Evo-Stick Southern 1 Central
Saturday 17th December 2016
This was a game that could, should have seen plenty more goals than the two that were registered but a combination of good goalkeeping, profligate finishing from both sides and a couple of strange Refereeing decisions kept the score down. The Saints scored early and late in the first half to secure the three points on an afternoon that was a disappointing one from our point of view.
The home side started strongly and put us under pressure from the off with Kofi Lockhart-Adams and Tyrone Pink finding space and causing problems from wide positions. Within ten minutes they were ahead, Lockhart-Smith getting away from his marker on the left side to fire a shot high into the far corner.
Histon started to settle after quarter of an hour or so and began to offer a threat going forward. Max York’s glancing header from Kieran Barnes’ free kick was inches wide with Al-Droubi in the Saints goal beaten. Al-Droubi was beaten again soon after when Allan cut inside his defender before sending a curling right-footed shot goalwards that cannoned back out off the crossbar.
James Carman was next to be denied when A-Droubi fumbled a pick up with the striker bearing down on him. Carman flicked the ball round the keeper but the Referee’s whistle blew just as the striker was about to roll the ball home. Foul, apparently.
Despite our spell of pressure the home side were always a threat when they came forward but although they got themselves into good positions a number of times, their final ball was letting them down and Conroy was mostly untroubled. That changed just before the break though when Tyrone Pink got away down the right hand side before cutting inside Sibanda and firing a shot past Conroy to double the home side’s lead.
That was a blow to say the least but within seconds of the re-start it could easily have been 2-1 and game on. Gould and Allan combined well on the right and Gould’s inviting cross just needed a touch at the far post but the stretching Carman couldn’t quite get there. Almost immediately the ball was in our area and it should have been 3-0 and game over. A cross from the right was headed back across goal. Conroy was beaten but the onrushing forward wasn’t able to apply the finish and somehow the ball was cleared, a real let off.
As the half wore on Conroy was called into action more than once but each time the keeper showed he was equal to the task with a series of good saves. At the other end we continued to chase the goal that would get us back into it and Yeomans was the next to be denied. The striker pressured Al-Droubi near the goal line and for the second time the home keeper fumbled his pick up under pressure. Yeomans took the ball off him before being dragged down and the Referee’s whistle duly sounded for the penalty. However the whistle was not for a penalty but for a foul by Yeomans, a somewhat bemusing decision to say the least.
Undeterred the Histon front line continued to push for the goal that would make the last 15 minutes interesting but the home side were still carving out chances of their own, Pink wasting the best of them blasting over from close range whilst his fellow forwards continued to squander good positions. When they were on target though Conroy kept them at bay to keep our chances alive.
Kieran Barnes went close when cutting inside from the left, his right foot shot flashing past Al-Droubi’s far post and later Yeomans rounded the keeper but with defenders covering the striker’s shot was blocked and cleared.
In added time Yeomans got behind the defence again but Al-Droubi was equal to it this time, making a good save to preserve his clean sheet and deny us a late consolation goal.
Histon: Niall Conroy, Adam Capel, Elkanah Sibanda, Simon Unwin, Max York, Cameron Watson, Danny Gould (Ben Yeomans 56), Ross Munro, James Carman (Josh Coley 73), Kieran Barnes, Matty Allan (Aysa Ourtilbour 77)
Histon subs not used: Daniel McGinty.
Histon yellow cards: None.
Chalfont St Peter: Hafed Al-Droubi, Ryan Wharton (Alex Paine 73), Jack Mullan, George Fenton, Adam Kirby, Davis Haule (Luke Maguire 85), Tyrone Pink, Alan Hedley, Craige Tomkins (Chris Henry 64), Kofi Lockhart-Adams, Dean McDonnell.
Chalfont St Peter subs not used: Conrad Joseph, Harry Bailey.
Chalfont St Peter yellow cards: Ryan Wharton.
Chalfont St Peter goal scorers: Kofi Lockhart-Adams (9), Tyrone Pink (43).
Attendance: 51
