Home to Harold Wood (4 - 2)

I hope everyone reading this is sitting down as I have some truly shocking news to share with you all.On Saturday the VETS entertained Harold Wood Athletic and Martin Treadway did NOT score.I'll just let that sink in for a moment....Okay off we go.We returned to the Peter May centre,hoping to get revenge for our only league defeat so far,a closely contested 3-2 on the second Saturday of the season.The contrast in conditions between the two games could not have been more marked the earlier fixture taking place on a warm and sunny September afternoon.But,despite the poor state of the playing surface,the game got the go-ahead.For a change we started brightly and certainly got to grips with the conditions better than our visitors.Outside of the central quagmire the ball zipped around on a very wet surface enabling us to create some promising openings.Our possession was rewarded on 10 minutes when a short corner from Martin was collected by DARREN FOSS whose crisp left footed strike found the back of the net for 1-0..for the next twenty minutes the game played out fairly evenly with Harold Wood(..the team,not someone called Harold Wood) wasting some good opportunities to draw level.As the half drew to close our guests

seemed to find another gear and,frustrated,we fell into a bout of moaning and finger pointing which was only put to an end by the half-time whistle..

H-T score HALE END ATHLETIC 1 HAROLD WOOD ATHLETIC 0

With a full compliment of subs,we entered the second period with a distinct advantage over the Essex men,who had been reduced to a bare eleven in the first half.The introduction of some fresh legs and lungs saw the game swing back our way.The conditions began to take their toll on the visitors and once again we began to look dangerous.So it came as no surprise when we doubled our lead,MT skillfully escaping his marker down the right-hand flank before passing inside to an almost shocked TAJU OYEDEJI who,despite a double-take to the ball at his feet,tucked the ball into the goal for 2-0...There are some games that you know you are going to win.Wood were visibly deflated.We kicked up a gear,and a rash challenge on Suhail in the penalty box resulted in the award of a penalty,coolly put away by HALIL HASSAN for 3-0...Home and dry?Not quite.But we did have to do the visitors job for them,an un-named Porsche driver glancing a corner past his own keeper for 1-3.Back up the other end a sumptuous free-kick from HALIL HASSAN restored our three goal cushion and capped a fine second half display for him.4-1..yet with minutes remaining a speculative shot from a Harold Woodsman was diverted from its safe journey to Doodesy's

arms by an un-named cleaning company director(and Porsche driver,co-incidentally)..Gary's despairing hand not getting enough of the ball to keep it out...cue re-start,cue whistle.

Final Score : HALE END ATHLETIC 4 HAROLD WOOD ATHLETIC 2

Videos of the goals and photos of the action here;

http://www.haleendafcvets.co.uk/gallery/season-2012---2013

It's hard to say whether the score-line flattered us or Harold Wood.We certainly deserved to win and despite our late wobble,once we had got two goals ahead the outcome was never in doubt.That makes 7 wins out if 8 in the league and also extends our run of home wins to 14.Todays opponents were the last side to leave Walthamstow with any points on 16 April 2011.We put in a good shift today,a real squad effort.Martin obviously saving his goals for Saturday's semi- final,but he still had two assists.New boy Anthony also having an assured debut.We go into Saturday's game full of confidence.