A host of emotions were expressed post-match after an absorbing see-saw encounter finally ended with honours ended after Oxhey Jets and Brook House battled out a 4-4 draw at the Boundary Stadium on Saturday.
Whether the outcome was a point gained or two dropped for the hosts remains wide open to debate after Jets had led 2-0, trailed 3-2, then went in front again before conceding for a fourth time in injury time of their Combined Counties League Division One clash.
George Rice fires the hosts in front. (Image: John Elliott) The hosts started strongly against their in-form opponents and struck first in the sixth minute when George Rice attacked at speed from out wide and coolly slotted home.
Jets felt they should have been awarded a penalty for a challenge on Rice, but they did score a second in the 40th minute when Owen Ayres bent home a stunning effort.
A spot-kick was to be awarded in the first half though, and it was Brook House who were the beneficiaries as Trey Pender-Brown halved the deficit just before the interval.
Owen Ayres doubles Jets' advantage. (Image: John Elliott) Within three minutes of the resumption, Pender-Brown scored his second as the home side were once again punished for a slow start to a second half.
The visitors started to get on top and it was no real surprise when a shaky defensive performance was exposed again as Pender-Brown completed his hat-trick with 20 minutes remaining.
The young Jets side rallied and showed real heart and again the referee was given a decision to make when top scorer Dom Mosca broke clear and was upended in the box.
This time the referee did point to the spot and although the keeper saved the spot-kick with his feet, Mosca was quickest to the rebound to equalise in the 72nd minute.
Owen Ayres heads in his second to make it 4-3. (Image: John Elliott) Jets were bubbling and three minutes later they went in front again when a perfect corner from Lewis Davis was headed home by Ayres for his second.
The home side might have had a fifth when Rice went through but he delayed his shot and this was crucial in allowing a defender to recover and join the keeper in denying the opportunity.
Instead of making it 5-3, there was to be one final twist in Brook House’s favour in the first minute of injury time when more poor defending allowed Mark Richards to slot home.
Jets’ attention now turns to tomorrow night’s Herts Charity Shield semi-final when they take on Wormley Rovers aiming to reach the final for the second year running. The game kicks off at 7.30pm.
