AYLESBURY VALE 0 HERTFORD TOWN 3
Molten Spartan South Midlands League - Premier Division
Tuesday 17th March 2009
The last time Hertford Town visited Haywood Way they were on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline in the Premier Division Cup. In this league match they experienced a complete reversal in fortune. A resurgent Blues side came away comfortable 3-0 winners, having played their attractive and effective passing game against their depleted hosts. It was also encouraging to see two players scoring for the first time this season.
Teams - Aylesbury Vale: 1. Eddie Farmer, 2. Alex Bateman, 3. James Baxter, 4. Tom Alabaster, 5. Kyle Kilmartin, 6. John Bentley, 7. Stuart Corbould (capt), 8. Troy Bailey-Goss, 9. Leon Gordon, 10. Danny Jones, 11. Daniel Jones. Subs Used: Luke Norris (for Corbould), Justin Gordon (for Bateman).
Hertford Town: 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Michael Cooper, 3. Daryl Mitchell, 4. Joel Maybury, 5. Glenn Draper (capt), 6. Matt McArdle, 7. Troy Alexander-Jarrett, 8. Owen Beale, 9. Dave Hunt, 10. Scott O'Donoghue, 11. Rob Luya. Subs Used: Chris Spiteri (for O'Donoghue), Andy Chapman (for Alexander-Jarrett), Jamie Abbott (for Hunt).
Hertford Town debutant Troy Alexander-Jarrett came very close to making an instant name for himself, running into the box and taking a shot with the game less than a minute old. His effort was wide of the mark however and after the initial burst the game settled down to a more mundane midfield battle for the next few minutes.
On the quarter hour mark the visitors won a corner, though Owen Beale's cross into the box was comfortably cleared. A second corner soon followed, this time taken by Daryl Mitchell. The ball in came straight back out though was returned with a vengeance but saved. On twenty minutes Scott O'Donoghue played in Rob Luya who shot just wide. The next move however, saw the Blues take the lead. Good build-up play saw Dave Hunt advancing down the right. He crossed into the centre, where O'Donoghue found himself in an almost embarrassing amount of space. This was not the most difficult chance that SCOTT O'DONOGHUE will have in a Hertford Town shirt, but he finished with some aplomb, burying the ball past the helpless Eddie Farmer in the Aylesbury Vale goal to put the visitors 1-0 up.
The Blues soon won two more corners in quick succession. The first was taken by Beale but easily cleared. The second was superbly played in by Mitchell to find the head of Hunt, though his effort was just over. Hertford's dominance continued and another good move soon followed. Michael Cooper passed to Alexander-Jarrett, who played in O'Donoghue, but his shot was just wide of Farmer's post.
It was then the turn of the home side to create chances, albeit for a rather brief spell. They initially won a free kick in a dangerous position well within the Hertford half, following a foul by Joel Maybury. John Bentley stepped up to take the kick but shot low and wide. Vale soon won a corner but when the ball came in the best any of their players could do was head harmlessly behind for a Hertford goal kick. The visitors soon began to take charge again. A good move saw Beale play in Alexander-Jarrett, who shot at goal, only to see his effort cleared out to O'Donoghue. He again passed to Alexander-Jarrett, who again shot and again saw his effort cleared. Another chance soon followed. Cooper crossed the ball in to Alexander-Jarrett, who this time attempted a header on target, but it was saved. The ball was immediately cleared down the other end and the home side won a corner, though this came to nothing. They were then forced to make an early substitution, Luke Norris coming on for injured skipper, Stuart Corbould.
With the home side having control in a non-threatening area in the centre of the pitch, Matt McArdle committed a needless foul and saw himself booked for the fourth consecutive match. The home side made nothing of the ensuing free kick however. As the game went into first half injury time the visitors won a free kick. This was wasted however, and the referee soon blew for the break.
Half Time Score: Aylesbury Vale 0 Hertford Town 1
Aylesbury Vale's Luke Norris made an immediate impact at the beginning of the second half, getting booked for a foul less than a minute after the restart. The next impact of the half came from the visitors. With some of the travelling supporters still making their way to take up positions behind the far goal MATT MCARDLE picked up the ball in a central position, the best part of thirty yards from Farmer's goal. Having been allowed plenty of space he let loose a bullet of a shot, which was blasted into the back of the Vale net, making amends for his earlier error and putting the Blues 2-0 up.
The home side soon won a free kick but this was easily cleared and the visitors once again took charge of the match. They won a succession of corners, all taken by Daryl Mitchell. The fourth of these came back out to the taker, who crossed back in, only for Dave Hunt to head over. A few minutes later the roles were reversed. Hunt crossed to Mitchell, but his headed effort too was over the bar. It was not long however, before the Blues were 3-0 up. A surging run down the left by the increasingly impressive Rob Luya (who incidentally played much of this game at left back!), was followed by him cutting inside, evading defenders in the box and sending the ball goalwards. The ball was probably on its way into the net but a desperate attempt at clearance by home defender James Baxter saw him put it across his own goal line and extend the visitors lead. The home side immediately made a second substitution, bringing on Justin Gordon for Alex Bateman. The visitors too, soon made their first change, bringing on Chris Spiteri (who would have been in the starting line-up had it not been for a major motor malfunction!) for the hard-working Scott O'Donoghue.
Twenty minutes into the second half the visitors won a free kick inside the Vale half. Daryl Mitchell tried a direct effort from distance, but the ball cleared the crossbar. The home side then mounted a rare attack of their own and won a corner, though this was easily cleared by the Hertford Defence. The Blues then made their second substitution, Andy Chapman coming on for impressive debutant Troy Alexander-Jarrett. Dave Hunt then had a shot on goal, which was saved, but the Hertford midfielder injured himself in the process and was soon replaced by Jamie Abbott, himself returning from injury.
The visitors soon won another corner but Mitchell's cross was played into the arms of 'keeper Farmer. There then followed one of the quietest periods of the match, with neither team really threatening the other. This spell was broken by some good interplay between Chapman and Luya, which finally saw the latter's shot saved at the expense of a Hertford corner. Mitchell's cross was initially cleared but the ball came back to him. However, he was adjudged to have been offside and the threat passed. The ball was then cleared upfield and a poorly-timed tackle on the edge of his own box saw Hertford Town captain Glenn Draper booked and the home side presented with a good shooting opportunity. Vale's Danny Jones was also cautioned at the same time. When the resulting free kick was eventually taken, it took a deflection and was cleared to safety.
The Blues were soon on the attack again and were awarded a free kick in the Aylesbury half, However, Mitchell's effort was hit straight at the wall and cleared. On the stroke of full time Jamie Abbott passed to Chris Spiteri, who tried a speculative effort from distance though this was saved. The referee then proceeded to play rather more injury time than the, by now shivering, supporters had expected. The visitors had a couple more half-chances before the official finally blew to end the contest.
Final Score: Aylesbury Vale 0 Hertford Town 3