|
SATURDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2006
SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
HERTFORD TOWN 3 AYLESBURY VALE 5
Players and supporters alike were stunned to hear before the game that manager Gary Conner had resigned late on Thursady evening. To do so with his team top of the league was beyond belief to most of them, and a Press Release form the club is expected.
Physio Matt Barnaby took charge for the day, and called in ex Blue James Abbott to assist. With today's opponents Aylesbury Vale not having started the season particularly well, the crowd expected the top of the table Blues to make short work of them.
Hertford were forced to make one change from Tuesday evening's successful side, as Robbie Syrett sustained a serious ankle injury in training on Thursday, and Scott Neilson came in to replace him.
Team: 1. Mark Virgo, 2. Nicky Marsh, 3. Mark Teasdale, 4. Joel Maybury (capt), 5. John Barker, 6. Pablo Ardiles, 7. Leo Turner, 8. Scott Neilson, 9. Ryan Redford, 10. Kevin Cooper, 11. Lee Roberts. Sub Used: 16. Simon Eden (for Teasdale, 85)
For the first few minutes it looked like Hertford would continue their winning ways, Surging runs by Leo Turner and then Lee Roberts led to desperate defending from the visitors. Hertford won a corner but Leo Turner took the ball when the better placed Joel Maybury looked set to head home. Then Vale's first serious attack nearly proved costly for the Blues, except that Mark Virgo pulled of a really good close range block and the ball was put behind for a corner to the visitors. At the other end a flowing move involving Kevin Cooper and Ryan Redford saw the latter fire into the side netting, as it looked only a matter of time before Hertford took the lead.
Then, on 18 minutes, Leo Turner went down clutching his face just inside his own half, and the referee hovered a few feet away, wondering whether to blow up for a head injury. Meanwhile play moved rapidly towards the Hertford goal. With Hertford players clearly expecting play to halt, Mark Virgo made a valiant attempt to save a shot form a Vale attacker, only to present the ball to ROSS TAYLOR, who gleefully stroked the ball home. Only then did the referee permit Leo to receive treatment, much to the annoyance of the home players and crowd.
Mark Virgo made a dramatic flying save from Ross Taylor before. on 34 minutes, he had no chance as a huge gap opened in the middle of Hertford's defence and LUKE MELISI shrugged off a foul challenge by Mark Teasdale to fire home for 2-0 to Aylesbury Vale. There still was no cause for panic against a side that looked eminently beatable. But just before the break, the job got a whole lot harder when LUKE MELISI got his secondand Vale's third with a cool lob from 15 yards.
Half Time: Hertford Town 0 Aylesbury Vale 3
Luke Melisi went close to his hat-trick on 47 minutes when his 20 yarder flew just over the bar, as Hertford continued to present far too much space to Vale's attackers. Ryan Redford was booked for a foul as he turned his man, but then it really did all look over on the hour when PAUL TALBOT made it 4-0 although there was more than a suspicion of an own goal. The crowd, already subdued from the start, were totally silent, but then they were whipped into a frenzy as Hertford began an incredible comeback. On 66 minutes, RYAN REDFORD went on a darting run towards goal before firing home in great style to make it 1-4, then two minutes later SCOTT NEILSON scored from close in with an effort that rattled off the crossbar before finally crossing the line for 2-4. Despite being caught on the break by Aylesbury when PAUL TALBOT scored with the best goal of the game, a lob into the net from the edge of the box, Hertford still looked capable of rescuing something from the game! The referee awarded a penalty for a foul on Kevin cooper, not noticing that the assistant referee was flagging for offside, but then correctly changed his decision. On 76 minutes, LEO TURNER popped up to make it 3-5 as the ball pinged around the Vale penalty area like a pinball. Then, with 10 minute left, visiting 'keeper Peter Smith pulled down Ryan Redford in front of goal, and the referee awarded a proper penalty this time. Smith stayed down injured for an eterninty, with the referee making it clear that he was adding time. When Smith eventually got up, Kevin Cooper placed the ball and the referee whistled, Just as Cooper was running up, the referee stopped him because of encroachment. When Coops was allowed finally to take the kick, Smith saved his decent effort. A score at that point would surely have seen Vale collapse completely. Cooper was distraught at his miss, but, in truth, the referee should have allowed him to complete his first kick. Hertford threw on another forward in Simon Eden, who came on for Mark Teasdale. Kevin Cooper drew a save from Peter Smith and Ryan Redford found the side netting from the rebound, but even with about seven forwards Hertford were unable to score any more goals.
Final Score: Hertford Town 3 Aylesbury Vale 5
|
