Lge (H)
Lost 1-3
(H/T 1-0)
Histon were first time visitors to Brunting Rd in the United Counties Premier Division South and with both teams occupying play off places, it was all to play for.

The first chance of the game fell to Dan White but his header from an Andy Hall free kick was just wide, and at the other end Francis Boateng made a brilliant block to stop a goal bound shot. With 10 minutes on the clock, it looked like Moulton should have had a penalty, Nathan Amaning wriggled into the box and with a clear sight of goal appeared to be clipped from behind, but the referee waved away appeals and minutes later he was involved in more controversy. Boateng fouled a Histon player just outside the penalty area, and the official immediately brandished a red card, apparently the Magpies defender was deemed to be the last defender. Down to 10 men for the remaining 77 minutes the home side set about trying to frustrate the “Stutes” and did so to great effect, restricting their opponents to scraps in the final third, and deservedly took the lead with 33 minutes gone. Hall drifted a free kick into the box and when the ball dropped to ISOM he showed some great footwork and slotted his shot inside the far post. The visitors had a half chance from a corner a few minutes later but that was all they created .

HALF TIME MOULTON 1 HISTON 0

The Magpies had a great chance to make it 2-0 minutes after the restart, Ed Odley released Adam Dicks, and he bore down on the Histon goal and could have shot but tried to find Nathan Burrows inside but the ball was intercepted by a retreating defender. More controversy involving the match official soon followed when Hall leaned on a Stutes attacker in the penalty area and he went down very easily, again Histon got the right end of the decision with Connor Barnes tucking away the resultant penalty. No more than a minute later they should have taken the lead but a free shot from 6 yards was straight at Adam North in the home goal. Despite the set back Moulton continued to create chances Isom shot across goal and Burrows was only inches away from getting a toe end on it and then Damian Osoimoejiokhian got free on the left but his cross eluded everyone. Histon started to create a little more but were being matched by a resolute rearguard action by the home side who were still creating chances themselves, Isom put Burrows away on the left but he saw his shot smothered by Stute’s keeper Jake West and then good work by Dicks ended up with Amaning shooting straight at the keeper. Isom was again chief creator and a back post free kick just eluded Burrows but Luke Stevens got on to the loose ball before hitting a fierce drive from an acute angle that West tipped over. Histon thought they had taken the lead with 70 minutes gone but the goal was ruled out for offside but with 12 minutes left they finally breached the Magpies defence when Max York went on a mazy run in from the left and beat North at his near post. Manager Gary Petts introduced Louis Kelly and Justin Mensah to add some fresh legs and the Magpies had one more chance, when Osoimoejiokhian headed over from another Isom cross. To add to the growing frustration Moulton should have been awarded a free kick in the Histon half but again the referee saw fit to ignore it and the visitors broke away and Barnes grabbed his second of the game.

A game that saw Moulton not getting the rub of the green and the home support was left wondering what would have happened if the match defining decisions had gone in their favour rather that their opponents.

FINAL SCORE MOULTON 1 HISTON 3

TEAM North, Dicks, Osoimoejiokhian, Odley, (Mensah 82), Stevens, Boateng, Amaning, Hall (Kelly 82), Isom, White, Burrows (Ansu 72)

Subs not used Long, Goodacre