'Scholars' off to great start

The Scholars opened their account in their first ever Bostick Premier game with a deserved three points in an entertaining match witnessed by a crowd of 383.

Bar opened brightly with Chris Doyle latching on to a ball from Lee O’Leary only to see his driven effort blocked. Debutant Keegan Cole’s follow up shot also being blocked.

The Hillians offered little in the first 15 minutes as O’Leary and the equally industrious Billy Adcock kept control of midfield with Sandro Costa Dias Fernandes and Dernell Wynter as well as full backs Chris Doyle and Andy Lomas causing problems wide.

As Bar continued to push forward it was Wynter who found space to twist, turn and shoot and put the ball wide.

With 23 minutes gone a fine ball from Keegan Cole found Sandro with time to shoot but the advancing defence forced him to push the shot past the post.

Moments later another Cole corner found Steve Brown free in the area; his flicked header also just beating the upright.

Approaching the half hour a quick Burgess Hill break resulted in a corner from which Chapman’s header needed to be scrambled away by the solid Bar defence.

With the first half drawing to a close Potters Bar almost took the lead but a long range effort from Sandro was brilliantly tipped over by Burgess Hill man of the match, keeper Josh James.

The opening to the second half was a cagey affair until the 13th minute when Scholars appeals for a penalty were flatly turned down after Dernell Wynter was felled in the box.
Moments later skipper Lee O’Leary’s long-range effort was well saved as the home ‘keeper was brought into action once again.

Bar continued to press with Eoin Casey, Sandro and Wynter causing difficulties for the home defence but it was James Budden who came closest – his glancing header going just past the post.

With ten minutes left and with both sides, perhaps, looking to be happy to settle for a point up popped Billy Adcock on the left to put in a superb cross with Dernell Wynter flicking home the winner sending the Potter Bar faithful back to the bar to sample the excellent Bedlam Breweries Bitter.

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Updated 14:16 - 30 Aug 2019 by Jeff Barnes