Town travelled to league title chasers Harold Wood on Saturday again missing numerous key players, including Andy Allen, Jeater, Lodgey, Nicky Evans and Flighty. The good news was the return of Brez, Dave Martin, Ready and Niki Love so Town were still able to field a strong side which is testimony to the progress made this season in terms of the strength of the squad as a whole. Chris Headon and Wiggy started on the bench.

Despite pre match discussion about the importance of starting the game well Town were, to put it bluntly, embarrassingly useless in the opening 15 minutes during which time Wood scored once and in all honesty could have scored five or six more – I would like to say that Towns resolute defending kept the score down but that would be lying; Wood missed a hatful of chances, some of them relative sitters at this level. So completely by luck rather than judgement Town came out of this spell still in the game and to be fair once they roused themselves they were at least equal with Wood and might even have just shaded the remainder of the first half. Brad Mills and Brez started to pass the ball around in the middle of the park and Town were in the ascendency without really creating any clear cut opportunities. Town were rewarded a minute or two before half time when they equalised: Niki Love and Ben Polley combined and Polleys exquisite cushion pass played in Niki Love who finished calmly from a tight angle by placing the ball under the advancing keeper, 1-1. Half time.

Town were slow out of the blocks for the second half and Wood dominated the opening few minutes before Town, slightly against the run of play, took the lead. Town earned a corner on the left which Polley fizzed in with pace to pick out Ready who scored with an absolute bullet of a header that almost drilled a hole straight through the Wood keepers chest, 1-2. Town were now in confident mood and passed the ball well keeping possession and looking the team most likely to score. After 15 minutes Brad Merrick was replaced by Wiggy and a minute later Brad Mills went down with a hamstring injury and had to be replaced with Chris Headon coming on in his place. Town continued to hold their own but the game then turned on its head in the space of 3 minutes; First of all Town went to sleep at a corner and allowed a run of the mill corner to go past everyone before finally arriving at the Wood strikers feet just 3 yards from goal and completely unmarked, 2-2; Just two minutes later Town conceded a penalty which was firmly despatched in to the top corner, 3-2. This knocked the stuffing out of Town and they were now reeling and Wood took control for the next few minutes. To their credit Town rallied and had a go at Wood in an attempt to grab a point but without success and to add insult to injury Wood scored again with virtually the last kick of the game to make it 4-2.

Summary: Apart from the opening 15 minutes when Town were woeful I thought we competed well against a very strong Harold Wood side and on another day might have got something out of the game. Must learn to remain concentrated at all times as all four goals could definitely have been avoided.

Player of the Match: Mark Neal who was a colossus and won what seemed like a thousand headers and tackles.

El Col