Cougars Under 15’s hosted Knebworth at the Bury on Sunday after both sides had suffered weather induced cancellations. The visitors started the game with more intent than Cougars but Chris Adams side restricted Knebworth to limited sights on goal. The early exchanges saw Danny Curtis on top form keeping their right winger at bay and on twenty minutes Jay Caine made a stunning flying save catching the ball when many keepers would have parried back into danger. As the half went on the hosts started to get a foothold with Archie Rhodes and Luke Garratt coming close with half chances but the away side’s guardian was also handling well in difficult conditions. A goalless first half probably satisfied Knebworth more than Buntingford who were given a clear message by boss Adams to “up the intensity and use the ball better in possession”.
After the interval Cougars started brightly with a Matt Adams header going close from a Liam Smith corner. The effort galvanised the hosts and with Matt Inman starting to dictate play and Si Keogh looking for the ball to feet the chances followed. Smith had two chances with one saved and the other just wide as Cougars pressure started to tell. Rhodes then caused Knebworth’s defence problems and indeed it was the tricky Rhodes who on 65 minutes made a trademark jinking run into the box and set up Matt Adams who after a touch out of his feet found the bottom left corner via the inside of the post. Knebworth rallied and came back and the game became stretched creating a few chances for both sides but the score remained for a one nil victory to Buntingford to cement their second place position in the Mid Herts Premier Division as third place Enfield were beaten by leaders Broxbourne.
After the deserved victory Gaffer Chris Adams told the BBC’s Gary Linaker “We came up against a good determined Knebworth side and at times we wasted the ball too easily, that said we created the better chances and took one and restricted theirs and if you can do that you always have a great chance of winning football matches. I have to make special mention of Dan Curtis who worked tirelessly to thwart their main attacking threat throughout.”
Elsewhere Cougars Under11’s Blues also played Knebworth and earned a point in a thrilling encounter. Darryl Dean’s side had the better chances in the first fifteen minutes but found themselves two nil down before starting to take chances and go into the interval 3-2 ahead courtesy of a fine strike from Jack Gurney a goal from George Godfrey slotting past the keeper in a 1v1 and then a close range effort from Jack Lally. The second half saw periods of pressure from both sides but only the hosts scored to level the score in what was probably a fair result. Cosmo Melvin put in a great performance to earn the man of the match accolade. Dean Howard’s Buntingford Under11’s Whites also shared the spoils after a great performance saw them grind out a 2-2 draw at home to Ashwell with goals from Josh Anand and Casey Heenan with his third of the season. Also in the Under11’s section Ian Jenkins Under11’s Stripes did well to put four goals past Bishop Strortford Wanderers as Yann Boulter scored a hat trick and Shayne Coyne got on the score sheet.
Elsewhere Paul Skinner’s Under12’s exited the league cup at Bishop Stortford whilst the Under13’s Blues advanced in the cup winning an eleven goal thriller in a six-five away win at Baldock. Cougars Under13’s Whites also won by the odd goal as they progressed in their league cup with a two-one at Royston Town. Buntingford’s Under16’s Blues, also in the cup were another who were victorious by the odd goal beating Bishop Stortford Swifts four-three after extra time whilst the Under16’s whites lost out by a single goal, going down two-one to Bishop Stortford Colts.
