A brace from sub Jas Genesis ensured Eagles got back to winning ways with a 2-0 win over Bovingdon. At the start of play Eagles were three points and one place below their opponents, but leapfrogged them into third in a game they should have won by a higher margin.
Eagles pinned Bovingdon back from the first whistle, with Harry Holland and David Locke combining neatly down the left flank on several occasions. Holland had a great chance to open the scoring when played through by Locke lob was cleared off the line. Paul McGennity, up from the back for a corner, then had an effort cleared off the line as Bovingdon held on. Ben L’Honore limped off with an ankle injury after 15 minutes and was replaced by Genesis, and the substitute made an impact straight away. Joe Tyler played a ball forward to Jack Gregson, and he flicked on for Genesis, who took on touch and curled a fine finish round the goalkeeper from the edge of the box.
That’s how it stayed until the half time, but the same pattern continued after the break. A close range header from Lee Pateman was somehow saved, and Connor Pennery found his range with a strike from distance. Bovingdon’s hopes of getting back into the game were made more difficult when their centre half was shown a second yellow card for deliberate hand ball. He had been lucky to be on the pitch prior to this after several fouls on Eagles’ forwards. The second arrived on 72 minutes when Rob Groves’ in-swinging corner from the right was flicked on by Holland, with Genesis applying the finishing touch with a close range header.
Bovingdon eventually began to come out of their shell and created a couple of half chances at the end, but Dan Goad was never seriously tested in goal.
Eagles climbed to third in the league, and face fourth-placed Goffs Oak at Pixmore next Saturday, 2.30pm kick off.
Team: Goad; McGennity, Tyler, Brown, Locke (Mitchell); Pateman, Groves, Pennery; L’Honore (Genesis), Gregson, Holland.
