Enfield Borough 0: Amersham Town 1.
Amersham games this season have rarely been boring and this one was no exception.
In a gusty wind Enfield almost literally shot themselves in the foot within the first minute. With the ball close to the touch line an Enfield forward suddenly, and without provocation, launched a full blooded kick at the Amersham defender for an obvious and immediate red card.
Not surprisingly Amersham then tended to be in the ascendancy for most of the half and created a number of clear cut chances. On eight minutes Reon Thomas made room for a shot which was heading for the far corner until Kacper Wojcik in the Enfield goal pulled off an acrobatic save to turn the ball over the bar. After that, for much of the half, Amersham pressed but wanted one touch too many before shooting. Enfield, with some clever mid-field players, relied more on quick breaks but Town keeper, Mackenzie Taylor, was rarely troubled as the Amersham defence held their shape well.
With ten minutes of the half remaining Thomas had another chance to put Town in the lead when a ball caught in the wind and drifted over the Enfield defence. In trying to lob Wojcik, however, he put the ball over the bar.
With the wind tending to favour them in the second half and with Enfield beginning to tire from the absence of the eleventh man, Amersham continued to pile on the pressure. After seven minutes Wallace broke through but his goal bound shot was deflected wide. The only goal of the game arrived in the fifty ninth minute. Town substitute Tom Littleboy broke through the centre and forced a fine diving save from Wojcik. He, however, could only palm the ball out to the onrushing Wallace who drove it into the net.
Enfield continued to play some good football to open up the Amersham defence. But with Kyle Clifford and Luke Symons holding firm in the centre and aided by some wayward shooting from the Enfield forwards, Amersham kept their goal intact for the first time in the league this season.
Amersham Town. Taylor, Aldridge, Deritis, Hagan, Clifford, Symons, Grant, Nott, Thomas, Al-Murtada, Wallace. Subs: Andrews, Beaumont, Devall, Littleboy, Spence.
Ampthill Town 3: Amersham Town 3.
Was this one point gained or two points lost? With the wind behind them Amersham were leading by three goals at the break but then conceded three in the second half.
Amersham went ahead after only six minutes. Tom Littleboy put through a fine ball to Reon Thomas but Ampthill keeper, Devon Phelan, saved well at the expense of a corner. The resulting cross was not cleared and Seldyn Grant knocked the ball home. They increased their lead four minutes later. From a Littleboy free kick on the right centre back Kyle Clifford glanced the ball into the far corner of the net with a header worthy of any forward.
With three minutes to the break Amersham went further ahead when another through ball from Littleboy found Thomas clear thirty yards out. He ran in on goal, pursued by three defenders, to slip his shot past Phelan.
As was to be expected Ampthill came out strongly after the break. Amersham were not helped during the half by losing Mike Hagan and Kyle Clifford, two key players, to injury. After numerous Ampthill corners the home team finally bundled one home after fifteen minutes. They continued to press hard and scored a second six minutes later. The ball was moved wide the left and Amersham failed to clear the resulting low cross enabling Danny Butler to strike home.
Although under severe pressure Amersham still mounted some dangerous counter attacks. On eighty three minutes Alec Wallace was put through on the right and only a fine save from Phelan, deflecting at full stretch the ball just wide of the post, prevented Amersham increasing their lead. The final goal, however, arrived in controversial circumstances with six minutes left to play. On the right the Ampthill winger hit an intended cross which hit Paolo Deritis, close marking the winger, on the foot and then hand, After a prolonged consultation with his assistant the referee awarded a penalty which Ash Mead despatched with ease.
After the game there was depression the Amersham changing room at the failure to clinch the victory. They can console themselves, however, with the thought that they have taken four points from the two recent away games. Next Saturday they are at home to London Lions, kick off 3.00pm.
Amersham Town. Taylor, Aldridge, Deritis, Hagan, Clifford, Symons, Grant, Littleboy, Thomas, Al-Murtada, Wallace. Subs: Andrews, Beaumont, Devall, Bone, Spence.
