Potton bounce back with derby victory over Huntingdon

The 3-0 success sets up a mouth-watering match at the Hutchinson Hollow on Saturday when Lutterworth – who with games in hand are the only side that can nick the promotion spot from Potton – come to town.

This was a totality different match to Saturday – two footballing teams trying to keep the ball on the grass and with no backchat to the referee Damon Pywell who had an excellent match.

Potton took the lead on the 16th minute with a first time shot from just outside the box from Aaron Murrell hit with power and accuracy which Huntingdon goalkeeper Quincy Shorunmu had little chance of saving.

Huntingdon were seeing plenty of the ball and creating chances and a cross into the box, which Corey Kingston should have done better with rather than hitting the shot wide.

The Royals should have doubled their lead three minutes later. A long ball by Ryan Don set Ansell Carter free. He went round the keeper but the ball seemed to get stuck under his feet and under pressure from a defender a yard from goal meant the chance went wide.

Ryan Don was having a good game in the centre of the park and he created two chances for Danny Webb the first saved by Shorunmu and the second put wide.

Potton did double their lead five minutes before the break when Danny Webb was fouled in the box. He dusted himself down to drive the ball down the middle of the goal to give the Royals some breathing space.

Darryl Smith could have put the game to bed on 44 minutes when his driven shot from outside the box was just over.

Despite the two goal advantage Potton knew they had to be on their game for the second half as Huntingdon were much better than their mid-table position suggested.

While most people were still coming back to their seats the Royals could have had a third at the beginning on the second half when another Danny Webb Cross was hit wide by Claudio Dias.

Moments later Aaron Murrell, who was full of pace and power, held off a Huntingdon defender to fire just over.

Potton were now creating more of the chances and were looking for the third goal to kill off the match. They were up against a goalkeeper in Shorunmu who was outstanding preventing both Danny Webb with a shot that looked destined for the far corner on 61 minutes and three minutes later saving from Murrell.

Luke Harradine has not scored for Potton in over 100 appearances but perhaps should have done tonight when an excellent Claudio Dias corner was headed over from 6 yards.

Huntingdon made a couple of changes to try and get back into the match with 20 minutes left. They nearly did when Joshua Watson was only denied by a fine diving George Bugg save. The young on loan St Neots keeper played well tonight with both his distribution and handling being impressive.

Darryl Smith was having a frustrating night and was sent off on 73 minutes which looked like an elbow on the Huntingdon defender.

Potton had to regroup with the 10 men with Ansell Carter going into Smiths wide left position and Murrell playing up front on his own.

Potton did score a third with nearly the last kick of the game when Danny Webb hit a left footed shot which rather embarrassed Shorunmu who had already gone to ground as he was expecting a right footed shot!

Some games you can tick as routine as this was one of those. Saturday’s encounter with the only side who can overtake Potton 4th place, Lutterworth Town, will not be the case.

POTTON UNITED George Bugg, Calum Forster, Tom Blatch, James Sage, Luke Harradine, Ryan Don, Danny Webb, Claudio Dias, Gary Ansell Carter, Aaron Murrell, Darryl Smith