Match Report

Lowestoft Town
3
Hendon
3
Date:
Saturday 08 October 2016
Competition:
Isthmian League Premier Division
Attendance:
522
Venue:
TBA

Match Report

Gary McCann was left questioning the resilience of his squad after they threw away a three goal lead to draw 3-3 at Lowestoft Town.

McCann made just one change to the starting line-up with Dave Diedhiou replacing the unavailable Kevin Maclaren.

On a slick surface following morning rain, the Greens had the better of the opening exchanges, and in the 8th minute Arthur Lee turned the ball into the box for Niko Muir to help on, but home keeper Jamie Waite beat Karl Oliyide to the ball.

A few minutes later Berkley Laurencin made the first of a number of good claims as he rose to catch a cross from Harvey Hodd.

Moments later the play was at the other end as Mayo Balogun's cross was headed down by Casey Maclaren, only for Waite to scramble it behind.

Balogun made a surging run shortly afterwards and fired a good low shot narrowly wide of the post, whilst any crosses from the home side were comfortably claimed by Laurencin.

In the 22nd minute Hendon took the lead as Maclaren burst forward and played the ball into the path of Muir, who fired home clinically.

Lowestoft struggled to get going during the first half, with players showing frustration when things didn't go their way, with Laurencin continuing to command his area.

The visitors had chances to move further ahead, Spencer McCall not getting hold of a shot after a good run from Oliyide, and then a long ball was misjudged by Travis Cole and Muir gained possession. He fired off a shot, but Waite saved well, and immediately made a very brave save at the feet of Maclaren as both players went for the loose ball, Waite getting a bang on the back of the head for his efforts.

Whilst Waite was able to complete the half, he was seen holding his head as the game moved into half time, and he was replaced by debutant keeper Joshua Glover during the break.

The Greens started the second half in perfect fashion, doubling the lead when Muir set up Maclaren who was left unmarked to fire home from ten yards.

Laurencin was forced into a very good save when Jake Reed latched onto a cross from Frazer Blake-Tracy, but in the 59th minute it was 3-0.

Glover ran out of his area to clear a long ball, but under pressure from Muir made a complete mess of it, and the striker was able to round the keeper and roll the ball into the empty net from 18 yards.

At this point it seemed as if the points were secured, but as Hendon supporters will know - anything can happen in football.

Within a minute of Muir's second goal, Blake-Tracy swung in a free-kick and Michael Spillane headed the ball home. Moments later the same player fired in another cross, but Laurencin made another very good claim.

With twenty minutes to go, Finbarr Robins carried the ball through the home defence and set up Andre Da Costa on the edge of the box, but his effort curled over the bar with the keeper beaten.

Moments later Lowestoft had scored their second as another Blake-Tracy cross fell to Spillane who slammed the ball home on the volley.

Laurencin then pulled off a superb save from Harvey Hodd's rising shot to keep the Greens in the lead as Lowestoft searched for an equaliser.

Hendon had a chance to secure the points with five minutes to go after Smith slipped over allowing Muir to run at goal, but Cole made a superb challenge to put the ball out for a corner.

A further chance fell to the Greens in stoppage time when Khale Da Costa fired a low shot from outside the box with Glover well beaten, only to see it rebound off the post and away to safety. It would have been a superb goal had it found the back of the net.

The Greens were made to pay for not seeing the game out when Ryan Jarvis headed down a cross for Chris Henderson to fire home from close range in the fifth minute of stoppage time. In the aftermath of the equaliser, Chris Seeby was sent off for something that he said to the referee.

The referee drew a close to proceedings shortly after the game restarted, and Hendon's players were left wondering how they had managed to throw away two points and be going home with just a draw, rather than what should have been a comfortable victory.

Report by a Hendon supporter

Hendon

1
Berkley Laurencin
2
Chris Seeby
3
Mayowa Balogun
4
Alfie Young
5
Arthur Lee
6
Dave Diedhiou
7
Spencer McCall
8
Casey Maclaren
9
Niko Muir
10
Karl Oliyide
11
Andre Da Costa
12
Finbarr Robins
14
Keagan Cole
15
Aaron Morgan
16
Luke Tingey
17
Khale Da Costa

Match Events

22''
Niko Muir
Joshua Glover replaced Jamie Waite
46''
49''
Casey Maclaren
59''
Niko Muir
Michael Spillane
60''
63''
Finbarr Robins replaced Karl Oliyide
Adam Smith replaced Joe Marsden
63''
Michael Spillane
73''
84''
Khale Da Costa replaced Andre Da Costa
Ryan Jarvis replaced Andrew Fisk
84''
90''
Chris Seeby
90''
Aaron Morgan replaced Niko Muir
Chris Henderson
90''

Lowestoft Town

1
Jamie Waite
2
Travis Cole
3
Frazer Blake-Tracy
4
Andrew Fisk
5
Michael Spillane
6
Rory Mcauley
7
Joe Marsden
8
Ross Jarvis
9
Jake Reed
10
Harvey Hodd
11
Chris Henderson
12
Ryan Jarvis
14
Adam Smith
15
Jamie Forshaw
16
Harry Barker
20
Joshua Glover