Match Report: Harpenden Town 3-3 Dunstable Town
- 39 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Photo: Israel Ajana scores the second goal.
Report and photos by James Smith.
A frustrating afternoon in Hertfordshire as Dunstable Town produced a superb first half performance to take 2-0 lead into the break but had to settle for a point with a late leveller from Plamedi Bomolo.
The Blues started positively on the front foot and should have been ahead in the third minute. Hesitation at the back from Harpenden allowed Mulik Rickman to nip in and get a shot away which went inches wide then Jake Anthony went through but Connor Freeman saved well.
Photo: Jordan Wright in action.
Harpenden responded with a header five minutes later which Sam Carman saved well.
In the 17th minute Anthony flicked on a free kick to Jordan Wright but he was ruled offside as he got his shot away.
The visitors took a deserved lead on 28 minutes when Tom Silford whipped in a free kick from the right which was met by Wright who headed home.
Photo: Jordan Wright heads home.
Dan Heald then responded with a shot over the bar for Harpenden but Dunstable should have increased their lead seven minutes before half time when great work by Israel Ajana who pressed the home defence into conceding possession then played in Anthony but he tried to square the ball instead of shooting, which may have been the better option.
Good play again by Ajana saw him cross to the far post to Luka Lodder who volleyed over on the stretch.
Harry Andic then hit an effort over Carman’s bar before the Blues scored their second in added time of the first 45 minutes when Ajana showed positive play again, bursting into the area and finishing well via the foot of a Harpenden defender.
Photo: Israel Ajana is congratulated by his team mates.
Thankfully the assistant referee correctly gave the goal as the ball bounced off an upright at the base of the goals and back out.
Harpenden flew out of the blocks at the start of the second half and almost pulled one back in successive attacks in the opening minutes.
The hosts pressure told on 58 minutes when George Devine headed home a corner.
A crucial point in the game came on the hour mark when Ajana was tripped in the box and awarded a penalty. Lodder stepped up but saw his strike go over Freeman’s crossbar.
Soon after Devine equalised from close range with 64 minutes gone.
Wright had a shot blocked on 72 minutes then the game fully turned on its head. Carman made a fine save but Heald followed up to give the home side the lead with twelve minutes remaining.
Dunstable came close to levelling the game when Mal Bowyer’s shot was blocked then Plamedi Bomolo had a shot saved point blank by Freeman.
Deep into added time they drew level when JJ Kenna did well to play the ball through to Hadley Gleeson who’s shot was blocked by Freeman but Bomolo followed up to score from eight yards to take a point but it could have been all three on chances created especially in the first half.
There were many positives but frustration with contrasting halves of the match.
Keep going lads.
Photo: Plamedi Bomolo celebrates.
Team: Carman: Nicholls; Rahho; Kenna; Wright; Ajana; Rickman; Anthony; Bomolo; Lodder Silford.
Subs: Donkor; Bowyer; Butt; Gleeson; Sales.
Town man of the match: Israel Ajana.
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