PETER MORRISON TROPHY ROUND TWO
HARMEN 3 CAMDEN PARK 2 AET
Mike Pearson was Harmen's hero in extra-time as he scored the extra-time winner that ended Camden Park's hearts of an upset against the Premier Division leaders.
With the ink only just drying following his big-money move from Faithfold, he was in the right place at the right time and immediately turn himself into a favourite with the Harmen fans.
This was not a game that Harmen were expecting to win comfortably and it took a goal from new big signing Mike Pearson just two minutes before the end of extra-time to secure this tie.
Harmen did not get going in the first half, allowing Camden's players all the time in the world on the ball and fell behind early on to a superbly hit Rob Hershkorn free-kick.
However it didn’t take long for Harmen to draw level. The ball laid through to JC Player of the Month James Gershfield - it looked like his first touch had taken it too wide to get a shot away but he managed to rifle it into the far corner from a near impossible angle.
Camden were awarded a penalty in the 18th minute and looked very much like they were going to go 2-1 up until Max Shields flung himself to his left and pushed the ball to safety. Shields made another couple of great saves in the first half to keep the scoreline level.
The second half was a different game as Harmen settled down, with Marc Foster controlling things once again in the middle, with MGBSFL chairman David Wolff on the sidelines constantly asking “who is this number 12?”
Shields was on hand again a number of times, commanding his area and his positioning was superb to stop Camden taking the lead. But there was nothing that Shields could do for Camden’s second, a defensive slip up allowing Adam Paris to run through and have all the time in the world to slot it past the keeper.
With time slipping away, Joey Lazare was re-introduced to the pitch having been earlier taken off after running his socks off in the first half and it would be none other than the man himself to pull Harmen back into the game with only three minutes remaining. He seems to be popping up with some very important goals this year.
So to extra-time where neither team really took control, but the Harmen back-line dug deep, keeping Camden at bay.
All talk on the sidelines was about the potential penalties that would control the destiny of this game, but there was one final twist as Ricky Rinder, who was looking lively throughout, cut in from the right and delivered a perfect cross to Pearson who flicked the header over the keeper and into the back of the net.
Harmen joint-manager Joel Alterman told JC Sport: "There is no better way to properly introduce yourself to your new team mates than to score the winner with two minutes left of extra-time and Pearson looked delighted with his contribution.
Co-boss Joe Marsh added: "This was our worst performance of the year - we were a shambles at times, but we dug deep and produced the goods when needed. Max Shields was undoubtedly our best player, making a crucial penalty save and a number of great saves throughout the entire match."
Camden Park's Max Saunders told JC Sport: "We're absolutely gutted with the result as we feel we deserved a lot more especially in the first 90 minutes where we feel we were clearly the better team.
"We were completely dominant in the first half and were the better team in the second half. We missed three clear-cut chances, we had a shot cleared off the line and missed a penalty.
"We were five minutes away from winning the game 2-1 before we conceded a sloppy and completely avoidable equaliser in the 86th minute.
"After the equaliser our heads dropped and Harmen took control in extra time, scoring a winner shortly before penalties, although by then the game had been reduced to a very slow tempo.
