Codicote F.C 3-0 Met Police Bushey F.C

Hertfordshire Senior League 2011 2012 Season. Codicote faced second place Met Police with the Bushey based side knowing a loss would hand the title to rivals Baldock Town. Codicote knew a win would help their chances of finishing third and boost their hopes of promotion. Leon Gutzmore came in at centre half for his Codicote debut to add some experience to a solid back 4 missing the injured Tawhid Junega. Versatile Alec Thomas came into midfield for the unavailable Mark Duckett with Ray Ancliff given a more forward roll. Codicote started the game in the same vein they have played in the concluding part of the season. They came out of the traps winning every ball and with an intensity the Police could not handle. David Iwedunio was colossal up front from the kick off drawing fouls and being a constant threat to a strong Police defensive unit. Codicotes first chance was a fine passing move involving the livewire pairing of Ancliff and Iweduino allowing the ball to be slipped through to Glenn Lamacraft only for the Met Police keeper to come out and dive and save at Lamacrafts feet. On 20 minutes Lamacraft was not to be denied after Iwedunio latched onto a forward pass he swiftly went past 2 covering defenders before pulling back to Lamacraft who arrived to drill the ball into the corner from 14 yards giving Codicote a deserved lead. The rest of the half continued in the same vein with Jordan Gibson in goal a virtual spectator. Hard working player manager Liam Errington broke up anything that the Police could offer with captain Ricky Bridge pushing his troops onwards. Full backs Michael Ettienne and James Taylor had the better of anything put down the wings with Kwame Asamoah continuing the fine run of form he has shown of late. Codicote couldn't manage to get a second and went in at half time 1-0 up. The second half started with Met Police making two attacking changes attempting to gain a strangle hold on the game. Codicote were in fine form though and as the Met Police passed from left to right in defence the Codicote side worked in unison across the pitch with the tireless running of strikers Ancliff and Iwedunio nullifying any attacking move Police could try to muster. Codicote looked rampant in attack and when Asamoah broke down the right beating his marker and covering defender he pulled the ball back for Alec Thomas to slot home for his first goal of the season which was well deserved for his hard work throughout the game. Codicote looked like scoring another to kill the game off but when Codicote had committed men forward and had 2 men over they were guilty of overplaying. Police broke well and after a great near post cross the Police number 9 couldn't guide his header into the near post, being a wakeup call for Codicote they could not go to sleep at any time. Asamoah was in rampant form down the right with Ancliff and Iwedunio going close as Codicote tried to finish the game off. Jamie Steel on for the tired Alec Thomas nearly scored from his first touch as he was put through the Police keeper did well saving Steel's low shot to his right. The third and important goal came after great work down the left from the impressive young substitute Steel, he slid the ball across the box for Kwame Asamoah to slam the ball home and end the title hopes of Met Police. Codicote must feel if they had this side from before October they would have been challenging for the title themselves. The game drew to a close with everyone of Codicotes players putting in an unbelievable amount of effort to keep the Police at bay. Alec Thomas was given the Specialist Stone man of the match but in all honesty it could have been any of the Codicote players who must be disappointed the season has come to a conclusion as they have hit a rich vein of form and look a formidable outfit. (Codicote F.C do not yet currently have floodlights at there own home ground, therefore evening matches are hosted at the Gosling Stadium in Welwyn Garden City).