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TUESDAY 21 NOVEMBER 2006 - HERTS SENIOR CUP 1st ROUND
BERKHAMSTED TOWN 2 HERTFORD TOWN 3
With Glenn Draper & Michael Bakare ineligible, manager Dave Greenwood gave himself a second start at centre back. Leo Turner made a welcome return after his injury.
Team: 1. Mark Virgo 2. Ashley McAloon 3. Pablo Ardiles 4. Kevin Kilroy 5. Dave Greenwood 6. Panayiotis Panayiotou 7. Leo Turner 8. Scott Neilson 9. Ryan Redford 10. Kevin Cooper 11. Lee Roberts Subs: 12 Nicky Marsh (for Ardiles, 70) 14. Paul Taylor (for Turner, 58) 15. Joel Maybury (for Greenwood, 45) 16. Adrian Robinson
As early as the 4th minute Hertford nearly went one up when Kevin Cooper just failed to connect with an excellent cross by Ashley McAloon from the right. Five minutes later a through ball from Dave Greenwood sprang the offside trap and Ryan REDFORD lobbed the keeper to open the scoring for Hertford. After a quiet 10 minutes, Mark Virgo made a superb save diving across to his right to stop a well struck volley from outside the box.
Lee Roberts, who had an impressive first half, made a 50 yard run up the line before being fouled. The subsequent free kick was met well by Greenwood. More success on the left worked well with the ball going to Leo Turner who nudged it to Redford forcing another save from keeper Underwood low to his right.
On the half hour Ashley McAloon made a crucial block after Fields got free from the central defence. Shortly after, a Roberts cross was not dealt with by the home defence at the back post. The ball was headed across goal by Panayiotou to Turner who had to stretch to reach it and it went over the bar.
On 36 minutes Hertford doubled their lead, when a perfect diagonal pass from Greenwood found Redford on the left. He cut inside and won a corner from which Roberts found Greenwood just inside the box who headed it to Panayiotis PANAYIOTOU on the 6 yard line centre of goal for him to nod over the oncoming keeper.
Just before half time, Berkhamsted nearly pulled one back when Franklin got through. Virgo saved with his legs then the ball was cleared by an overhead volley by McAloon.
Half Time: Berkhamsted Town 0 Hertford Town 2
Dave Greenwood replaced himself with Joel Maybury for the start of the second half. Kevin Cooper was booked for dissent a couple of minutes in. On 57 minutes, a free kick by Kilroy following a foul on Redford in the corner of the 18 yard box came to nothing. Leo Turner was then replaced by Paul Taylor. In the 61st minute, Cooper was played through by Roberts and took it away from the keeper to the other side of the box. The ball was then laid back to the oncoming Scott NEILSON who slotted it in from 8 yards. On 65 minutes the away fans thought Hertford had gone 4 up, when a Roberts cross to Pani at the far post was cut back to Paul Taylor who won a corner from his shot. Cooper received the corner at the back post, chested it down and placed it snugly into the net at the far post, only for the ref to disallow it for handball.
Five minutes later, Darren Franklin scored a scrappy goal for the home side from a corner. Pablo Ardiles was replaced by Nicky Marsh on 70 minutes. A couple of minutes later, Cooper gave Redford an excellent chance to increase the lead when he squared the ball to him just a few yards from goal, bur Rhino managed to get under the ball and it went over the bar.
Roberts dispossessed a midfielder, then ran 40 yards and played in Cooper who went down under a heavy challenge, but no penalty was given. In the 83rd minute Virgo produced a terrific point blank save at the back post from a free header off a cross. Hertford then had a couple more chances with shots from Roberts and Cooper, both just off target, then there was another fine save by Underwood following good play by Roberts, Neilson and Cooper.
As the final whistle drew close, Roberts collected the ball by the half way line, skipped past 2 defenders and shot just over. On 94 minutes in a half which had seen no injuries, Marsh failed to track Greg Walsh who cut inside and just beat Virgo to his right.
Full Time: Berkhamsted Town 2 Hertford Town 3
The Blues now meet Potters Bar Town in the next round at home on 5th December.
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