North Greenford Utd 1 v Bedfont Town 1

(Zamaretto League Central Division - Monday 30th August 2010)

Two hotly disputed second half penalties awarded at both ends by referee Wes Linden provided the only goals in a closely contested match at Berkeley Fields on Bank Holiday Monday when North Greenford entertained near neighbours Bedfont Town. The game ended all square with both teams having to be content with a share of the points.

The first half was a somewhat scrappy affair with Bedfont beginning the stronger of the two teams. Despite this early pressure United keeper Gary Jallow was never seriously tested with the Greenford back line looking much tighter and stronger than it had against Bowers and Pitsea on Saturday.

It was a good twenty minutes into the game before North Greenford had their first significant attack when a fine Michael Murray strike narrowly missed the target. From that point on the home side came more and more into the game, but there was very little in terms of end product at either end and the scoreline remained goalless up to the interval.

United began the second half in determined mood and took the game to Bedfont from the outset. Six minutes into the period striker Garry Senior came close to opening the scoring when he got through on goal but his shot was well saved by Town keeper Gary Ross.

Then, on the hour, Murray produced another telling strike from the edge of the visitors’ area only to see the ball clip the wrong side of the crossbar and go out for a goal kick.

With a little over twenty minutes of the game remaining, and against the run of play, Bedfont were awarded a penalty when referee Linden adjudged that United centre back Nick Turner had deliberately handled the ball as he rose to deal with a high ball played into the box. Turner’s protest, strongly claiming the handball had been unintentional, earned him a yellow card.

Bedfont midfielder Dwaine Williams stepped up to take the spot kick for the visitors and Williams made no mistake producing a fierce low drive and sending Jallow the wrong way.

Greenford’s penalty was awarded some ten minutes later when right midfielder Andre DeLisser drove into the area through three Town defenders and was adjudged to have been tripped as he went to ground. Once again referee Linden brandished a yellow card in his efforts to quell Town protests, vehemently claiming that DeLisser had dived.

As Williams had done earlier, Michael Murray kept his nerve and converted the penalty with considerable aplomb to level the score.

In the final ten minutes North Greenford pressed hard for the winner with both Senior and strike partner Ricky Pither having great chances to put the home side ahead, but they were unable to get the ball past Ross who was well positioned to block all their efforts and ensure his team earned a share of the spoils.

On Saturday United travel to Hitchin to play the side that notched up one hundred points last season but failed in the play-offs to secure promotion to the Zamaretto Premier Division. The game will provide a significant test, but there is clearly enough spirit in the North Greenford side to rise to the challenge.

NGU team: Gary Jallow, Sean Hillier, Ryan Fenton, Nick Turner, Jamie Diston, Michael Murray, Andre DeLisser, Chris Hibbs, Ricky Pither (Stuart Derry 83), Garry Senior, Luke Kenny