Town made the trip to Harold Wood Recreation Park on Saturday for a tough league game against title chasing Harold Wood. Following on from last weeks excellent performance, for probably the first team all season, the same starting 11 and formation was announced. With Stuart Dallaway, Flighty, Brez and Ready injured and Andy Allen and Rob Newman on holiday, the only sub available was Headon, who in the absence of regular lino’s Steve Neal & Scouse, offered to run the line proving what a good club man he is.

Town kicked down the slope in the first half and started where they left of last week and the opening phase was end to end stuff with both teams looking to be positive and get forward. After 12 minutes Wood took the lead with an excellent passing move which was finished with a powerful right foot shot that flew into the top corner from the edge of the box giving Chris Neal no chance, 1-0. Wood now started to look really threatening and with Town under the cosh only a brilliant save by Chris Neal and some sterling defensive work from Grandy, Dave Martin and Lodgey kept the deficit to just one goal. Up front, on the break, Jeater was causing problems for the Wood right back with his strong running. After 20 minutes Polley found some space in the box but shot agonisingly wide from a tight angle. Wood then scored again when Towns defence which up until then had looked quite solid went AWOL leaving a Wood player, 3 yards from goal, completely unmarked and he took full advantage of Town hospitality to head home, 2-0. To their credit Town didn’t buckle, and led forward by skipper Mark Neal and Sibbo in midfield, ably supported by Brad Merrick and Matt Macedo on the flanks they put the Wood goal under a bit of pressure and were rewarded, just before half time when Polley was fouled in the area and duly converted the resulting spot kick himself by sending the Wood keeper the wrong way, 2-1. It stayed that way until half time.

It was thought that it might actually be a bit easier to play up the slope in the second half as the ball might “hold up a bit” and sure enough this was the case and Town started to get the ball down a bit and early signs were good for an equaliser. After 10 minutes Town equalised with an excellent goal: Polley picked the ball up in midfield and drifted past a couple of Wood players before sliding the ball square to Sibbo, who hit a real first time screamer from fully 25 yards that never left the deck and flew into the net via a post, 2-2. The next 10 minutes were again end to end stuff and at this stage it looked anyone’s game. But then Wood gained the upper hand and started to apply some real pressure and Town were struggling to stay in the game. Then disaster struck not only of this game but for Sibbo personally – a Wood cross was played in and Sibbo went to clear it but collapsed in a heap in clear pain – The Town defence froze and the ball ran onto to a Wood player who scored by hooking the ball on the half volley into the net,3-2. Sibbo had to be replaced and we learned later in the weekend that he has ruptured his Achilles tendon and faces an operation and up to 2 months in plaster. A great shame for Sibbo who has only just returned to the fold and his strength, tackling, heading ability and all round abilities in the midfield area made him a more than useful addition. Headon replaced Sibbo and almost immediately got the ball down and passed it which in a very congested midfield area wasn’t an easy task. The injury to Sibbo did affect Town and they conceded again a few minutes later when their recently introduced sub cut in from the left and hit a fierce shot into the bottom corner, 4-2 and effectively game over. The final whistle went and although Town went home pointless and Wood deserved their win, Town can take real heart from this performance against, in my opinion and on the evidence of our two games against them, comfortably the best side we have played this season.

We wish Sibbo well in his recovery and my thanks again go to Chris Headon for running the line. Player of the match this week goes to Lodgey who was superb and narrowly edges out Dave Martin who was again, very good.

El Col