Skipper Kevin Kilroy and Lee Roberts were both unavailable for this one, and the Blues lined up as follows:
1. Lee Robinson, 2. Nicky Marsh, 3. Louis Lancaster, 4. Matt Watts, 5. Glenn Draper, 6. Ryan Wade, 7. Phil Goss, 8. Matt McArdle, 9. Ryan Redford, 10. Kevin Cooper (Capt), 11. Pablo Ardiles. Subs Used: 12. Nicky Burt (for Goss, 45), 15. Panayiotis Panayiotou (for McArdle, 73), 16. Jamie Abbott (for Ardiles, 68)

Aylesbury Vale: 1. Leigh Adams, 2. Steve Sansom, 3. Sam Cooley, 4. Rory Manning, 5. Kyle Kilmartin, 6. Jamie Baxter, 7. Kirk Pelis, 8. Stuart Corbould (Capt), 9. Paul Talbot, 10. Danny Jones, 11. Ricky Sinfield. Subs: 12. Adam Target (for Jones, 45), 14. Joe Budd (for Kilmartin, 79)

The lights were on from the outset, on a cold, dark afternoon, but the match officials didn't spot Glenn Draper's 1st minute shirt tug on Paul Talbot, which had the visitors' bench rightly howling for a penalty. In truth Aylesbury could have done with the penalty for they never looked like threatening Hertford throughout the rest of the game. On 3 minutes, Kevin Cooper won a free kick out on the left, and Ryan Wade played the ball inside to Matt McArdle, who swept it out to unlikely right winger Glenn Draper. The big man floated over an excellant cross to Ryan Wade, who headed just wide of the target.
Apart from the odd raid by the visitors, it was all Hertford. Louis picked out Phil Goss with a 12th minute free kick, but the wide man was only able to head over the bar. Then a clever lay off from Kevin Cooper was half volleyed just wide by the fast in-rushing Ryan Wade, as Hertford threatened to take the lead. Aylesbury were pressured into conceding another free kick on 18 minutes, and when Cooper helped on Wade's kick to Ryan Redford, the striker was just wide with his finish. Vale had a brief period of pressure, when Wade headed a Stuart Corbould free kick to safety, only for a follow up shot to be deflected for a corner. The visitors came close to opening the scoring, when Ricky Sinfield fired just past the post, from close range. Then Steve Sansom fired in a long range free kick which was cleared by a combination of Ryan Wade and Louis Lancaster.
Hertford took the lead on 28 minutes though, when MATT McARDLE opened his scoring account with a rocket from 25 yards which, although goalbound took a deflection off a defender to make keeper Adams' job of saving it impossible. Danny Jones had Vale's best chance of levelling on 34 minutes, when he turned well in the box but skied the ball high over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
That miss became even more telling a minute later as Hertford doubled their lead. Pablo Ardiles did really well to recover from a foul out on the left, and the referee played an excellant advantage to let Ardiles run on and chip the ball up in the air to the far post, where RYAN REDFORD gleefully celebrated his 100th match for The Blues with a deft header.
It was nearly three immediately after, when Lee Robinson launched a long kick downfield, and defender Rory Manning could only slice the ball to Redford. Keeper Adams was grateful that Redford fired straight at him. Phil Goss got round the back of a surprisingly square defence but couldn't find anyone with his chip into the box.

Half Time: Hertford Town 2 Aylesbury Vale 0

Nicky Burt started the second half in place of the unwell Phil Goss, and Vale sent on Adam Target for the injured Danny Jones. The visitors were first to threaten in the second period, when Sam Cooley's shot was deflected for a corner. Substitute Target became the first player cautioned by the very tolerant referee, when he chopped down Nicky Burt as he threatened to get clear down the wing. The home fans were in excellant voice as they urged their side on, and it worked on 66 minutes, when RYAN REDFORD latched on to a fine long ball through the middle from Glenn Draper to run on and slot the ball home past a helpless Adams in the Vale goal. It must have been music to the centre half's ears to hear the fans, so often his critics, singing "There's only one Glenn Draper"! With the game won, Jamie Abbott replaced Pablo ardiles, as the little man came off to a standing ovation. It looked like 4-0 on 69 minutes as Nicky Marsh backheeled the ball into the net from a yard, only to be given offside. Then, on 72 minutes, more Redford magic set up an unmissable tap in for strike partner Kevin Cooper. Unfortunately the leading scorer decided to blast the ball, and it disappeared out of the ground. Pany Panayiotou came on for Matt McArdle then Kevin Cooper dispatched another ball into the car park when he toe poked over the bar from 20 yards. Vales' Kyle Kilmartin limped off on 79 minutes, with Joe Budd his replacement, then a spate of late bookings for fouls by Aylesbury players saw Sam Cooley, Stuart Corbould and Ricky Sinfield all booked.

Final Score: Hertford Town 3 Aylesbury Vale 0