Arlesey Tn 2 Potters Bar 1 Arlesey Town opened 2007 with a win having not played since their Boxing Day reverse at Enfield. The Blues still had both regular keepers unavailable so Shaun Griffith ably filled the gap and gained the man of the match award. G

Arlesey Tn 2 Potters Bar 1

Arlesey Town opened 2007 with a win having not played since their Boxing Day reverse at Enfield.

The Blues still had both regular keepers unavailable so Shaun Griffith ably filled the gap and gained the man of the match award.

Griffith saw some early action by saving low to his left.

The visitors' next attack saw former Blue Dean Harding hit a fierce shot that was tipped on to the crossbar and off for a corner.

Some nice play down Arlesey's left enabled Paul Bloss to centre for caretaker player-boss Darran Hay to head powerfully towards goal, keeper Hayward tipping the ball over at full stretch for the first of two corners.

Only the first corner created a chance when James Gray headed back across the face of the goal. The ball was missed by everyone before being cleared.

Potters Bar stormed back and a close range effort rattled the Blues bar again.

Arlesey twice got the benefit of the doubt in their own six-yard box as referee Muge brought desperate scrambles to an end by penalising the forwards.

Craig Rydeheard's rasping shot was superbly tipped round for a corner, although a goal kick was awarded.

This was all forgotten when Rydeheard's free-kick was met perfectly by Hay whose header gave Hayward no chance to give the Blues the lead right on the stroke of half-time.

From the kick off, Martin Williams fired a shot in from the left forcing Hayward to save.

Griffith was cautioned for handling outside the penalty area before he saved on his goal line to atone for his mistake.

An effort came back off the Potters Bar crossbar and Rydeheard nipped in to head home number two on 59 minutes.

Back came the visitors and Arlesey had Stuart Beevor to thank for a timely tackle that prevented a chance on goal.

A couple of corners to Potters Bar saw them squander chances to pull a goal back as their attempts all went woefully over the bar.

Then, on 71 minutes, just when it looked like another chance would be lost as the bar again saved the Blues, Daniel Talbot nipped in to head home.

Williams, Lee Tekell and Ozie Foster were replaced by Ashley Townsend, Andrew Iwediuno and Arin Fehmi respectively in the closing stages.

Arlesey were having problems holding the ball in a nervy finish and resorted to merely clearing their lines.

Team: Griffth, Leon, Bloss, Beevor, McElroy, Gray, Tekell (A Iwediuno), Williams (Townsend), Foster (A Fehmi), Hay, Rydeheard.