Baldock Town secured an action-packed victory away to Colney Heath 

Both sides had been inactive for three weeks, their last games both being high-scoring affairs on January 7.

On that day the Magpies had drawn 3-3 with Ardley United, courtesy of a last-minute equaliser, while the Reds went down 4-3 to Aylesbury Vale Dynamos.

This time there was five goals with the Baldock winning 3-2.

An own-goal and strikes from Owen Robertson and Kit Brown gave them a 3-0 lead after 49 minutes at the Recreation Ground.

But Vladut Sighiartau scored a delightful free-kick on his debut before netting a penalty and when Mamadou Diallo was sent off, there was hope of another high-scoring draw for the hosts.

It wasn't to be though.

The Magpies made five changes since that game at Ardley, with a debut for the former Hertford Town and FC Romania forward.

Baldock meanwhile had six changes with striker Brown one of those to come in.

It took just four minutes for Baldock to get in front and although it had a huge slice of good fortune about it, it set the tone for the remainder of the half.

A low cross from the right missed it's intended targets but George Taban's clearance thumped off the helpless Jack Mongey and rebounded back into the net.

Baldock doubled their lead on 22 minutes when Robertson got in behind, latching onto a flick-on from Zach Decker and picking his spot beyond Liam Studley.

And the forward could have had more before the half-time interval but Studley denied him by coming out quickly and blocking the effort.

But it laid bare the deficiencies in the Magpies defence as time after time they allowed the Baldock attack to beyond them without too much exertion.

It had manager George Georgiou tearing his hair out and there were two substitutions before the game had reached 30 minutes, both tactical changes.

Colney's attacking prowess was limited to shots from Jayden Silcott-Brown and Alex Cathline, both of which were held with ease by Josh Mollison.

There were no further changes at the break but there would have been instructions of a defensive nature.

They were totally forgotten though after another four minutes.

Brown had the freedom of the Rec when a ball was slipped in from the right, picking it up on the edge of the area and totally unmarked.

From there he just had to pick his spot which he did with ease, to the left of Studley.

With their defence in tatters, the Magpies needed a spark to light their attack and they got it it with a fluke effort that hit the crossbar.

There was no doubting Silcott-Brown was delivering a chipped cross but it went too close to Mollison.

The keeper couldn't gather though and it bounced off the crossbar after slipping through his fingers.

The corner drew a free-kick and from that Sighiartau clipped it over the wall and beyond the hand of the diving keeper.

It still was looking like a Baldock win but a penalty awarded on 74 minutes suddenly put the result in doubt.

It looked like Newman Carney had won the ball with a great tackle on Silcott-Brown but the referee, who was on the other side decided otherwise.

Sighiartau put it to the left of Mollison and there was one goal in it.

There was then a one player difference too as Diallo received a second yellow card for a foul on Cathline by the benches. Baldock were trying to sub him off but the card was still brandished.

Taran Rattrey miscued a header and then Kamel El-Maghur put another header wide from a great James Samways cross.

There was no more drama though as Baldock held on for the points.

 

Colney Heath: Studkey, Taban, Rattrey, Mandeville, Eaton-Bonnick (Dixon-Smith 23), Mongey, Silcott-Brown, Erkarslan (Gleeson 52), Cathline (El Maghur 82), Smith (Samways 29), Sighiartau.

Sub (not used): Sawyers.

Goals: Sighiartau 58 (pen) 75

Booked: Mandeville 12

 

Baldock Town: Mollison, Kane, Morrell, Furness, Carney, Decker, Diallo, Brown, Buchannan, O.Robertson.

Subs (not used): Forde, D.Robertson, Laing, King.

Goals: Mongey (og) 4, O.Robertson 22, Brown 49

Booked: Diallo 56, 78

Sent off: Diallo 78

 

HT: Colney Heath 0 Baldock Town 2