'Scholars' and Boro end up level

Clean sheet but no goals sees unbeaten run continue

Disappointing stalemate between Potters Bar Town and Haringey Borough

Neil Metcalfe at the Pakex Stadium:

There’ll be duller 0-0 draws this season than the one Potters Bar Town and Haringey Borough served up but not many.
Fantastic bank holiday entertainment this was not as both sides cancelled each other out in a big way.
It preserves the Scholars unbeaten start to the season, although it does drop them out of the Bostik Premier Division play-off places.
Haringey remain in the bottom half but with just the one league defeat in August.

The first half was frankly poor which would have been a disappointment to the 267 inside the Pakex Stadium.
Whether the two teams were feeling the effects of their respective FA Cup encounters on Saturday is a question for debate but what was evident was the lack of action of any shape or form.

The Scholars only attempt on target was a speculative effort from distance from Sandro Costa that bounced once on its way through to Haringey keeper Valery Pajatet.

The visitors didn’t force Berkley Laurencin into a save but strangely did have slightly better of the possession and chances.
Charlie Barker sent a acrobatic shot wide and then the dangerous Joel Nouble put in a wicked low cross that Laurencin managed to deflect away from the lurking Chinedu McKenzie and Barker.

Haringey’s number 11 was looking the main threat from either side. Tall and fairly powerfully built, he isn’t your typical looking winger but he dribbles well and he forced Andy Lomas to be fully committed at all times.

In fact the one plus point for the Scholars in the first half was the performance of their defenders who repelled every attack, Steve Brown in particular a rock. They had to be though as most home attacks ended with the ball coming back towards their own back four as quickly as it went forward.

And after such a lacklustre first 45 minutes it was perhaps of little surprise that the second half was more open than the first.
And it was the visitors who had the best chances in the opening 10 minutes or so. The first fell to Nouble after a fine run and cross from Michael O’Donoghue but he side-footed his volley over the top from eight yards or so. The second was drilled low but wide from Joe Staunton.

It prompted a response from Potters Bar manager James Duncan who sent on new signing Dernell Wynter on the hour mark.
In the end it didn’t make a difference and other than a free-kick from Jordan Sanderson which was curled wide from a good central position, goal attempts were once again at a premium.

It was another Potters sub, Ryan Forde, who almost got on the end of a marauding Chris Doyle charge and cross in added time but the game had been destined for a goal-less stalemate long before that.

Potters Bar Town: Laurencin, Doyle, Lomas, O’Leary, Budden, Brown, Nicholas (Forde 75), Adcock, Casey, Sach (Wynter 60), Costa (Murray 88).

Subs (not used): Cole, Pedro.

Booked: Budden 33

Haringey Borough: Pajatet, Olufemi, O’Donoghue, Stone, Mitchell, Richards, Barker (Ademiluyi 71), Staunton, McKenzie (Aghadiuno 83), Sanderson, Nouble.

Subs (not used): Aresti, Rowe, Byfield.

Booked: Olufemi 80

HT: Potters Bar Town 0 Haringey Borough 0

Attendance: 267

Referee: Alex Rayment (Luton)