Potters Bar vs Maldon & Tiptree

Maldon and Tiptree started with the same eleven that played so well in their midweek win over Thamesmead but finished up losing this 7 goal thriller.Maldon and Tiptree had hardly got out of the starting blocks before the home side took the lead in only the 4th minute when Tom Pett scored from only 12 yards with a shot into the top corner. Although Pett finished well he was given far too much time, in the penalty area, to control the ball, pick his spot and shoot. Shortly afterwards the visitors almost conceded from a similar situation but this time Mark O'Toole shot just over the bar. Maldon and Tiptree gradually came into the game and after 10 minutes Kevin Mcleod shot just over the bar after being put through on goal by Lee Townrow. Both teams continued to attack as play switched from end to end with both defences having to work hard to avoiding conceding further goals. After 18 minutes Maldon nad Tiptree almost gifted the home side a further goal when keeper Darren Behcett missed his kick cokpletely from Ian Cousins back pass but was able to get back and scamble the ball away just before it crossed the goal line. Maldon and Tiptree were coming more into the game and Mcleod started to find space to spray the ball around. Both McLeod and Collins fired in shots which went just wide of the target then home keeper Matthew Bennett did well to keep out a close range shot from Sos Yeo. The hime side responded with Matt Clifford putting in a dangerous cross which was only cleared for a corner.From this the ball was only half cleared to Dan Odamo who's shot was charged down. On 38 minutes the visitors gained an equaliser when Yeo was only stopped at the expense of a corner from which Paul Shave was able to chest the ball into the net with the home defence static. The visitors mainly had the better of the rest of first half and Leon Antoine , Yeo and McLeod twice, had reasonable chances to add to the visitors tally. Right on half time Maldon and Tiptree's Ian Flanagan was cautioned for a foul and from Josh Urquhar'st free kick Pett put the ball narrowly over.


Half time Potters Bar 1 Maldon and Tiptree 1


The visitors created the better chances at the start of the second half with Paul Shave shooting over from 8 yards, then McLeod, who was having a storming match, twice went close.   Slightly against the run of play Potters Bar increased their lead after 56 minutes. The speedy Gershfield made a strong run down the wing and crossed for Anto Agdomar to convert from close in.  Play swung from and to end with Urquhart firing a free kick just over for the home side then McLeod did likewise for the visitors. The visitors equalised in somewhat bizarre fashion after 76 minutes when a wicked cross from substitute Neil Cousins rebounded from Louis Lavers onto team mate Ashley Harrison- Barber for an unfortunate own goal. The visitors exerted further pressure on the home side and McLeod and Yeo forced good saves from home custodian Bennett and then Billy Burgess shot over from close range. With the score at 2 each and only 5 minutes to play one would have thought that the teams would settle for that score but in a slightly unbelievable ending 3 further goals were scored. The first and Potters Bar's third came when Magwood did well to put the impressive home skipper Pett  through a wide open visiting defence to score with a low shot into the corner. If that was a surprise the next action could never have been predicted, when, from the kick off, McLeod, almost from the half way line sliced through the home defence to shot past Bennett in the home goal. Even that was matched just a short while later when  Potters Bar scored their fourth goal when Gershfield converted from close range from another right wing cross from Harrison-Barker. Even then there was still time for Shave for the visitors and Gershfield for the home side to go close to increasing the goals tally.


The game produced a fine spectacle for the supporters of both teams but must have had the opposing team managers tearing their hair out at the cavalier defending at the end of the game. Maldon and Tiptree will be disappointed to lose after scoring 3 times away from home and even more disappointed that it was the, up to now, reliable defence had had not quite matched their previous high standards.


Man of the Match: Kevin Mcleod.


Attendance: 65 

Potters Bar                                            Maldon and Tiptree

Bennett                                                 Behcett

Harrison Barker                                     Burgess

Lavers                                                   Coillins

O'Toole                                                 Shave

Odamo                                                 Flanagan

Urquhart                                               Cousins

Gershfield                                             Milner

Magwood                                              Townrow

Agdomer                                               Antoine

Pett                                                       Yeo

Clifford                                                  McLeod

Subs

Fraser                                                  Pearman

Penney                                                 Cousins N

Balic                                                     Berquez

McLachlan                                             Abbott

Harrison