Nine Man Potton Secure Point.

Nine Man Potton Secure Point.

In an astonishing game with local rivals and fellow relegation battling Baldock Town, the Royals finished the game with 9 men after having a goalkeeper sent off in each half and missing a late penalty!
As has been standard these season Potton, lined up with a new signing. This time the experienced ex Biggleswade FC and Biggleswade United striker Abraham Eze being the latest.
Baldock could have taken the lead as early as the second minute when Howard Dobson sold himself on the left allowing Baldock a free cross which Piggott hit the post with.
Potton were next on the attack when a shot from distance from Goodman only just drifted over.
The Royals did take the lead on their next attack when Eze played in Nzembela who scored from 7 yards on 13 minutes.
Potton could have doubled their lead on 19 minutes when good work from Nzembela who twisted and turned and whipped in a good low cross which just missed the on rushing Eze.
On 21 minutes Potton had another chance when Nzembela shot went just wide.
Sam Irish in the Potton goal had not had much to do – but he made a great save on 26 minutes to deny the Baldock forward which was then cleared off the line by the Potton defence.
On 35 Minutes Potton were not awarded a penalty when it looked like Nzembela had been taken out in the box.
Potton were made to pay when an awful back header by the nervous looking Wilson-Braithwaite was handled outside the box by Sam Irish.
The Potton goalkeeper was sent off for this with Sam Willis going in goal.
With the wall not lined up correctly (which was understandable with a non goalkeeper between the posts), O’Brien took advantage of this to fire straight home on 41 minutes.
It would be a backs to the wall second half with Potton down to 10 men with hope they may hit Baldock on the break as they had the speed of Eze and Nzembela in attack.
This was largely the case with the second half with Baldock trying to get the break through but Sam Willis was a reliable stand in goalkeeper with good kicking and some decent saves.
Potton thought they had won it on 79 minutes when Nzembela was brought down in the box again.
But his penalty was awful clearing the bar by some distance!
Potton brought on the experienced Nolan in the last 10 minutes hoping he would offer something in attack but he had only been on the pitch 3 minutes when he became the third Potton player to play in goal that night.
A ball thought the middle of the defence had been cleared by Sam Willis with the ball hitting in the lower chest.
The linesman who’s view was obstructed believed he had handled the ball so he also was sent off!
The last few minutes were played out without further incident as Potton secured a deserved point.
More a concern is the Royals have only won once at home all season in the league.
They will need to improve greatly on this if a relegation battle is to be avoided.

Potton Utd : Irish,Jones,Wilson,Wilson-Braithwaite,Howard-Dobson,Willis,Andrews,R Goodman,Nzembela,Ibrara,Eze