poorly, it was the hosts who hit the net with Hunt collecting a long ball. Neil Bradbury felt he might have done enough to steer the tricky striker out right but a well hit shot assisted by the wind looped into the Town goal on 55 minutes.
Being a goal ahead and looking as if they were tiring the home side attempted to shut up shop and put players behind the ball but Town looked fitter and hungrier. Veteran Alan Lewey replaced Dean Chaffey on the hour and then Mitchell Cox came on for Harry Marr. The changes gave Town more stability at the back and Cox was impressive in midfield.
On the left side Alex Willis was starting to be a real irritant for the hosts and after a couple of threatening runs the teenager managed to dribble into the box and place a shot below the Cuffley keeper for Town to equalise for the third time in this encounter.
From then on there looked to be only one team who would come away victors as Town controlled proceedings. It was no surprise then when Williams scored his second of the afternoon as the undersized striker was on hand at the far post to nod in a deep Tyler cross.
After his contribution Barber replaced the hard working Tyler with a more defensively-minded Rob Sale on the right side and he was involved in the build up of what was the goal of this game - after winning possession on the right side and some neat midfield passing Cox received the ball and hit an unstoppable shot from fully 30 yards which left the Cuffley keeper no chance.
With less than 10 minutes remaining and 2 goals separating the sides for the first time in the match Cuffley understandably lacked any real threat and the only remaining chance fell to Williamson, hungry for his hat-trick, his trickery took him past two defenders but his low shot hit the post before the referee blew for full time a few minutes later.
After the game Town’s Manager Stuart Barber was pleased with the points but felt his side had made hard work of it saying “I feel exhausted after just watching the match. In front of goal we were impressive but today we gave away goals by losing possession cheaply in midfield and by schoolboy defending. We will come against teams this season which will punish us for our mistakes today and not concede like Cuffley did. At the end of the day we learnt a few things in the game and we pocketed 3 points so I am pleased”.
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