BARTON ROVERS 1 POTTERS BAR TOWN 3: MATCH REPORT...

Rovers Out-thought By Eager Scholars

Barton Rovers 1 Potters Bar Town 3 

Match videos also @ You Tube: click here...

The visitors deservedly took home three points from Sharpenhoe Road, playing the better passing game and eventually, after some poor first-half shooting, they found the net three times after the interval, up the Barton slope. The hosts rarely got going but after three players were withdrawn, at 0-2, the replacements added some spark at least, especially Bernard Christie but in truth Town were denied a definite penalty, when home 'keeper Kyle Forster upended striker Evandro Delgado, as he was about to score. The referee gave a goal-kick, didn't caution Delgado, so the fall, with the goal at his mercy, was not considered deliberate and the errant linesman, who had been several yards behind the play four times in the second period, allowing the Scholars' James Ewington to carry on from offside positions, failed to signal the spot-kick for some inexplicable reason. Much of the creativity came from Town, with Rovers looking to free striker Rob Hastings, launching long balls through the channels. It didn't work, for Hastings' finishing was generally as wayward as Potters Bar's had been before the break but at least Barton made a game of it late on, missing three decent opportunities, although the visitors might have added to their tally too. I was really warmly welcomed by the Barton officials and I shall not forget that, despite the defeat beneath the Sharpenhoe Clappers, possibly the only real applause Rovers received for their lack-lustre performance.

Andrews and Bowditch toss...

Tayo Davis-Coker, a strong defender for the guests, marshalled the running Hastings to prevent a shot at goal in the opening moments but the Scholars threatened when Ash Harrison-Barker's feed was turned wide by Delgado from 17 yards, following a bout of educated passing. A horrible shot by Town's busy midfielder Tom Laxton spluttered wide from a right-side delivery and from a left-wing throw, Scholar Cole Penny sliced an effort high and wide, spoiling yet more industry from his team. Sonny Feltwell went in hard on Rovers' Liam McDevitt, who felt UNwell after the challenge but at last, the hosts looked livelier, as Hastings battled to head McDevitt's centre past the far post, although Bobby Dance seemed better positioned behind his colleague. Dance then flicked a smart pass for McDevitt to drive in a low centre but Hastings looked like he had roped feet as Friend chaperoned him at the near upright and the chance was scorned.

Luke Knight watches...

Davis-Coker missed a high Barton kick but no Rover moved and Mike Underwood, the visiting goalie collected the bouncing ball under no threat at all, then Dance fouled Davis-Coker with aplomb. I enjoyed watching Davis-Coker in this game more than I ever enjoyed watching Nigel Reo-Coker play at Villa but that's neither here, nor there... Hastings curled a shot past the left upright from 22 yards for Rovers but then Josh Hutchinson skewed well off target for the guests, following a pass from Ewington and by this juncture, the game was labouring in the spring sunshine and the Sharpenhoe Clappers looked more exciting. Ricky Case, working behind forwards Hastings and Dance, was quite involved for the hosts but his efforts faded to dispossession much of the time, but then Harrison-Barker passed to Laxton, whose shot was lax again, a sliced effort way off target. Dance fed Case at inside-right but from a promising position he was again crowded out, leaving Town to break on the left, where Delgado back-heeled for Ewington to clip a decent effort towards the far post, which dropped onto the roof of the net.

Bobby Dance is convinced that the ball has a mind of its own...

Ah, under control at last...
But Tayo is in the way...

After another Barton move broke down, the ball broke left again for Potters Bar and although Laxton's shot was partially blocked, the ball looped upwards for Hutchinson to lift goalwards, onside, but his effort dropped again onto the roof of the net. A low Delgado drive from 19 yards drifted across the face of Barton's goal, McDevitt headed a Luke Abraham corner across the face of  the Scholars' goal then Hastings fastened onto a ball played through the centre but Underwood was out quickly to block well with his falling torso. A long Potters Bar ball saw Delgado beat Abraham on the fight-flank, cut inside but miscue a disappointing shot for Forster to pick up after a small fumble at the near post. Hutchinson drove a loose ball over the Barton crossbar again, after Delgado had mugged Kevin Kilroy and it only remained for Hastings to nudge the ball forward for Case, but in this case, Case was adjudged offside. Open and shut case, then... Half-time was signalled, the players trooped off to the silence of the Clappings and I spoke to Jack Friend's dad on the touchline. I had been invited into the VIP lounge for a cuppa but I felt it an imposition, so I changed the batteries in my camera instead. Good job I did, for the second period was more worth filming short clips of.

Ewington, a yard or so offside, the first of four such infringements, yet not once spotted by the embarrassed linesman in front of me, won a corner, which was cleared by Barton, but then when Delgado picked up possession, his 25 yarder was off target. Delgado played spiritedly and caused Paul Andrews and Peter Gatti, the home central defenders, some real problems, which in turn led to Hutchinson finding more space and he would soon capitalise. A wild slice by a home defender let in Delgado but Forster advanced to block well with his legs, conceding a corner from which the visitors netted their first and well deserved goal. The flag-kick was cleared but then the ball was clipped back across goal from inside-right by Penny and Friend rose over Luke Knight to smack a demonstrative 6 yard downward header into the bottom right corner of the net. The joy was palpable.

Goal for Jack Friend, er Foe...

A miscue by Kilroy, as Barton reeled, let in Hutchinson on the right but his shot powered into the side-netting, despite support in the centre. And then Potters Bar struck again; a short free-kick appeared to unsettle the hosts, the ball was clipped forward by Ewington and Gatti's awkward back-header skidded against his own left post, wrong-footing the defence and as the ball rolled into the centre of the goalmouth, Hutchinson was on hand to stroke the rebound home from 5 yards.

Hutchinson has added goal 2 for the Scholars...

Desperate plight, desperate action...

Hastings did shoot into goal for Barton, but from an offside position, then he lifted a great chance past the right upright, as Underwood advanced and that miss signalled the end for Hastings, also Abraham and Kilroy, who were replaced by Jermaine Hall, Bernard Christie and Rhys Hoenes. McDevitt was unable to reach a far post cross by Hoenes but the substitutes had hardly settled in when Andrews handled, offering Potters Bar the gift of a penalty, which Hutchinson fired confidently, right-footed, into the bottom right corner of the net. 0-3 and Rovers were surely beaten.

Hutchinson's penalty has made the game safe for Potters Bar...

Immediately, however, the hosts pulled a goal back and it was the strong running of Christie, a feature of his short appearance, which provided the opportunity. He ran on the left, crossed low and Hall challenged at the near post with defender Friend and the ball flashed past the helpless Underwood into the net.

1-3, but not much of a consolation for Rovers...

Hutchinson and Delgado began to look more dangerous on the break, as Barton attacked in desperation and they set up Laxton but the midfielder fell and handled in the penalty-box. Ewington, Delgado and Hutchinson combined well again for the visitors but Hutchinson's final shot was wasteful, with Delgado unmarked behind him. Hall then found himself alone, like Hastings had earlier and he repeated his colleague's error, lobbing off target for Rovers. The brilliantly named Frankie Lane replaced the industrious Ewington for Town, Delgado and Hutchinson threatened but neither could find a shot and Tobi Akinjirrin, who I saw strike an upright three times in four shots during the pre-match warm-up, replaced Penny. Penny, Lane? Is there a song in the air? Hall was warned for a foul, as Potters Bar broke centrally, then Akinjirrin nodded a long ball on for Delgado, who cut inside and into the penalty-box, veered left past Forster but just as he was about to shoot, appeared to be tripped by the 'keeper's dive; incredibly, neither the referee, nor the linesman signalled a penalty. I was aghast. So was the unfortunate Delgado.

Delgado cannot believe he hasn't been awarded a penalty...

Dance set up Hall, who  dragged a poor shot wide from a good position for Rovers, then Christie sent a disappointing far post header into the side-netting, from Knight's fine left-wing centre. Alex Shepherd replaced Delgado for the guests as time ran out and it only remained for Hutchinson to test Forster from 20 yards, a shot which the goalie fell right for and grasped. Potters Bar looked relieved as well as excited at the end but Barton Rovers looked ragged and were distressed by the outcome. They deserved no points, to be fair.

Happy Scholars...

Bet the officials were asked a few demanding questions at the end...

I drove home to Solihull, glared at by the rain falling in the distance, as I negotiated the M1 motorway... I met my son for a meal in Knowle too and told me he had put a £2 bet on ten teams to win; Newcastle, QPR and Bournemouth all scored winning goals in the closing moments, leaving only Manchester United to wait on... My son was a happy bunny as he gulped his chicken balti.

It's what he does...

A pleasant light...

Teams:

Barton Rovers:  Kyle Forster, Liam McDevitt, Luke Abraham; Peter Gatti, Paul Andrews (Capt), Kevin Kilroy; Luke Knight, Joe Reynolds, Rob Hastings, Ricky Case, Bobby Dance.

Subs: Jermaine Hall, Bernard Christie, Keshi Anderson, Rhys Hoenes, Niran Vaughan. 

Potters Bar:  Mike Underwood, Ash Harrison-Barker, Sonny Feltwell; Tom Laxton, Tayo Davis-Coker, Jack Friend; Cole Penny, Ben Bowditch (Capt), Evandro Delgado, Josh Hutchinson, James Ewington.

Subs: Tobi Akinjirrin, Frankie Lane, Alex Shepherd, Liam Magwood.