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Sat 18th Jul 2009
Friendly
Pitstone & Ivinghoe 2-4 TAFC First team
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Our 2nd pre-season friendly saw clinch a 4-2 win over our neighbours at Pitstone & Ivinghoe. It was a satisfying run out for the lads and it was good to see Dave Foskett, Andy Humphreys, Chris Salmon and Trevor Gibbs all returning after lengthy injuries last season. With Danny Gray also back in training it means we should have a full squad for the start of the season. Included in the starting line up was former Aylesbury Vale player Neil Roberts but we didn’t get to see much of him in action because he sustained an injury early on and was replaced after just 26 minutes. We will have to wait and see if he signs on as he would be a very good addition to the team. We also got to see 2 promising youngsters in action, namely Sam Logan in midfield and Jack Seaton at left back. Both did extremely well, with Sam getting on the score sheet, and they look great prospects for the future.
The game was not played at the Recreation Ground where the playing surface is excellent and this alternative pitch looked a little small and a bit bumpy. That didn’t seem to affect the home players who were very lively from the off. It took us a little while to settle but we took the lead after 9 minutes when Rob Duncan’s dribble appeared to have been halted but the ball fell kindly to Tony Fields who smashed a great shot past the keeper from the left hand edge of the area.
The goal settled us down and we played some nice football but our defence had to be alert to spirited attacks from the home side. Dave Clark wasn’t too troubled in goal but he had to get down low to a free kick with the loose ball being cleared by the ever reliable Steve Smith. We doubled our lead in the 19th minute when Andy Mullins robbed the defender and then sped down the right. The ball was picked up by Vinnie Iannone who knocked a lovely ball across goal for Mark Burfoot to head in just inside the left hand post. We had a couple of good opportunities to increase our tally before half time with Dave Salmon heading a corner powerfully at goal, but straight to the keeper, who did well a few minutes later to save from Andy Mullins after he was played through by a perceptive pass from Vinnie Iannone. After a slow start we came into the game strongly to take a commanding 2-0 lead into the break.
HT: P&I 0 TA 2
We made a lot of changes in the 2nd half and only Dave Salmon played the whole game. His brother Chris announced his arrival with 2 crunching tackles which demonstrated that his absence has not doused his enthusiasm and commitment.
Fifteen year old Jack Seaton looked very assured at left back and has a lovely touch on the ball and the way he drifted past his winger on several occasions showed he has a lot of talent. It only took 6 minutes into the 2nd half to increase our lead to 3-0 after Mark Burfoot showed great skill and strength to hold off the defender and then find Andy Humphreys whose right foot shot was blocked but the ball fell to his left and he made no mistake by shooting across the keeper into the far corner. Andy was one of the returning injured and it was great to see his prowess in front of goal has not diminished.
We then fell asleep at a free kick in the 54th minute to allow P&I to reduce the deficit to 3-1 although the overhead kick from Lloyd Lambert was sublime and would have done credit to a Brazilian. Two minutes later Dave Adamson and our defence got in a muddle to allow Mitch Hamilton to make the score 3-2. There seemed some doubt about whether it was offside or not but the Referee was satisfied it wasn’t and he gave the goal.
The game became a bit scrappy but in the 77th minute we made the score 4-2 with Sam Logan showing coolness beyond his years to shoot past the keeper. Sam showed a range of skills and ability that mark him out as one to watch in the future. After that it was the home keeper who kept the score down producing
some great saves to foil Trevor Gibbs, Vinnie Iannone and Andy Humphreys twice. In fact Andy could have had a hat-trick, rifling a left foot shot wide of the post after some neat inter-play between Ben Williams and Jack Seaton down the left. Dave Adamson was not required to produce any significant saves although we nearly got caught out from a free kick, an area we clearly need to tighten up on. The game ended in a 4-2 victory.
FT: P&I 2 TA 4
A good work out for both teams and although there is still a lot of work to do to get ready for the new season the position is looking very promising. P&I will also be pleased to get some game time under their belts and they showed a lot of character to pull the score back to 3-2 and on this performance they should do well in Division 2 and we wish them a successful season.
Team:
TA: Dave Clark (Dave Adamson 45), David Salmon, Rob Duncan (Jack Seaton 45), Graham Hall (Capt) (Dave Foskett 45), Steve Smith (Graham Hall 75), Neil Roberts (Sam Logan 26), Andy Mullins (Ben Williams 62), Vinnie Iannone (Andy Humphreys 45), Mark Burfoot (Vinnie Iannone 69), Matt Myatt (Chris Salmon 45), Tony Fields (Trevor Gibbs 45).
Goals:
P&I: Lloyd Lambert (54), Mitch Hamilton (56)
TA: Tony Fields (9), Mark Burfoot (19), Andy Humphreys (51), Sam Logan (77) |
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(No photos on file)
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