Harleston Magpies (H) - 6th October 2019 - 7-3 W

7-3 Charlie Bowskill (FG5), Ian Scanlon  (FG10), Dave Williams  (FG11) (FG44), Teague Marcano (FG47) (FG59) (FG64)

Magpies travelled to Oaklands seeking their first points of the season and were soon behind when Charlie Bowskill bundled the ball in from short range. They were soon 3-0 down after Ian Scanlon first scored then assisted Dave Williams for a back post tap in. Magpies looked dead and buried, but after winning and then converting a short corner to make it 3-1 they gained confidence. Galvanised by this goals in the 24th and 25th minutes remarkably brought the visitors back on level terms.

Shortly before, and for 8 minutes after the half time break, St Albans also had to play with 10 as Bowskill had been sent to the sin bin for a 10 minute yellow for an off-the-ball incident. The hosts battled hard during this period, not giving Magpies any clear cut chances or short corners. Sitting back this also gave the chance to launch a few rare counter attacks. It was on one of these that Williams found himself on the end of a glorious long ball and from the tightest of angles hammered a backhand shot into the backboard. This seemed to change the match, and with the hosts now up to 11 men they seized the initiative. It was Teague Marcano who twice found himself in the right place at the right time in the circle to make the score 6-3. His second half hat trick, and with it victory, was sealed when he rounded the final defender to strike past the hapless visiting keeper.

After the match St Albans Head Coach Dillet Gilkes was happy with how the team responded after half time. He said “I was pleased we stayed calm and stuck to the game plan as the game could have gone either way at 3-3.”

The side take a trip to the south coast to play Chichester next Sunday.