Bad week for Blueboys

THERE was double disappointment for London Colney this week as they were knocked out of the Herts Senior Centenary Trophy and then lost in the derby match with St Albans City Reserves.

The Blueboys finally got their Centenary Trophy tie with London Lions played after two previous postponments but it was the Lions who came out on top to progress to the final.

Russell Gallagher and David Parkinson were both denied by Lions’ stopper Matt Davis early on while TJ Keterman tested Colney ‘keeper Mark Whittamore with a low drive.

It was an error that lead to the Lions opening the scoring when Whittamore kicked Shaun Murphy’s backpass straight at James Gershfield with the ball flying into the unguarded net.

The Blubeoys were behind for just 60 seconds though when Russell Gallagher’s cross was handled in the box and Parkinson fired past Davis from the penalty spot.

The visitors regained the lead before half time however when Sam Wilkinson was robbed by Ben Lauffer and although Whittamore denied Matt Stocks’ shot Gershfield was on hand to double his tally.

Murphy and Greg Shaw both had headers saved in the second half as Colney looked for an equaliser but they were guilty of pumping the ball long which played into the hands of the visitors who defended well.

Gallagher fired wide the Blueboys’ last chance of an equaliser as their Cup campaign came to a disappointing end.

It didn’t get much better for Colney on Tuesday evening as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat to neighbours St Albans City Reserves.

Both sides missed penalties in the first half with Parkinson seeing his spot kick saved by City ‘keeper Aiden Kelly after Danny Fitzgerald had been tripped in the box.

Next it was the visitors’ turn to spurn their opportunity from 12 yards after Shaw tripped an opponent in the box. Sermet Karagozlu, however, blazed over the bar.

Fitzgerald was denied early in the second half by a good save from Kelly while at the other end nobody was able to turn home Dom Petrucci’s inviting ball across the face of the six yard box.

Parkinson then created half a yard of space in the penalty area with some good footwork but Gallagher sliced his shot wide of the target.

The winning goal came in the 72nd minute when Ben Luck picked up the ball out wide and drove inside his man before unleashing a fierce shot that flew past Whittamore.

The Blueboys upped the pressure in a bid to salvage a point but Kelly palmed away a Parkinson effort and then denied Fitzgerald to complete Colney’s dismal week.