A stunning header from Jack Hopkins was “enough” to earn the Mead a point in the much postponed trip to Haringey Borough, but sadly it also left the club’s Play Off hopes hanging by the slimmest of threads!
Victory would have seen the Mead go level on points with AFC Hornchurch who currently occupy the final Play Off place with 76 points with four games left. But by only being able to take a point at the Coles Park Stadium, the Mead’s Play Off hopes have now taken a huge dent as with just three games now left in our season, the Essex club now have a game in hand and could move five points clear of Terry and the boys with victory in that game which is against Witham Town next week.
But all is not lost for the Mead as a famous player who made his name just down the road from Coles Park once said, “it’s a funny old game saint, it’s a funny old game!”
And that in a nutshell sums up this 90 minutes as well…
The first half – goal less though it was – had enough chances to keep both sides interested. Lee Prescott had the Mead’s first chance as he followed up his own free kick (which was blocked) only to drill the rebound inches too high, whilst at the other end, Andy Walker raced from his goal-line to deny Dean Fenton on the very edge of the box, Nana Asamoah then beat two Mead defenders on the edge of the box only to fire wide, before Hopkins to pick up a half clear Prescott centre only to shoot high over the bar.
Prescott who was behind most of the Mead’s attacking option in the opening half then centred only for Paul Vines to get an outrageous bobbly off of the bumpy pitch and miss his kick completely. The home side then for ten minutes decided on a shoot on sight policy as first Asamoah’s free kick from distance stung Walker’s gloves before Leon Wilson thundered a drive into the Mead keepers chest. The Mead’s best chance of the half then fell to Harrison Carnegie, who’s glancing header from yet another Prescott centre flashed agonisingly wide of Haringey keeper Harry Palmer’s right post.
The second half began with the home side flying out of the blocks and within two minutes of the restart they were in front as Fenton was played through and superbly clipped the ball past Walker in the Mead goal. Despite loud protests – led by the Mead stopper – the goal stood and kick started the home side as they themselves search for the win that would have mathematically secured their Ryman One North place for next season. Fenton then almost turned provider as he played a ball into the Mead box that had to be scrambled away for a corner from which defender Coby Rowe hooked the ball back into the box only for Daniel Aristidou somehow to touch over from inside the six yard box. And then in their very next attack, the same player drilled an angled shot that shaved Walker’s right post.
After soaking up all that pressure, the Mead levelled on the hour. Some incredible wing play from Porter saw the Left back send over almost the perfect cross which Hopkins got on the end of to steer a superb looping header over Palmer and into the net for his first goal since recently returning from the injury that threatened his playing career!
Then came the major controversial moment of the game – Paul Vines was played through the middle and was unceremoniously pulled back by Rowe, and as the Mead screamed for a penalty, referee Mellor not only ruled the foul on the very edge of the box (probably the right decision), the Haringey defender wasn’t even spoken to (most definitely the wrong decision) when the only possible decision for the official to give would have been a straight red card.
The remainder of the game then reverted to the pattern of the first half with chances at both ends. Walker pulled off a world class save to deny Fenton’s curling shot before Jorge Djassi-Sambu couldn’t hit the target with a free header from a corner – sending the ball into the car park. Mead top scorer Theo Fairweather-Johnson then drill narrowly wide from the edge of the box after doing really well to dig the ball out from under his feet just outside the box, and despite the Mead putting Marc Gorbell on up front, the visitors just couldn’t find a way through.
The home side though will feel that they should have won the game right at the death after an astonishing miss by an un-named substitute – the player was wearing the number 18 shirt and there was only 17 listed on official team-sheet. The home side took a quick free kick and the ball was played into the box by another sub – Anthony McDonald – who whipped the ball into the box where the un-named sub found himself in nearly ten yards of space as the Mead pushed on looking for the win. But so surprised was the Haringey player, that he delayed so much Walker and his recovering defence were able to recover and clear.
But still as the final whistle went, the disappointment on the faces of the Mead players was evident as the realisation dawned that the Play Off dreams were now literally hanging by a mathematical thread, but…
THE MEAD – Walker, Hallam (Gorbell), Porter, Pinto, Joe Vines, Butler, Prescott (Mitchell), Hopkins, Paul Vines, Fairweather-Johnson, Carnegie (Young)
Subs – Spillane, Everett