Highbury Under 10’s (A) had a welcome home game against Trowbridge Wanderers (A) on Sunday 28th March 2010 in what was a dress rehearsal for the upcoming final in the Daniel Higgs memorial cup. The game was played with neither team holding back, fearful of picking up injuries whilst wanting to impose themselves and both sides hoping to gain a psychological advantage.
The game itself was largely a battle of two sides who cancelled each other out across the pitch with neither side able to dominate proceedings and control the match. Highbury were forced into a late re-shuffle as the ‘summer time’ clock change claimed another victim.
Clear cut chances were few and far between with set pieces having a premium. Highbury defended well and Harry Guerri-Fear made a crucial headed clearance under pressure and Chay Andrews pressured his opposite number to deny him space and the opportunity to shoot at goal. Highbury created a number of half chances with Louis Cole setting up Luke Woods who shot narrowly wide. Lyndon Parmley was running his marker all over the pitch with his tireless work up and down the wing, on a number of occasions he beat his man and delivered powerful crosses into the box which were sometimes turned into chances and sometimes Highbury’s midfield failed to make the run and missed out on opportunities to score. Trowbridge also looked dangerous and had a great chance to open the scoring when their striker was played through one on one with Highbury goalkeeper, Liam Gibbens waited and then bravely spread himself at the feet of the oncoming striker and cleared the danger to ensure the game remained 0 – 0 at half time.
The second half started with the game following the same pattern, each side would retain possession well and create dangerous field positions without creating clear cut opportunities. Thomas McFerran won the ball in defence and fed Lyndon Parmley, Parmley cut inside his marker and fired a powerful shot which just went over the bar. Highbury maintained their pressure and forced a corner that led to the opening goal. Parmley delivered a deep cross that evaded everybody, Luke Woods managed to keep the ball in play and exchanged passes with Louis Cole, the ball was then laid across the edge of the area where Adam Clark stepped up and fired a right foot shot which caught the keeper by surprise and nestled in the net.
Trowbridge responded with a real purpose and Highbury seemed to slip of the pace a little, they lacked a competitive edge and lost too many winnable tackles. Trowbridge equalised from a Highbury corner, the original ball was collected by a Trowbridge player on the edge of his own area, and he set of evading two half hearted challenges before finding that the Highbury defence parted like the red sea with both Harry Guerri-Fear and Chay Andrews backing off deeper and dithering. Neither player made the decision to actually try and challenge the Trowbridge player who advanced unchallenged on Liam Gibbens goal and fired home to make the score 1 – 1.
The game became more compact with both teams determined not to lose the match and sacrificing an amount of quality for effectiveness. To many good positions were wasted and to many passes went astray as players did not trust in their ability, Highbury again seemed to become ½ a yard slower and conceded momentum to Trowbridge. Both teams had the opportunity to snatch a win, Louis Cole beat two men in midfield and fired a shot narrowly wide and Trowbridge were unlucky not to score a spectacular winner with 90 seconds remaining when they worked an opportunity from a throw in and hit a first time volley from outside the area that beat Gibbens but smashed against the bar and rebounded to safety.
The game finished with honours even and both teams aware that the final is likely to be a tense, keenly competed affair.
Team: Liam Gibbens, Adam Clark, Chay Andrews, Harry Guerri-Fear, Luke Woods, Louis Cole, Lyndon Parmley, Thomas McFerran, Joe Hardy.