Three Points Brings Early Christmas Cheer
Three points at Cockfosters brought much needed early Christmas cheer to United as they fought to put
two nightmare performances out of their minds to ensure they took maximum points from a side below them
in the table.
The return of Martin Russell and Andre Maltay to the United line up provided the steel that was clearly
lacking in their two previous encounters but manager Nick Burton was still low on strength with both Sam
Brown and Nick Stillwell both called in to work.
United started strongly and despite the heavy bumpy surface they were still able to play some neat
one touch football around the Cockfosters’ penalty area. However it took an amazingly scrappy goal
to give United the lead in the 12th minute. The Foster's keeper, Chay Morris, made a real hash of trying
to clear a free kick from United’s Michael Scarisbrick and then twice dropped strikes from Jake Goodship
and Robbie O’Dell but at the third attempt Goodship managed to stroke the ball home from close range.
The game then swung from end to end with Foster’s Ben Andreos going close with an overhead kick and
United 'keeper Chris Adams conjured up a magical save in the 19th minute preventing a long range strike
from Andreos from finding the top corner of the net.
At the other end Michael Leon hit wide followed by Jason Darvall who volleyed over after an excellent
fine man move through the middle of the park.
But with a minute of the half remaining United’s hard work became undone with a high ball over the midfield
that fell between United defender Luke Jones and his keeper and Foster’s Dan O’Connor made the most of
the youngsters’ indecision lobbing over Adams to take the sides in level.
Within three minutes of the second half United regained the lead. A perfect corner from Leon zipped across
the six yard area to centre half Simon Catmur who stabbed the ball home for 1-2.
However ten minutes later a rash challenge from Scarisbrick in the United penalty area gave the Foster's
the chance to level from the spot but once again Adams saved the day for United with a penalty save from
Andreos that had even the home supporters applauding.
A further lapse in concentration saw another chance created for the home side as striker Dan Curbelo was
allowed to run unchallenged from the half way line but he blasted over when clear on goal.
United finally saw daylight with their third and best of the day. A crossfield pass from O’Dell found
Darvall on the right flank and he slipped the ball through the Foster’s defence to Leon who finished
with an inch perfect ball in to Craig Rydeheard’s path and the experienced striker made no mistake volleying
home from ten yards out for 1-3.
With the hosts down to ten men following the dismissal of Lee Barker after having thrown a punch at
Goodship United should have consolidated and made the most of the extra man for the remaining fifteen
minutes. Instead they went AWOL and O’Connor punished them once again with a low drive through a
crowded area and pulled the hosts back in to the game.
But in the final five minutes ‘keeper Morris presented United with another pre-Christmas gift when he
came charging out to clear a pass from substitute David Parker but missed the ball completely leaving
Dan Gaskin to tap the ball in to an empty net to seal the 2-4 victory to United.
This Saturday United travel to Hertford Town who will no doubt be out to avenge the shock 1-0 defeat at
the hands of struggling Ruislip Manor last Saturday.
United: Adams, Scarisbrick, Jones, Catmur, Maltay, Russell, Darvall, Leon (Parker), O’Dell (Gaskin), Rydeheard, Goodship.
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