Elliott Star 1

Croxley Guild 3

Herts Premier LeagueStar enjoyed a great start when four minutes into the game, Jones cut in from the right and unleashed a rocket, which went zooming into the net to put the home side 1-0 in front.

It was just what the fans needed. A few minutes later there was a superb passing movement between Wicks, Flahive, Reed and Jones, which set up Buss, but his shot soared over the bar.

Adam Bell made a great solo run on the right, after Jones had put him through, but his shot whizzed past the post.

Star came down to earth when, in their first real attack, the ball filtered out to the Croxley right wing and the away team scored with a free header.

Disaster struck again a couple of minutes later, when a tall Croxley midfielder ploughed a path to the Star box, without anybody on the Star side stopping his run.

He slipped the ball to his number 10, whose shot was bravely parried by Mason, but the Croxley player swept the ball into the net.

Reed and Bennett were replaced after the break, in a tactical reshuffle which saw Cooper go up front for Star and Ben Taylor slotted in to mid-field.

Manager Renphrey signalled three at the back and an all out attack, and within a minute Copper hit a great shot, which the keeper saved, the ball ran loose to Buss and his shot was blocked on the line.

Both sides came forward, but the writing was on the wall for Star as slowly the superior fitness of the young Croxley side started to tell; they were running the legs off the Star side and it was no surprise when Croxley went 3-1 up.

A cross came over, and nobody in the Star defence picked it up and it ended up in the net.

Another defeat for Star, which showed how fit a team needs to be to compete in the Premier Division of the Herts County League.

STAR: Mason, Flahive, Love, Day, Bennett, Plumb, Wicks, Phil Reed, Buss, Jones, Bell. Sub: Luke Reed.o

October 24, 2001 11:04