With Kevin Cooper away on holiday, Panayiotis Panayiotou took over the coveted no. 10 shirt. Reserve team players Alex Scriven, Rory Brien and Michael Cooper were included in the squad, which was: 1. Mark Virgo , 2. Nicky Marsh, 3. Pablo Ardiles, 4. Kevin Kilroy, 5. Glenn Draper, 6. Paul Taylor, 7. Nicky Burt, 8. Ryan Wade, 9. Ryan Redford, 10. Panayiotis Panayiotou, 11. Lee Roberts. Subs: 12. Louis Lancaster (for Ardiles, 45), 14. Michael Cooper (for Roberts, 60), 15. Rory Brien (for Burt, 45), 16. Alex Scriven (for Redford, 60), 17. Nick Barnaby (for Virgo, 45)

The home side set about their young visitors from the outset and left winger Lee Roberts broke through the middle in the first minute but a defender dispossessed him. As Hertford piled on the pressure they won successive corners in the 2nd and 3rd minutes. Slick interpassing was causing the Bedford side trouble, but they repeatedly cleared the ball in front of goal. When Hertford won a free kick just outside the 18 yard box, Kevin Kilroy's pin point kick was headed just over by central defensive partner Glenn Draper. A superb passage of play involving Ryan Wade and Lee Roberts led to Pablo Ardiles side-footing the ball just wide from 8 yards.
Bedford were starting to get to grips with the home side, without really threatening, then, on 19 minutes, they were a goal down. Ryan Redford crossed from the right and PANAYIOTIS PANAYIOTOU was there to tap the ball home from close range. A few minutes later the Eagles' 'keeper had to punch the ball off Ryan Redford's head to prevent a second, conceding a corner in the process. It was 26 minutes before Bedford won so much as a free kick, and even that was on the halfway line. With little to do at the back, Kevin Kilroy started making regular forays up the field, even featuring down the left wing during one passage of play. On 35 minutes, a concerted attack by The Blues involving Marsh, Burt, Redford, Roberts and Taylor looked certain to bring a reward, but once again a resolute Eagles' defence held out. A minute later though, they were undone as Redford gained possession in front of goal and lobbed the advancing 'keeper. The No. 9 and everyone else for that matter thought that his lob would end up in the back of the net, but a wicked bounce saw the ball just clear the crossbar.
Further shooting practice by the home forwards in the last few minutes of the half came to nothing before the ref blew the half time whistle bang on 45 minutes.

Half Time: Hertford Town 1 Bedford Town Res 0

Hertford made three substitutions at half time, bringing on Nick Barnaby in goal for Mark Virgo, Louis Lancaster for Pablo Ardiles and Rory Brien for Nicky Burt. Bedford made a number of changes throughout the second period.
On 53 minutes the visitors' No. 9 had their best chance so far when he broke clear and should have scored, but he pulled his shot wide. At the other end, Lee Roberts continued his sparkling form by skipping down the left and crossing to the waiting Panayiotou, who just failed to connect, right in front of goal. Then Pany found a Nicky Marsh cross from the other side just too high to connect with. On the hour, Michael Cooper replaced Lee Roberts, and Alex Scriven came on for Redford. On 66 minutes, Scriven won possession during a charge towards the Eagles' goal and played the ball wide to RORY BRIEN, who took the ball on a stride before planting a superb drive on the run past the helpless visiting 'keeper. Brien nearly repeated the feat a couple of minutes later, as he continued to impress down the right wing. Ryan Wade got in a couple of late efforts as he pressed further forward, before LOUIS LANCASTER finished off the evening's scoring with a tap in from a rebound, with almost the last kick of the game.

Final score: Hertford Town 3 Bedford Town Res 0





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