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SATURDAY 6 SEPTEMBER 2008 - SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS PREMIER DIVISION
BIGGLESWADE UNITED 3 HERTFORD TOWN 2
Having come back from three goals down in their previous encounter, this time it was The Blues who gave up a two goal lead. The game turned first on a 61st minute penalty miss, and then on a penalty to Biggleswade United and a red card for Glenn Draper.
Hertford gave a first league start to striker David Anyetei and welcomed back goalkeeper Lee Robinson for his third spell with the club.
Teams: Hertford Town - 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Sean Crossley, 3. Pablo Ardiles, 4. Joel Maybury, 5. Glenn Draper, 6. Kevin Kilroy (capt), 7. Tom Powell, 8. Jack Bruno, 9. Reece Lyons, 10. Kevin Cooper, 11. David Anyetei. Sub Used: 14. Andros Zavros (for Jack Bruno, 56).
Biggleswade United - 1. Adam Lawrence, 2. Michael Scarisbrook (capt), 3. Damon Hazelwood, 4. Andre Maltoy, 5. Ben Stocker, 6. Luke Jones, 7. Sam Thrower, 8. Gary Jackson, 9. Emanuel Langlais, 10. Dan Gaskin, 11. Jason Darvall. Subs Used: 14. Jake Goodship (for Slack, 74), 16. James Slack (for Thrower, 69).
In an opening few minutes littered with free kicks, it was Hertford who took the lead through an 11th minute KEVIN COOPER penalty. David Anyetei got clean through before being felled in the box by home 'keeper Lawrence. Anyetei was clean through on goal but travelling away at 45 degrees to the goal as he tried to round the 'keeper, which might explain why the referee only showed Lawrence a yellow card. Anyetei had full control of the ball however, and on another day it might have been an early bath for the young 'keeper.
There was plenty of spirit from Biggleswade although Hertford looked to be gaining the upper hand. They certainly did on 36 minutes, when they took a two goal lead through KEVIN KILROY, whose corner kick curled in at the near post as Lawrence was wrong footed and there was no-one on the line to intervene. Less than a minute later, Lee Robinson had to make a fine flying save to deny United an opener. He repeated the feat on 42 minutes as the home side tried their utmost to get something back before half time. Hertford came nearest though, as Reece Lyons, playing out wide right, cut in and fired narrowly over the bar from 18 yards.
Half time: Bigglswade United 0 Hertford Town 2
Hertford had the first meaningful chance of the second period too, as a move instigated by Reece Lyons saw Dave Anyetei shoot over the bar. Hertford made a surprise substitution as early as 56 minutes, when Andros Zavros replaced his fellow 16 year old Jack Bruno in the wide left position. Bruno had been playing particularly well and did not appear to be injured. When David Anyetei challenged for the ball in the box with Adam Lawrence, the keeper slipped on the greasy surface as he rounded Anyetei, and Kevin Cooper got himself booked for the second game in a row for complaining about a bad decision, as the referee adjudged, from a distance, Anyetei to have fouled Lawrence.
Then, on 61 minutes, Hertford got the chance to seal the three points, when Andros Zavros went down in the box under a challenge from home skipper Michael Scarisbrook. Scarisbrook was so incensed by the decision to award a penalty that he received a yellow card for dissent. For once ace marksman Cooper got it wrong and fired his spot kick against the crossbar. Although the ball bounced down, it fell outside of the goal-line and to safety. This let off seemed to inspire United, who had been looking increasingly unable to make an impact. On 69 minutes they got a goal back when JASON DARVALL was on hand to head home a right wing cross. Geed up by this, United laid seige to the Blues' goal and Robinson had to make a third fingertip save of the game on 71 minutes. From the ensuing corner, Andros Zavros was on hand to clear the danger at the expense of another corner. Then disaster struck on 74 minutes. Glenn Draper and United substitute James Slack who had only been on the field for 5 minutes, challenged for a header and Slack was knocked unconscious as they clashed. After he had received treatment and been helped from the field, it became apparent that the referee had awarded a penalty and was sending Draper off the field. JASON DARVALL made no mistake from the spot to bring the scores level.
It is not in Hertford's makeup to try and defend what they have when a man down, and they paid the ultimate price. There were bookings, both seemingly harsh, for United's Hazelwood and Hertford's Kilroy before, on 82 minutes, Biggleswade sealed all three points with a marvellous individual strike from MANUEL LANGLAIS, who took advantage of the hole in the middle of the Hertford defence where Draper should have been, to thunder a dipping shot past a helpless Lee Robinson.
The home side couldn't believe they had won it, the visitors couldn't believe they'd lost it!
Final Score: Biggleswade United 3 Hertford Town 2
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