Beaconsfield SYCOB 2 Histon 2
Evo-Stick Southern 1 Central
Monday 31st October 2016
An eventful evening in Buckinghamshire ended with the sides sharing the points after we had lead twice. What had started out as a promising opportunity to register our first league victory of the season after Ben Yeomans had given us an early lead could have turned into a Halloween horror show as Jake Chambers-Shaw and then Yeomans saw red before the Referee blew the whistle on an entertaining if somewhat fraught 90 minutes.
Lance Key welcomed back Harry McGregor and Tom Moran into the squad after injury and paired Yeomans up front alongside Justin Leavers for the first time in what looked to be a shrewd selection as in the seventh minute Yeomans forced his way past his defender before shooting low across the keeper into the corner of the net to put us ahead.
The home side started to settle though and worked the ball around well but Conroy was relatively untroubled whilst the Histon attack of Yeomans and Leavers, supported by Matty Allan and Chambers-Shaw were giving the home defenders plenty to think about. Leavers nearly doubled the lead when he beat the offside trap to send a first time shot goalbound but Sam Bunting produced a fine save to keep it out. Leavers again went close soon after when Yeomans worked room on the left to put an inviting ball across the six yard line but Leavers’ outstretched boot could only divert it up and over the bar.
With 34 minutes gone the night’s first firework went off as Chambers-Shaw was judged to have tackled high and dangerously with the Referee quick to produce a red card. Leavers was sacrificed soon after as Key juggled his side bringing on Danny Gould in a deeper midfield role.
Just as it looked like the break would come with our lead still intact the home side found the equalizer. The ball wasn’t cleared from a corner and found it’s way out to Callum Mapley on the edge of the area and his shot through the crowd found the back of the net.
Tom Moran replaced Harry McGregor for the second half to make his return to the side after a ten week injury lay off and within seconds of the re-start we had regained the lead. Yeomans latched onto a ball in behind the defender and was bundled over just inside the area. Ross Munro stepped up to convert from the spot, his first goal for the club.
The lead lasted only ten minutes though as the hosts looked to take advantage of their extra man. A free kick from the left into a crowded area was met by a looping header from Callum Bunting that beat everyone and levelled the scores.
Beaconsfield sensed there were three points there for them as they moved the ball around well and with 64 minutes gone their numerical advantage was doubled when Yeomans received his second yellow card for a challenge SYCOB skipper Aaron Minhas. With nearly half an hour still to go it looked like the final whistle was a long long way away for the Histon supporters as the home side came forward at every opportunity.
Conroy was on fine form when needed though and the whole team worked tirelessly to keep the attackers at bay. We even maintained a threat on the break with the pace of Danny Gould and Matty Allan always keeping the defenders on their guard. Gould was close to an unlikely winner when his jinking run down the left put him through against the keeper but the angle was tight and the keeper saved.
SYCOB threw all they had forward as the clock ticked down but the defence stood firm, making tackles, winning headers and getting their bodies in the way of everything that came at them to earn a hard fought point.
Histon: Niall Conroy, Harry McGregor (Tom Moran 46), Elkanah Sibanda, Ross Munro (Simon Unwin 62), Max York, Cameron Watson, Matty Allan, Marcus Hall, Ben Yeomans, Justin Leavers (Danny Gould 36), Jake Chambers-Shaw.
Histon subs not used: Aysa Ourtilbour, Jos Gwynne.
Histon yellow cards: Ross Munro, Ben Yeomans.
Histon red cards: Jake Chambers-Shaw, Ben Yeomans (2YC).
Histon goal scorers: Ben Yeomans (7), Ross Munro (46 pen).
Beaconsfield SYCOB: Samuel Bunting, Harry Mepham, Ryan Haugh, Tristian Campbell, Komal Llewelly-Reid (Callum Mapley 38), Guri Demuria, Aaron Minhas (Nathan Minhas 66), Jack McKnight (Spencer Maw 48), Callum Bunting, Ollie Jones, Charlie Losasso.
Beaconsfield SYCOB subs not used: Harry Tucker.
Beaconsfield SYCOB yellow cards: Konal Llewellyn-Reid, Ryan Haugh.
Beaconsfield SYCOB goal scorers: Callum Mapley (45), Callum Bunting (56).
Attendance: 84
