Sunday 19 November 2017

Harpenden Town 2 v 2 Leighton Town

Saturday 18th November 2017
Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Rothamsted Park, Huntingdon
Admission: £6.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 79
Match Rating: 3


Needing to be back in my home area by early evening, I needed to visit a ground that was quick to get to by train, and not far from the train station. Rothamsted Park fitted the bill, with an interesting looking match between two fairly local rivals, who are both going well in the league so far this season.




Rothamsted Park is about a ten minute walk westwards from Harpenden train station, via the town centre, and the ground is located down a small lane from a large council pay and display car park, on the edge of a large attractive park which contains the town's various indoor and outdoor recreational facilities. The clubhouse is situated outside of the ground and was refurbished a couple of years ago, with a clean, fresh and bright look but is hardly cosy nor spacious. Spectators then enter the ground in one corner, paying admission at a picnic table. There is actually a standalone old-fashioned turnstile to one side of the entrance, but it appears to have been long since out of use. The ground itself is basic, but it does has a nice rural and perfectly adequate feel to it. The only spectator facility is a stand straddling the half way line, containing three rows of bench seating, with a couple of steps to stand on to the rear. This centenary stand, erected in





Hard standing is available around the rest of the pitch, with trees giving the ground a pleasantly naturally enclosed feel to it. The programme was very basic, an eight page insert for today’s game inside a 16 page generic shell printed on stiffened glossy paper and with an attractive cover. The insert covered the basics, the shell covered the advertising although it did have a comprehensive history of the club and brief history of the league.





This promised to be a close match, with Harpenden cooking into this game in fourth place, Leighton in fifth, with two points separating the two teams. Harpenden, who were promoted as runners' up last season, came into this match in great form, winning their last seven league games, following a 4-1 defeat at today's visitors, Leighton Town. Overall, Harpenden had won nine and drawn two of their 13 league games. Leighton were also in very good form, winning their last five league games (as well as sealing progress to Round Three of the FA Vase, and overall had won eight and drawn three of their 13 league games.






On a disappointingly overcast and dank afternoon, with drizzle of varying intensity, this was a certainly lively match, an end-to-end affair for long spells, plenty of feistyness on show with some strong tackles and an inconsistent referee, and a heavy surface generally making long balls more productive than trying to pass the ball along the floor. After the visitors made the stronger start, it was Harpenden who took the lead on 7 minutes following a quick counter-attack. The ball was eventually passed low from the right for James Yates to tap in at the far post. But on 14 minutes, the score were level, a perfectly judged low ball forward found the run of Tom Silford, who ran towards goal and showed good composure to slow the ball low past the keeper. Both sides then created some good chances, but it was Leighton who took the lead on 35 minutes. A free kick from close to the corner flag was met with a glanced header by Alex O'Brien to guide the ball into the net. Overall, the visitors certainly deserved their narrow lead at the break.



The second half did not see so many clear-cut chances, but was still played with plenty of passion, with some rather ugly tackles going in. On 75 minutes, Harpenden levelled the scores, following a long hoofed ball forward. Dave Keenleyside took control of the ball before cutting back and firing the ball low past the keeper. Both teams tried to find a winner in the remaining minutes but it never looked likely, and overall a point apiece was probably a fair result.




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