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Sat 31st Oct 2009
League
Sponsored by Les & Jean Robbins
TAFC First team 2-0 Haringey Borough
TAFC goals: Andy Mullins, Vincenzo Iannone |
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On a lovely autumnal afternoon, we kept our patience to eventual break down an obdurate Haringey defence and continue our great run of form which has seen us chalk up 18 points from our last 7 league games. The turning point came in the 67th minute when Phil Casserley brought on Andy Mullins and Vinnie Iannone and within 11 minutes the subs repaid the faith placed in them by scoring the two vital goals. Whether this was a tactical masterstroke or not what is clear is that Phil was bold enough to make the changes and he could not have wished for a swifter response.
Up to that point Haringey defended as if their lives depended on it but once their defences had been breached there was no way back for them. They came to defend, playing with one main striker and flooding the midfield. Once they fell behind they pushed forward but by then is was too little too late and they never really looked like scoring against a our solid defence. Looking at their record of only 16 goals scored in 14 league matches Haringey clearly have a problem in front of goal.
We first played Haringey back in the 2004/05 season and since then the North London side have always struggled in the Premier Division never finishing higher than 18th. However, we have always found them tough opponents, winning just twice in 8 encounters. Thus despite being 15 places below us in the table Haringey could look back with satisfactory on their previous trips to Tring including a 3-0 win in the same fixture last season. That must have given them hope and they certainly worked extremely hard to deny us time and space on the ball.
The first half was at times scrappy and the play fairly even although the best chances came our way. Danny Gray was causing problems down Haringey’s right flank and one of his crosses was missed by a defender and then the keeper which surprised Mark Burfoot who headed wide. Earlier Mark Burfoot saw his headed flick from a David Whicker throw cleared off the line by Billy Haspineall. Chris Salmon was unlucky to see his header come off the bar from a David Whicker cross following a short corner. Ashley Addison also hit the bar but the referee blew for a foul on Yannick Nlate, even though the keeper leaned over Ash and then dropped the ball. It seemed another case of a keeper being over protected.
Our team included Mike Underwood in goal in place of Tom Vincent who is away on holiday. He is our 4th keeper this season and was signed from Chesham United. The 20 year old must have enjoyed his debut as he was well protected by our defence, and he was only called upon to make one serious save when he had to get down quickly to a fiercely struck free kick from Billy Haspineall. Almost immediately the same Haringey player sent over a good free kick which Lloyd Opara headed over from a good position. But that was about the sum total of the visitors efforts on goal in the first half although they must have been disrupted by an injury to Andreas Loizou in the 20th minute, to be replaced by Melvin Thompson-Klass who also got himself injured following a crunching but fair tackle by Chris Salmon and was replaced nine minutes later by Junior Mumuni.
As the half came to a close Ashley Addison went close with a shot that just curled past the post then Tony Fields saw his hooked shot deflected wide after some good play by David Whicker. There wasn’t much to choose between the teams in the first 45 minutes, Haringey defended well and with some spirit and although we did have the better chances the half ended scoreless.
HT: TA 0 HB 0
There was a bit more urgency about our play in the second period and early on Ashley Addison’s flicked header from a dinked David Whicker free kick was cleared by a Haringey defender. It was Ashley Addison involved again when he beat the keeper to a lovely pass from Graham Hall and the subsequent cross into the danger area was headed clear by the visitor’s skipper Bosun Adebaki. Our back four looked secure but their offside trap was beaten by David Boal, the midfielder should have shot but hesitated and was robbed by David Salmon who quickly came to the rescue.
We were on top and pressing for an opening goal and there was a muted call for a penalty when Graham Hall appeared to be clipped from behind as he shaped to shoot, but the referee waved play on. Then came the substitutions with Andy Mullins and Vinnie Iannone coming on for Tony Fields and Ashley Addison and they had an immediate impact. Andy Mullins slipped the ball to Mark Burfoot whose shot brought out a good save from the visiting keeper who soon afterwards made another good save from Andy Mullins. David Whicker picked out Mark Burfoot with a great cross but he headed over. A goal was on the cards and it duly arrived in the 73rd minute. Skipper Graham Hall’s quality left foot cross picked out Vinnie Iannone and his header hit the bar. Fortunately Andy Mullins was on hand to head home the loose ball. Five minutes later it was all over when Danny Gray’s corner was superbly headed in at the near post by Vinnie Iannone.
That made the score 2-0 and although Haringey pushed forward we held on to the win and 3 more points.
FT: TA 2 HB 0
Despite the victory we dropped down a place to 5th in the table with Royston Town leapfrogging over us on goal difference after they thrashed Welwyn Garden City 8-0. This was a solid and deserved win and was our 4th clean sheet in our last 6 games. It was good to see Chris Salmon back from injury and there was a also a welcome return for Henry Thomas after missing 5 games. Keeper Mike Underwood had a good debut and although he wasn’t put under too much pressure he did well and his handling looked very assured. This win continues our good form but we have 2 tough tests coming up at home to Aylesbury on Tuesday night and away at Broxbourne Borough on Saturday. Those games will put into context how well we are doing.
Teams:
TA: Mike Underwood, Dave Salmon, Chris Salmon (Rob Duncan 71), Graham Hall (Capt), Steve Smith, Henry Thomas, Tony Fields (Andy Mullins 67), David Whicker, Mark Burfoot, Ashley Addison (Vinnie Iannone 67), Danny Gray. Subs not used: Keith Eldridge, Matt Myatt
HB: Yannick Nlate, Lloyd Mitchell, Billy Haspineall, Ioan Vranceanu, Bosun Adebaki (Capt), Andrew Julius, Andreas Loizou (Melvin Thompson-Klass 20) (Junior Mumuni 29), David Boal, Chima Eberendu, Lloyd Opara, Bertie James (George Ogbonna 81). Subs not used: Gabriel Nana- Owusu, Darren Coon.
Goals:
TA: Andy Mullins (73), Vinnie Iannone (78)
HB: -
Crowd: 81
HB Website: http://www.haringeyboroughfc.com
REPORT FROM HARINGEY BOROUGH WEBSITE
Game Details- Haringey Boro
Return To Game Schedule
Tring Athletic vs First Team
2 0
Location The Grass Roots Stadium
Date Oct 31, 2009
Time 3:00 pm
Type Spartan South Midlands League
Game Notes BOROUGH have traditionally done well at Tring Athletic’s Grass Roots Stadium and for most of the game it looked as if they might bring back at least a point on this occasion. But two quick goals well into the second half extinguished such hope. Tring dominated the game and the Borough defence was rarely relieved of pressure for any significant period. Little was seen of Borough as an attacking force in the first half when the home goal was never seriosly threatened. The keeper did spill a long range free kick by Billy Haspineall but no-one was on hand to take advantage. Borough were disrupted by an early injury to Andreas Loizou which necessitated hospital treatment including an overnight stay. His replacement, Melvin Thompson-Klass was forced to limp off after just a few minutes in action and Junior Mumuni then came on. Lloyd Opara and David Boal worked tirelessly to get Borough moving but it was Opara who headed Borough’s best chance of the half well over the bar. Tring forced Borough ‘keeper Yannick Nlate into regular action and despite a couple of shaky moments especially when Bosun Adebaki’s back header deceived him but drifted wide of the far post he was up to everything launched at him although wasteful Tring finishing from some close range opportunities and, on one occasion, the bar saved Borough. Just before half-time Haspineall had another chance from a free kick in a promising position but fired too high this time. Tring piled on the pressure after the interval and seemed sure to score an early goal until Lloyd Mitchell raced across from the right to blast the ball right off the line. Adebaki acrobatically headed another dangerous high cross shot clear and Nlate was in ever more regular action and did well to block two close range opportunities with his feet. Boal had a fine chance to put Borough ahead when he beat the offside trap but took slightly too long to get his shot away. Just when thought of a point was becoming a realistic possibility Andy Mullins finally nodded a header into the top corner after the ball had bounced around in the penalty area, and off the bar again, without a defender being able to clear effectively in the 73rd minute. Five minutes later the game was basically settled when an unchallenged Vinnie Iannone met a corner from the left at the near post and stooped to flick home his header. Tring relaxed somewhat and Borough did show more attacking initiative with Mumuni moved forward to join the erstwhile isolated Chima Eberendu in attack but when Eberendu was slipped into the clear for a fine chance on the left he took too long to control the ball and brought it into the middle where he was forced into a hasty scuffed shot which the ‘keeper easily collected. It could have been worse for debut making substitute George Ogbonna upended a striker right in the centre of the “D” in the closing seconds of injury time but Ioannone’s chipped effort sailed inches past the top of Nlate’s right hand post.
Borough squad:- Yannick NLATE, Lloyd MITCHELL, Billy HASPINEALL, Andrew JULIUS,
Bosun ADEBAKI, Ioan VRANCEANU, Andreas LOIZOU,
David BOAL, Chima EBERENDU, Lloyd OPARA, Bertie JAMES
Substitutes used:- Melvin THOMPSON-KLASS, Junior MUMUNI, George OGBONNA
Unused:- Gabriel NANA-OWOSU Darren COON |
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Despair - but watch for Mr Mullins...
Joy - ball (and keeper) in the back of net.
Vinnie's flick makes it 2-0
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