Match Report - 19th November 2006

This was rather a scrappy game which Harlington won with two late goals. It was quite an even game with most of the action around the centre of the field but Harlington deserved their win as they made Daniel Lynch by far the busier goalkeeper. The game was played in a good spirit by both teams.

For the middle of November it was good football watching weather, clear, sunny, fairly mild and still. But the pitch hadn’t seen a lawnmower for some while which meant that total football and the beautiful game weren’t going to get a look in.

Harlington started the game at a swift pace and almost scored with their first attack from the kick off. But Daniel was alert to gather the ball and avert the danger. For the rest of the first half there was a lot of effort by both teams but no clear cut chances at either end. Both defences held firm and dealt well with the attacks. Headstone’s defence was worked the harder as, early on, Harlington managed to get behind them a few times. But Russell Butlin, Nicholas Furquim, Joe Jordan and Josh Street were able to recover and clear.

Headstone’s main problem was that they were unable to hold the ball long enough to control the play and build any decent attacks and that Harlington looked much stronger and more determined challenging for 50-50 balls. The main exception to that was Headstone’s Thomas Green who battled hard in the centre of the midfield and showed very good anticipation. But the passing from back to front wasn’t accurate enough and that pattern continued for most of the match.

Headstone brought on Ciaran McDougall into the midfield to replace Jordan Wright at the interval. In the second half Harlington put more pressure on the Headstone backline and forced Daniel into several saves. Daniel was equal to all of them reacting quickly and confidently to deal with shots from inside the box. At the other end Headstone’s strike force of Conor McBreen and Kyle Giles-Brown struggled to get the better of Harlington’s defenders a couple of whom were very tall, imposing and quick to charge out and clear any through balls. Though they worked hard neither Conor nor Kyle managed to get behind the defence.

Thomas continued to perform well this half and not only battled well but improved his distribution. George Moriarty also worked tirelessly and produced a couple of good crosses but Kyle, Conor and Jordan Coleman were unable to get on the end of them. Midway through the half Headstone brought on Brett Swinton-Bland to replace Kyle. Brett put his strength and speed to use straight away and managed to run at the defenders and put over a cross from the left.

Although Headstone had dealt well with Harlington’s attacks, as time went on, it looked more likely that they would eventually get the breakthrough. Twelve minutes from time they did. The goal came from a throw in on the right that Headstone fumbled inside the box and as they scrambled back to recover Harlington’s attacker was quick to strike home.

That blow was what Headstone needed to spur them into attacking action. For it was only after they had gone behind that Headstone finally created some clear cut chances. Brett, Conor and Thomas suddenly found the opportunity to shoot and were close to equalising. Brett had several goal bound charges and Thomas latched onto a poor goal kick and launched the ball back goal wards but his shot was just wide. In the end though it was not to be and it was at the other end that Harlington sealed the points with a goal a minute from time. It was very similar to their first arising from a throw in on the right that, again, Headstone were unable to clear. This time the shot came from the edge of the box and was lifted high over Daniel into the top corner.

Man of the match was a close contest between Thomas Green who worked tirelessly in the midfield and Daniel Lynch in goal. Daniel took the award because had it not been for the saves he had made Harlington might have sealed the win much earlier.