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Kirk Watts
celebrated his first Terrors start with an exhibition
of quality wide play as Tooting started brightly on a
slippery muddy pitch. Within the opening ten
minutes he had provided Paul Vines with his first shot
and almost started up his own scoring account with an
effort from six yards that Viner managed to turn away
for a corner.
There was to be a first goal though,
but it was for Aaron Goode. Stationed on the edge of
the area, his first shot, carefully placed low to the
keepers right, was scrambled away. However, the
ball returned to Goode in exactly the same spot and
second time around an identical shot found the back of
the net.
It took more than twenty five
minutes for Hendon to record their first shot, which
flew harmlessly wide, but that signalled the arrival
of the home side and the beginning of the match as a
contest. Antonio responded with one of his
trademark breakaways, but Hendon were starting to
enjoy more possession, finally forcing King into his
first proper action, diving low to save a good free
kick attempt.
Almost immediately Antonio broke
again, this time to devastating effect as he calmly
rounded the keeper to score his seventh goal in his
last five outings. A third was nearly added as
half chances went begging in a goalmouth scramble just
before the break.
Half Time: 2-0
More Watts magic generated a corner,
which was nearly converted by Joe Vines, whose
powerful header sped just wide of the post on fifty
minutes. But it was an unforced error by the
normally immaculate Andrew Howell that turned the
match on it's head. Looking to clear an
innocuous looking cross his mis-hit clearance sped
past a bemused Dave King.
Tooting stormed back and immediately
came close to restoring the two goal advantage. But,
having been thrown an unexpected lifeline, Hendon were
determined to make use of it.
Unfortunately that something centered on adopting a
much more physical approach, resulting in a series of
cautions for challenges that most referees would have
converted to red with the otherwise impressive O'Leary
being perhaps the most fortunate to escape banishment.
Referee Norcutts decision to err towards leniency
almost backfired as he struggled to control the
increasing ferocity of the home tacking and verbal
abuse.
In between times Antonio had a
couple more efforts thwarted. On the hour Viner saved
well with his feet, although the resulting clearance
forced his opposite number into action as well.
Five minutes later and a goal line clearance prevented
Michail from claiming his second of the afternoon.
As the half progressed though,
Hendon were beginning to look a serious threat, not
just physically! O'Leary was starting to pull
the strings, most dangerously combining with
Busby and exposing the Tooting right. Ten
minutes from time King again saved well as the
pressure started to build. Five minutes later and the
Dam finally burst, although the goal itself was a soft
one.
Terrors were not finished, as Watts
found the byline of the six yard box, but no one could
connect with his cross as it sailed across the width
of the goal. Vargus then made sure that Antonio would
not upset the applecart with the days final bad tackle
and yellow card. Twelve minutes of injury time
reflected how long it had taken to mop up the carnage
of the half and was about the only considered decision
made during it. But there was no further
goalmouth action and it was left to the home side to
escort the officials from the pitch. Perhaps by
then Mr Norcutt was wishing that there were not so
many of them around to do so!
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