Clinical first-half finishing by Kempston left the Cooks with a mountain they just couldn’t climb on an awful night in Bedfordshire.
Tuesday 11th July 2023
PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
HARPOLE (1) 1 COGENHOE UNITED (1) 1
The Cooks travelled to Harpole for their third friendly of the season and despite taking an early lead through skipper Harley Mallard, they were pegged back by a goal late in the first half and that was how it stayed.
The players went through their initial warm-ups in some pretty heavy rain, but thankfully that had cleared away and the game got underway in some pleasant evening sunshine at Larkhall Lane. The game started really well for the Cooks as they took the lead with just three minutes on the clock as Bailey Weatherly drilled in a corner-kick from the left that Mallard controlled before firing home from around 8-yards out. This was the young centre-half’s second goal in three games so far and he is really enjoying his start after committing to the Cooks in the summer. The young looking Harpole team enjoyed a decent spell, but the Cooks looked a little more dangerous at the business end with Dalton Leon having a shot blocked and Charlie Pearson firing over from the rebound, then Jamie Hall was an inch or two wide with a low shot from the left corner of the box. Hall was just off target again after a neat one-two with Pearson and then the roles were reversed as Hall played in Pearson who forced a save with his first time effort from 12-yards out. The Harpole keeper made another decent save as he got his hands to a shot from the right side of the box, but the visitors broke away to the level the scores three minutes before the break when their number nine got a touch to a bouncing ball on the edge of the box to get himself clear before placing a low shot just inside the keeper’s right-hand post. The Cooks so nearly retook the lead straight away when Weatherly played a great one-two with Hall to get inside the box before placing his shot beyond the keeper’s reach, but unfortunately the ball hit the inside of the base of the post and came back into play and across the box.
The second half was very even with both teams breaking well without finding the breakthrough they were seeking. Kieron Mobbs forced a save and Leon saw a great low ball across the box go just wide of the far post. Dylan Wilson, Weatherly and our trialist centre forward all had half-chances where the ball just wouldn’t run for them while Ciaran Wells made a brave save to deny one of Harpole’s subs. A late chance came when a great flick on sent Wilson into the box, but the keeper did well to get down and cut out his low cross.
Thanks to Harpole for the game, they have a youthful looking squad with a sprinkling of experience to gel them together and looked a very decent outfit. All the best to them for their upcoming season in the Combination Premier Division.
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The Cooks now have a wait until next Tuesday before the get back into action with a home game against Kettering Town with more details to follow before that match.
The first two matches of the league season have now been announced as we host Coventry United on the opening Saturday, before heading to Lutterworth Town three days later.
UPCOMING FIXTURES
Tuesday 18th July COGENHOE UNITED v KETTERING TOWN (PSF) 7-45PM
Saturday 22nd July MELTON TOWN v COGENHOE UNITED (PSF) 3PM
Tuesday 25th July COGENHOE UNITED v AFC RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS (PSF) 7-45PM
Saturday 29th July COGENHOE UNITED v COVENTRY UNITED (UCL-PDS) 3PM
Tuesday 1st August LUTTERWORTH TOWN v COGENHOE UNITED (UCL-PDS) 7-45PM
Saturday 5th August WESTFIELDS v COGENHOE UNITED (FAC-1 Prel) 3PM
