Harborough Town Reserves manager Tony Sansome:
“Harborough Town Res 4 St Andrews Res 1
I think we can safely describe this as a game of two halves, St Andrews were as good first half as we were bad, they pressed us all over the park and we didn’t match them, they had a goal disallowed in the 2nd minute and then scored within ten minutes, poor from our point of view as the cross was allowed to go all the way to the back post to an unmarked player who headed home. The visitors had a couple of other opportunities but keeper Tom Cockings made good saves to keep us in it, and then totally against the run of play we equalised on 44. Matt Chapman was fouled just outside the area, and Louis Martin stepped up to curl the free kick around the wall and past the despairing hand of the keeper.
That goal probably changed both half time team talks but we still had strong words with the lads and they did at least take on board our comments. From the first minute of the restart we were on the front foot playing our football and working as a team. Martin nearly scored with another free kick within minutes of the restart, but the keeper made a great one handed save. We made our first change on the hour, bringing on teenager Taylor Holland, and on 63, Tay dispossess St Andrew’s cm, Aiden Black picks up the loose ball and strides through the midfield and slots to Josh King who comfortably slots home. Six minutes later it was 3-1 when Alex Morris outpaced the full back and cut inside, firing past the onrushing keeper. We thought we’d scored again when King set up sub Tom Millington, but he was just unable to get any connection on the pass. We settled matters on 83 when captain for the day 18 year old Timmy Gorman Powell curled an effort past the keepers despairing right hand.
The game ended on a disappointing note when Holland petulantly kicked out after being manhandled, he saw a straight red which was correct to the letter of the law although we felt both sides should have gone down to ten men. This isn’t a complaint about the ref who did ok on the night and was always looking to speak to the players, it’s just my observation. This was a good game of football between two young sides who wanted to get the ball down and play a passing game, St Andrews are definitely better than their league position suggests, we were a little worried pre match as captain and talisman Jordie Burke was missing, but Gorman Powell and Sam Edwards were excellent in his absence. We now move onto a massive period of big games, starting with Pagnell away on Saturday.”