Waltham Forest 1 – 3 Potters Bar Town

BOTH teams created several chances but Potters Bar were more decisive in front of goal and recovered from an early goal conceded to take all three points, writes Tony Brazier.

Lewis Collins was the liveliest forward on display and gave Forest an early warning with a shot just off target after only four minutes.

Forest responded quickly and from a free kick following a foul on Ryan Hall, Ashley Taylor-Forbes forced a good save from Shane McWeeney. Not to be denied Forest took the lead on nine minutes from a corner by Taylor-Forbes involving interplay with Charlie Simpson the final cross being met by Ryan Hall who placed his header just inside the post.

The home side’s lead was short-lived and Potters Bar were level on 15 minutes when Elvis Balic forced his way through the home defence to place his shot wide of Jason Willis in the home goal.

Forest tried to regain the lead and Taylor-Forbes cross shot was inches wide, Marquin Smith went close and a Brian Okwera shot hit the bar. Potters bar countered and Aaron Ferdinand went close on a couple of occasions while Collins forced a good save from Willis. Just before the break Okwera brought a fine save from McWeeney at the other end.

Potters Bar took the lead just four minutes after the interval when Tom Pett played a through ball to Jose Espinoza who beat the offside trap and drove a well placed shot wide of Willis.

Forest stormed back with Taylor-Forbes and Simpson just wide of the target and McWeeney again saving from Okwera.

Pett went close for Potters Bar and Des Thomas made a last ditch challenge to deny Collins. Espinoza headed wide of the target, but on 68 minutes Collins beat Jamie Haywood and Thomas before chipping the ball over Willis from a tight angle for the visitor’s third goal.

Forest should have reduced the arrears, but amazingly Lawrence Yiga missed the goal when unmarked from close in and that summed up the home side’s finishing. 
Pett forced a corner from which Chris Doyle’s well – placed shot was saved by Willis.

Yiga again saw his shot go wide of the target when played in by Taylor-Forbes, but the final action saw Willis dive at the feet of Collins to deny Potters Bar a fourth goal.

On Saturday Potters Bar are at home to Great Wakering Rovers while Forest visit Ware.