Knobs 1 Harpenden Rovers 3

Competitive, good natured game well refereed by Chris Griffiths.
A frost covered pitch in the first half gave way to a heavy gluepot in the second.
In the first half, kicking up after Dave had won the toss, we were very competitive and energetic and were well worthy of our 1-0 lead. This came courtesy of an energetic piece of harrying by Andy which saw him finally win the ball and slap it home. Did Steve then hit the bar?
Well done, competing for the right to play on that surface the prime target.
Second half our fitness levels showed and we never achieved the pleasing shape of the first half. Any attacks we mounted were sporadic, with our players often finding themselves in less than splendid isolation. We were stretched going forward though remained fairly compact defensively, mainly because we couldn't get bodies willing and able to go forward. An unlucky equaliser followed on the hour. Unlucky in that the winger seemed to have carried the ball out of play before crossing for the goal. The linesman (me) far away on the other side and not in line could not be definite so a goal stood. The second goal was well worked after we were robbed in possession going forward, Mark left stranded? and the third came from the full back's chip - misses 999 times out of a thousand. Who perpetrated the travesty of a scissor kick clearance? Own up.
Our two best attempts came from solo efforts from Andy. First when he ran through their team with the ball, from just outside our area but allowed the keeper to save his shot- straight at him- great run. That would have been 2-0.
A diagonal 40 yard ball from M. Fish was exploited by Andy but he screwed his shot just wide of the post- 3-0. Electric efforts nevertheless. They just kept plodding on with consistency but we might simply have ran out of puff- they used their 4 substitutes continually, their stints on the sidelines never stiffening them up, so they seemingly had fresh legs. In the interests of cohesion, flow, old fashioned principle and a belief that old men coming off then going back on stiffen up badly, I can never bring myslf to go for roll off and on. Am I wrong?
Possibly, probably not, doubt it. Fuck off anyway. Chris Cox took the kit. Others be prepared we know who you are!
Poor opposition attendance in the pub where they missed the Knebworthian culinary innovation of cheese on chips accompanied by a rather smokily suffocating BBQ sauce- a racy little number. Chloresterol to die for.
Next week that attractive away fixture against our bosom pals Sandy- line up you masochists.