On a cold Wednesday evening, trinderbox, without the twinkle-toed midfield genius of Gomez and with Seb & Wade Ball working or injured. The game saw a rare start in midfield for the robust and uncompromising Wicksey. The game was played in a strong wind and with the constant threat of rain and potential failing light, the game commenced with immediate attacks from the visitors, with two chances missed. In fact it was a full 12 minutes before an excellent through ball from Mike Goodrum found George who easily slid the ball past the keeper after outstripping the defence for 1 – o.
Three minutes later, George threaded a pass to the advancing Calvin Marsden to fire home from short range and make it 2 – 0 after 15 minutes. It was an open game, and although Trinderbox were in the driving seat, Harrow again gave a good account of themselves and would not give up.
It was a further 17 minutes when Wicksey, revelling in his midfield role, spotted “G” and found him superbly for the in- form striker to score his 2nd & the teams’ third. The inevitable hat-trick came on 41 minutes for George when a rejuvenated Luke Rehman found him unmarked to score for the 4th goal for Trinderbox.
Virtually from the kick off, Harrow put together a well taken goal from their no. 10, who outstripped some sloppy defending that was caught napping and short after pressing for a 5th goal. This was with less than 42 minutes on the clock, but still there was time for a miss-cued clearance from the Harrow keeper, was controlled and put away by George for his 4th and the teams 5th goal, on 44minutes. Strange that Lee was then caught pressing forward and the defence was left exposed by a well taken goal just before half time, and bringing the score at H/T to 2 – 5 to the visitors.
Playing with the wind in the second half, and with the defence now having to contend with the heavy tundra grass in their own penalty box, compared to the more gentle wispy grass of the stadiums’ north end. However the first goal of the half went to Harrow to make it 3 – 5 on 49 minutes.
Normal service was however resumed when the industrious hard work of Luke Rehman was repaid with an excellent pass to Wayne Deane who made it 6 – 3 on 60 minutes. Harrow were now on the ropes but refused to lie down, trying to play and change the unchangeable, inevitable Trinderbox victory. A through ball by Lee gave Wayne an opportunity to score his second goal and he took it with ferocious power on 67 minutes to make it 7 – 3.
It was really one way traffic now, and the game was wrapped up by a goal of tremendous vision when the hard working & skilful Calvin Marsden looked up, and from fully 40 yards struck a shot of unrivalled quality power and accuracy to beat the keeper and make the final score 8 – 3.
It was a quality game conducted in the right spirit by both sides, and an excellent advert for the quality of football in division 5 of the Alliance League.
Bring on Sunday & Kormaska!!!
Steve Kirk.
