Written by James Smith
Photos by James Smith & George Lewington
Dunstable Town bounced back from last Saturday’s defeat at Cockfosters with a fine performance at Colney Heath.
In a game where they dominated for the most part of it, they thoroughly deserved their win with goals from Luka Lodder and Finbar King,
Credit to the Colney Heath grounds team who had been working hard all morning to get the pitch in good condition after heavy overnight rain, much like the groundsman’s fine efforts at Creasey Park a few weeks back before the FC Romania match.
New signing James Sales came in to the team and had a very positive debut while Sam Ezenwaka, Melvin Onu and Jack James all started in place of Joe Hankins, Kodi Briggs and the suspended Jamie Ovington.
A good start from Town was made in the opening five minutes, forcing a free kick on the edge of the box and a few blocked shots in succession.
Sales made a good run down the left seven minutes later but his cross was unable to find a team mate.
The hosts responded when a cross from their right just evaded Will Houghton’s run into the box.
In the 16th minute the impressive Sales combined well with Harrison Mead to force a corner, which was cleared to safety.
Liam Hayden was played in soon after but Heath’s keeper Connor Sansom did well to beat the Town forward to the ball.
Alex Desmond had his first real save to make on 29 minutes when he denied Lee Dykes. Hayden then did well by driving into the box but his low cross couldn’t quite reach its intended target.
The deadlock was broken three minutes before half time when Ezenwaka cut in from the right to reverse the ball to Lodder to score from six yards.
Heath tried to level in the last seconds of the half but they headed over the bar.
The Blues started the second half where they left off in the first, launching attacks down the right. Mead forced and early corner before Ezenwaka tried to set him up for a goal but the Colney Heath defender did well to out-muscle the Town midfielder at the back post.
In the 65th minute Sam Ejjahya’s shot was deflected with Desmond saving easily then Billy Owen was inches wide with a header from a free kick for the home side.
Dykes shot wide with fifteen minutes to go as Heath tried to get back in the game but they were unable to during their best spell of the game.
Ethan Goulding shot wide for Dunstable but with six minutes to go the game was made even harder for the hosts when King latched on to a through-ball and finished calmly past Sansom to score his first goal for the club.
Sansom went up for a corner in injury time but headed wide as the game ended with a win for the visitors and a clean sheet.
Team: Desmond; Kenna; Sales; James; Osborne; Ezenwaka; Butt; Hayden; Mead; Lodder.
Subs: Goulding; King; Carr; Hankins; Briggs.
Attendance: 122.
Town Man of the Match: Jack James.
