Cockfosters Football Club

Cockfosters extended their current unbeaten league run to six games with a hard-fought draw against a Stotfold side who are pushing hard to confirm second place in the division and a spot in the play-offs.

Cockfosters now boasts a record of just one solitary defeat in their last fifteen league outings - and remain in sixth place with just one game to go. A very strong finish to the league campaign indeed.

This game ended the same way that all six previous home draws had ended before, one apiece, but, unlike some of the previously drawn games, this was an enthralling match – contested by two very good footballing sides.

This was a much-changed Stotfold outfit from the side that took the field against Cockfosters back in September, when the sides drew 2-2 at New Roker Park, but this was a very much-changed Cockfosters outfit too. Once again, Cockfosters proved that they are more than a match for any of the top sides in this division.

Ironically, both sides had six players that had started in the earlier league match, so all was even there as was the ‘crossbar count’ – as both sides were to hit the same piece of woodwork once during the 90 minutes – almost in the identical spot!

Honours even all around.

The game was played at a frantic pace as both sides looked to impose themselves on the other early on.

Stotfold had the first chance of the game after just seven minutes when Kurtis Alleyne managed to beat the offside trap – but his touch, when looking to round Charlie Mann, was heavy – allowing the home keeper to make a smothering save.

Just sixty seconds later, George Sippetts managed to sneak in behind centre-halves Sears and Richardson but, as he approached Liam Gooch in the Stotfold goal, he stumbled. However, the young striker recovered quickly and still managed to hook his shot beyond the visiting keeper and inside the far post.

Cockfosters were ahead.

Buoyed by the early goal, Cockfosters looked to press on quickly. Ethan Rookard had an effort saved in the 18th minute, following some good work by Antonio Michael, and Stotfold responded quickly with a long-range swirling drive that Mann had to watch very carefully before palming away for a corner.

Then came a ten-minute spell during which Cockfosters could have easily been out of sight.

In the 23rd minute, one of Jay Lovell’s customary long throws was only partially cleared and fell to Aiden Read, whose first-time shot was perfectly struck – possibly too perfectly - but smashed against the crossbar with Gooch rooted to the spot.

Three minutes later, Reece Barrett’s free-kick into the Stotfold box found an unmarked Ethan Rookard eight yards out – however the striker’s header flew past the wrong side of the upright, with the Stotfold defence nowhere.

With Cockfosters in the ascendency, Stotfold managed to hit back.

Following a move down the right flank, a dangerous low cross was played across the Cockfosters six-yard box, right into the path of an onrushing Stotfold forward.

Kenny Nobrega’s brilliant sliding block managed to prevent a certain goal but, as the ball broke back towards the edge of the penalty area, Jordan Stevenson met it with a first time shot that arrowed into the bottom corner of the net.

Smart finish – all square.

Barrett came close to restoring Cockfosters lead, just before half-time, when his low drive, following a corner, required a diving Gooch to parry away.

The pace of the game didn’t let up in the second half – in fact it went up a notch.

An excellently timed interception by Joe Entwistle was needed seconds into the half, as Kade Bagge’s pass seemed to have put Archie Sayer clear in on goal, and Ethan Rookard retaliated a couple of minutes later when his snap-shot required Gooch to sprawl across his line again.

In the 53rd minute, it was Stotfold’s turn to hit the crossbar. Cockfosters conceded a free kick in a central position just outside the penalty area and Mason Spence’s effort beat the wall and smacked against the bar with Mann’s turn to be a spectator.

Stotfold went close again in the 66th minute, when a deflected shot went just wide, as the away side began to exert some pressure. The well organised Cockfosters rear guard, with Jay Lovell in commanding form, needed to dig in.

With Antonio Michael looking particularly creative, Cockfosters fought back. The hard-working Entwistle found himself some space for a shot, which Gooch needed to tip over, and with just five minutes came what was to be the last real chance of the game.

With Stotfold struggling to clear their lines following a set piece, the ball fell again to Read but this time his close-range shot was blocked. Seconds later, and with Read still forward, the centre-half’s cross from the left found the head of George Devine, but the striker’s header lacked any power to trouble Gooch.

With just a couple of minutes added on, the referee, who along with his assistants were all to have excellent games too, brought the entertaining contest to a conclusion.

Both sides could arguably make a case as to why they should have won this one – Cockfosters on the basis of their first half performance and Stotfold on the basis of their second – but a draw was probably the right outcome.

Cockfosters now need a point at already relegated London Colney to confirm 6th spot, but a win, coupled with Shefford and Campton winning at St. Panteleimon, will see the Chalk Lane side finish in 5th. Either way, it’s been an excellent campaign for Gavin Kelsey’s team.

Stotfold themselves need one point from two games – or just to simply avoid defeat in their last game at home to Dunstable Town on Saturday – to confirm their position as runners-up.

The footnote here is that neither of the top two sides, if it finishes this way, have managed to beat Cockfosters this season.

Cockfosters: Mann, Nobrega, Madu, Entwistle, Read, Lovell, Michael, Griffin, Sippetts, Barrett, E. Rookard.

Subs: H. Rookard (for Sippetts) 68 mins, Devine (for Barrett) 71 mins, Finch (for Entwistle) 83 mins.

Yellow Card: E. Rookard – 73 mins.