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HERTFORD TOWN 2 BIGGLESWADE TOWN 2
Molten Spartan South Midlands League - Premier Division
Saturday 29th November 2008
On a crisp, winter afternoon, perfect for football, Biggleswade Town rolled into Hertingfordbury Park, third in the table and with a squad including former Hertford favourites Ryan Redford, Kevin Kilroy and the Blues all-time leading goal scorer, Kevin Cooper. What with Biggleswade's position in the table and the familiar faces on show, there was a noticeably excited anticipation among the biggest crowd of the season as 121 fans clicked through the turnstile and into the ground for what promised to be a highly charged contest.
Teams- Hertford Town: 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Jamie Abbott, 3. Duncan Hamilton, 4. Joel Maybury (capt), 5. Dave Hunt 6. Pablo Ardiles, 7. Alex Scriven, 8. Matt McArdle, 9. Attila Korsoveczki, 10. Owen Beale, 11. Michael Cooper. Sub Used: Chris Spiteri (for Cooper).
Biggleswade Town: 1. George Anderson, 2. Daniel Flack, 3. Neil Morgan, 4. Liam Folds (capt), 5. Paul Reynolds, 6. Kevin Kilroy, 7. Jack Weeden, 8. Glen Lamacraft, 9. Ryan Redford, 10. Kevin Cooper, 11. Bobby Dance.
The game started at a fair pace with both teams piling forward when in possession and as a result of the speed of play, the first ten minutes saw both teams give away free kicks on the edge of the penalty areas. The first was struck low by Hertford's Duncan Hamilton but was easily gathered by Biggleswade's 16 year old debutant 'keeper. Biggleswade then had a turn, with Kevin Kilroy shooting across the goal and out for a goal kick.
On ten minutes, Hertford swung a ball into the box which Attila Korsoveczki hand balled in a manner that Ronaldo would have been proud of, resulting in the Hungarian number nine having his name taken by the referee. A few minutes later and Lee Robinson in the Hertford goal was having his hands stung by a rasping shot from Biggleswade's Ryan Redford, which was gathered at the second attempt by the Blues keeper.
After twenty minutes the ref had to give Alex Scriven a talking too after a challenge on the Biggleswade full back, which looked to be a perfect challenge, and lead to extended protest from Scriven, pleading his innocence. The resulting free kick was lofted forward by Flack for Biggleswade and the ball was finally cleared by the Blues after a scrabble in the penalty box.
As the half drew to a close, Hertford began to dominate the game, playing good flowing football, backed up in force by the Blue crowd, in good voice and eager to see Hertford's possession rewarded with goals. Korsoveczki was felled on the edge of the box by the Biggleswade number eight, Glen Lamacraft, whose hair style suggested he was on loan from Van Halen. The resulting free kick was blasted toward goal by the left foot of Hamilton but pinged off the crossbar and out for a goal kick.
The last five minutes of the half saw Ryan Redford and Lee Robinson yellow carded for squaring up to one another, and Biggleswade miss a good opportunity as Lamacraft shanked the ball high over the crossbar. So the whistle sounded bringing an end to an exciting half of football.
Half Time Score: Hertford Town 0 Biggleswade Town 0
The second half began the same as the first with both teams playing football at high speed. Reynolds was booked for Biggleswade after a cynical foul on Hertford's Alex Scriven. It wasn't long before the crowd got a reason to jump and shout as Hamilton slammed the ball in to the top left hand corner of the net, one nil Hertford. There followed a period of constant Hertford pressure as the Blues tried to enforce their dominance with a second goal. Twice the home team was very unlucky after offside decisions were given against them that looked to all and sundry to be onside.
How important those decisions could have been as soon after Biggleswade drew level after Lamacraft turned the ball into Hertford's net after a scrabble in the goal mouth. Not long after and the Hertford crowd was winded as another scrabble in the goal mouth culminated in Kevin Cooper scoring against his former teammates. The resulting frantic Biggleswade celebration was perhaps an indication of what a good scalp the Blues have become under the guidance of Pablo Ardiles, as their bench emptied to join the embracing players, and screeches of joy spilled from the stands.
Neil Morgan was next in the book for Biggleswade after a foul on Alex Scriven. The Hertford crowd became increasingly nervous as the time ticked away on what had been an excellent game of football. Suddenly, with five minutes to go, Alex Scriven broke free of the Biggleswade defence and hurtled toward goal while the keeper came out to meet him. Ice cool, Scriven slipped the ball under the goalie and into the empty net. Pandemonium! Scriven leapt the wall and was engulfed by the ecstatic crowd, a blur of blue scarves, blue hats and beaming grins. Two all and thoroughly deserved, both for Hertford as a team, and Alex Scriven personally who had played an excellent game, terrorising Biggleswade with his pace and direct running.
"It meant a lot to score as I've not been too involved due to injury." Scriven said after the final whistle; "It was great because I could see how much it meant to the fans". He was right, it did mean a lot to the fans, as have Hertford's performances of late. The division's top three teams have been played and in each game Hertford have been more than a match for all three of them. Record goal scorer Kevin Cooper believes that with Pablo Ardiles at the helm there could be more to come; "He'll do a brilliant job. I didn't know he was taking the job when I left, it (the appointment of a manager) had went on and on. I felt I needed a change, but the fans here have been brilliant to me".
Jack Roberts
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