Blues pay the penalty for poor first half performance

Blues beat in Boxing Day "derby"

Bostik League North Division
Tuesday 26th December 2017
Potters Bar 1(1) Hertford Town 0(0)

A first half performance that could have seen the Blues go in at half-time losing by more than the single goal that they actually did, ultimately proved costly when they were unable to turn a much improved second 45 minutes into points.

The Blues gave no hint of what was to follow when they almost grabbed the lead inside the first minute. Ricky Light attacked up the left flank before crossing the ball into the feet of Tommy Wade. He laid the ball off to Charlie Ruff on the edge of the area and his rising shot was heading for the top corner until it was tipped over by Barkley Laurenon in the home goal.

From this moment on, the hosts tended to enjoy the better of the possession but might still have gone behind had Charlie Ruff made more of a chance set up for him by Matt Thomson and Ricky Light in the 14th minute.

They didn’t have to wait long, though, to turn their possession into a goal because, two minutes later, Eoin Casey headed home from ten yards when he was first to a cross from the left.

The Blues were on the back foot but not entirely out of the game. Tommy Wade came close to finding an equaliser when his low shot was turned round a post for a corner in the 23rd minute. But, on the whole, the home side were creating the better chances and they will have heard the half-time whistle firmly in the knowledge that their one-goal advantage might not be enough.

And so it nearly proved. The Blues came out a different team. In the first quarter of an hour the Blues had three good efforts on goal; a Matt Thomson drive from 20 yards, a cross-cum-shot from Tyler Hatherly that was saved for a corner, and a header from Dan Palmer that was saved on the line.

A great save from Charlie Mann thwarted an isolated shot on goal from the Scholars in the 28th minute but it was nine minutes later that the Blues had their best chance of an equaliser. George Lutaaya’s cross into the box caused mayhem on the edge of the six-yard box and Tommy Wade was scythed to the ground as he shaped to score. A penalty kick was rightfully awarded and Michael Toner stepped to take the responsibility. He drove his kick down the middle of the goal but sadly for the Blues Barkley Lauremon had guessed correctly and palmed the ball over the bar.

The Blues piled on some late pressure after that an Tommy Wade went close with a header from a corner but their efforts were in vane and they ran out losers by the only goal of the game. In the final reckoning they probably deserved a least a point.

Team: Charlie Mann, Ollie Sharman, Tyler Hatherly, Matt Thomson, Michael Toner, Dan Palmer, Ricky Light(George Lutaaya 79’), Luke Illsley(Phil Lowen 85’), Charlie Ruff, Tommy Wade(Charlie Cole 89’) and Brett O’Connor.

Subs not used: Luke Foster and Ben Andreos.

Match report by Ray Greenall