Initial problems with the team bus didn’t auger well for a tip-top performance, but both sides lined up in confident mood following recent good performances. In fact this was the best game of football seen since last year’s Cup Final and both teams did themselves proud!
There were some minor changes to the Old Herts line-up with Lee Stebbings back to centre back and there was strong subs bench as well.
Dylan Potts, who missed last week’s fixture soon found what he was missing when he received a Buntingford hand in his face and a free kick was given. The early attacks came from the “azzurri” and a neat triangle was played between Rob Matthews, Chris Burman and Potts down the left wing.
Want made a strong run to keep the pressure on Wanderers, but Green was soon made to make a strong interception as Buntingford came into the game and they had the first chance of the match with the loose ball being cleared from the Old Herts penalty area by Potts.
Chris Burman was fouled in midfield and from Stebbing’s free kick Want and Konnor Smith were able to play a one-two, forcing the Buntingford keeper into his first save.
Rob Matthews pushed a ball forward to Want, who in turn found Potts, whose cross went straight across the Buntingford penalty area. It was a frantic opening to the game with both sides finding the swirling wind challenging. From a Bolton goal kick Potts brought the ball down well and laid it off to Chris Burman for him to shoot from long range.
Buntingford’s biggest threat at this stage of the game was the long throw and one such effort went all the way over the Old Herts penalty area.
A throw-in from Matthews allowed Potts to cross to Chris Burman and his header found Cutbush, who was unable to capitalise on the opportunity.
Stebbings was forced to provide some good defending and Green made the clearance before another Buntingford long throw was gathered safely by Bolton. Rob Burman came into the game with a strong header that found Potts who sent Smith through, but he couldn’t gather the ball.
Rob Burman and Green, a bulwark in defence combined well to stop a Buntingford breakaway attack, before Old Herts were unlucky not to break the deadlock when Cutbush set up Smith then Potts made a good run causing a mad scramble in the Buntingford penalty area.
Rob Burman then received the first talking to of the match from the referee for going through the back of his opponent (what was his number again, Rob?).
An enterprising quick throw in from Smith to Potts set himself up for a fierce shot that was well saved by the Buntingford keeper. Buntingford came quickly back into the game and after a slick passing movement they had a long shot that was well handled by Bolton. A free kick given away by a Christian foul was easily dealt with and Smith made a determined run to take the game back up the pitch. Potts who caused Buntingford problems all game managed to shuffle the ball onto his left foot but his powerful shot was deflected wide.
However on 40 minutes Buntingford’s second tactic, the breakaway attack led to Old Herts undoing when a long ball down the middle found a Buntingford forward who smashed the ball home leaving Bolton with no chance. Chris Burman joined his brother in being spoken to by the referee as he remonstrated with his defenders in a foul and certainly offensive manner!
Buntingford Wanderers 1 Old Herts Athletic 0
Retaliation came swiftly from Old Herts when Rob Burman knocked a long ball to Cutbush who found Smith with the ball coming back to Cutbush to shoot just wide, just as the first half ended.
Manager Jim Reeves rang the tactical changes at the break bringing Rob Djemal on for Rob Burman, Scott Brinkley on for Want and swapping Christian and Potts on the wings. This gave Old Herts better passing options from fullback and some added aggression in midfield.
This nearly paid immediate dividends when Chris Burman after battling with his opposite number ten in midfield gave the ball to Smith upfront who laid the ball off to Potts, who now cut in onto his favoured left peg and his rasping shot just narrowly curled past the Buntingford post, with their keeper nowhere in sight!
Djemal, Christian, Potts and Smith now combined well in a passing movement that sent Cutbush through to force a corner. Buntingford gained a corner of their own but it was well cleared by Matthews and there was some quality defending by Green turning defence into attack as Old Herts upped both the tempo and the pressure. This pressure was bound to pay off and so it did on 57 minutes when a cross from Stebbings was allowed by the tentative Buntingford defence to bounce in their penalty area and Smith snatched on the loose ball to head home!
Buntingford Wanderers 1 Old Herts Athletic 1
Christian was then crudely taken out near the touch line and the cynical Buntingford defender was lucky to escape with just a talking to by the referee. Old Herts were nearly the architects of their own downfall though when a careless back pass let Buntingford in for a shot on goal, which produced the best save of the game, Bolton having to dive smartly low to his right.
Brinkley had a long shot on goal, but Buntingford were coming strongly back into the game, although another late tackle this time on Stebbings showed their concerns about not having things their own way.
Chris Burman won the ball determinedly in midfield and again found Smith, who played the ball to Potts for him to shoot just wide.
I’m not sure what Stebbings had done to the Buntingford team but he was kicked in the face then taken out twice in less than 3 minutes as Buntingford started to cut up rough!
Old Herts were now running the show but were finding the killer ball elusive as it became apparent that the first team to make a mistake now would lose the game. The fixture nearly came to its’ climax as Burman’s header sent Smith through yet again, Potts crossed the ball and Cutbush’s diving header was somehow clawed away by the keeper before Smith’s instinctive shot from the rebound went tantalising wide!
So it ended honours even and Buntingford remain 1 point ahead in the race for the title but it left Old Herts feeling that if they’d taken the initial lead the 3 points would have been theirs.
