Report
The champagne will have to go on ice for a few more hours after the Lilywhites were mugged by Met. Police tonight. In real “game of two halves”, the boys in yellow put on a second half display as good as any seen by the best Division Two teams this season.
The visitors started brightly but within ten minutes the Lilywhites’ defence had quietened the Met’s main strike force of Prins and Cormack. For the home team, Hughes was instrumental in many of the opening attacks forcing keeper Alan more into making errors. On one occasion five minutes into the match, he drew the keeper out and shot. The ball was parried and fell to Snowsill 30 yards out, his first time shot hit the crossbar and went over.
The Lilywhites hit the crossbar twice more through Spencer Fletcher and once through Tilley from a long range free kick, but one sensed it was not to be their night as their attacks broke down around the edge of the Met’s penalty area and the Met were able to weather the storm.
The half finished with Hughes hooking over from close in. The Met came out for the second half with renewed vigour that could not be matched by the home side. For the first time in months we saw a team that could vary its play when the situation needed. Long high balls were mixed with fast flowing play around the Lilywhites’ area. The portent were manifest five minutes into the half when Cormack sneaked in at the near post to head just wide. Nine minutes later we saw the Met put together a fast flowing move that took Waugh across the front of the home goal to score from close range.
Jason Prins got the second on 75 minutes when he latched onto a central through ball with the home defence waiting for the offside whistle. Craig Morgan got down to smother the ball but could do nothing to prevent the second goal. Tommy Le almost scored on 78 minutes but it was not to be Leyton Pennant’s night.
The Lilywhites go to Hemel Hempstead tonight knowing that a point won by them or a point lost by Edgware will see them safe. There is also the goal difference equation now. A defeat for Hungerford or Cheshunt tonight or tomorrow when we will beat Banstead, will do the job just as well.