BRIMSDOWN ROVERS 3 HERTFORD TOWN 2
Molten Spartan South Midlands League - Premier Division
Saturday 1st May 2010
After sixty-three years, this was the sadly the last game of football to be played by Brimsdown Rovers Football Club, another victim of the harsh financial realities that have blighted non-league football over the past few years. This then, should have been a celebration of sixty-three years of Rovers' history and with neither of the two teams involved having anything to play for, the swansong of the home side should have been utmost in the minds of those present. Unfortunately the historical significance of the match was totally overshadowed by a shocking performance from the referee, who ensured that he would be the centre of attention, rather than the sad demise of another club. In what was not a dirty game, the man in black deemed it necessary to issue three straight red cards, along with a number of quite unnecessary cautions. He completely lost control during the second half and allowed the game to degenerate into nothing more than a fiasco. Fortunately the result had little meaning, though the victory for the home side allowed them to salvage a little pride from what had otherwise been a disappointing league season. It also meant that a sixty-three year chapter of footballing history was closed on something of a positive note for those involved at Goldsdown Road. Teams - Brimsdown Rovers: 1. Ed Thompson, 2. Robert Teppett, 3. Taylor Sussex, 4. Kieran Sauboorah, 5. Matthew Waldron (capt), 6. Alex Crowhurst, 7. Karl Lewis, 8. Eliot Crosbie, 9. Daniel Awolesi, 10. Micky Southam, 11. Dale Archer. Subs Used: Denzel Ndoko (for Sauboorah), David Allen (for Awolesi), James Bush (for Thompson).
Hertford Town: 1. Andy Chapman, 2. Stuart Bailey, 3. Alan Barker, 4. Scott O'Donoghue, 5. Masangu Mwetaminwa, 6. Joel Maybury (capt), 7. Michael Cooper, 8. Pablo Ardiles, 9. Lee Roberts, 10. Dave Hunt, 11. Rob Luya. Subs Used: Josh Paine (for O'Donoghue), Ben Bouchnak (for Luya).
Once again, Hertford Town player-manager Scott O'Donoghue was forced to field a somewhat depleted side because of the unavailability of a number of players. Striker Andy Chapman had to reluctantly play in goal for the second match in a row, and only three substitutes were named. There was however the welcome return of Rob Luya and the eleven that started the game formed just about the strongest side available to O'Donoghue, given the restricted resources. Indeed for the opening few minutes The Blues more than held their own against their hosts; both sides had chances but there were no real threats on either goal.
The first real threat came in the tenth minute when the visitors were awarded a free kick deep inside the Brimsdown half. O'Donoghue took the kick and found Alan Barker on the edge of the eighteen yard box. The left back put in a high shot which saw Luya and Brimsdown 'keeper, Ed Thompson challenge for the ball on the line. Thompson came out on top and was able to clear the ball to safety.
It was not long before the deadlock was broken however. In the eighteenth minute an attack by the home side saw ELIOT CROSBIE allowed far too much time and space by the Hertford defence. He was allowed to advance deep into the Hertford half unchallenged, before unleashing a shot that completely wrong-footed Chapman before finding the back of the net.
The visitors responded immediately and soon after the restart had a good chance of their own. A Blues attack saw Dave Hunt cross to Luya, who in turn passed to Lee Roberts. However, although in a good shooting position, Roberts hit his effort just over the bar.
Hertford Town continued to push for the equaliser but in the 27th minute they found themselves two goals down. The home side won a corner and as the ball came in, Chapman failed to make full contact. This allowed unmarked Brimsdown skipper MATT WALDRON to tap in at the far post and double his side's advantage.
Again Hertford responded and they too soon forced a corner. O'Donoghue took the kick and found Michael Cooper who shot, but the midfielder's effort was wide of the target. A short while later the referee issued the first card of the afternoon: Hertford right back Stuart Bailey was shown yellow for a foul on a Brimsdown player just outside The Blues' box. The resulting free kick was not well struck and was easily held by Chapman.
Again The Blues continued to push but failed to break down the Brimsdown defence. The best chance came on the stroke of half time: A through ball was played in to Cooper, who shot from the edge of the box, and although his effort beat Thompson it flew agonisingly just over the bar. The half time whistle was blown shortly afterwards.
Half Time Score: Brimsdown Rovers 2 Hertford Town 0
O'Donoghue had obviously given his side a good half time team talk as The Blues came out for the second half clearly fired up and they dominated the opening minutes after the break, indeed it was not long before they pulled a goal back. A promising Hertford attack saw Roberts cross to Luya, who passed to O'Donoghue. From close to the edge of the box The Blues' player-manager unleashed a powerful shot, though the ball rebounded off the bar. Fortunately for the visitors, DAVE HUNT had followed up and calmly controlled the ball before firing it into the back of the net.
Two minutes later the scores were level. Hertford were awarded a free kick a short distance outside the Brimsdown box on the hosts' left. ALAN BARKER stepped up to take the kick and hit a superb low shot that curved round the Brimsdown wall and into the back of the net at the far post.
It was not long before the referee took centre stage. A minor clash just inside the Hertford half between Lee Roberts and a Brimsdown player saw the hosts awarded a free kick, and then unbelievably the referee showed Roberts a straight red card; a decision that totally bemused the travelling supporters and incensed the away bench. Just as the Blues had got on top their advantage was taken away, apparently the red card was for dissent.
It was not long before the visitors made their first substitution as O'Donoghue replaced himself with Josh Paine. It was also not long before the referee lost control and also the respect of many in the ground. There was an incident off the pitch involving both benches, though the referee ignored this and played on. The referee's assistant on the bench side then intervened in the incident. Still the referee played on, despite not having an active assistant on that side, and awarded Brimsdown a free kick. With the assistant still intervening in the pitch-side incident and the Hertford players expecting the referee to also get involved, Brimsdown's ROB TEPPETT hit the free kick into the back of Chapman's net. The referee allowed the goal to stand and chaos ensued. Further cards were brandished at Hertford players and O'Donoghue was shown the second straight red of the afternoon, again apparently for dissent. Fortunately The Blues' player-manager had already been substituted so the number on the pitch was not further reduced.
Once play was finally restarted there was soon a flurry of substitutions. The visitors made their second change of the afternoon, bringing on Ben Bouchnak for Luya and the home side replaced Kieran Sauboorah and Daniel Awolesi with Denzel Ndoko and David Allen. Allen's game lasted all of nine minutes as he was shown the third straight red card of the afternoon following a clash with Hertford captain Joel Maybury.
Because of the earlier incident the referee played plenty of stoppage time and the visitors threw everything at their hosts to try and salvage a point, even Chapman came forward for dead ball situations as if it were the last few minutes of a vital cup game. The best chance of this period of total Hertford domination came when Paine played the ball into Masangu Mwetaminwa. The big centre-half unleashed a powerful shot on target but it was magnificently saved by Thompson diving to his right.
A short period of respite for the home side deep into stoppage time allowed them to make their third and final substitution. It also generated the biggest round of applause from the visiting support. This was for Brimsdown stopper, Thompson, who had enjoyed much jovial banter with the Hertford faithful during the afternoon. He was replaced by young 'keeper James Bush, who was given a couple of minutes of senior football experience by his manager, Justin Moseley.
Hertford continued to push but without making any real threats on Bush's goal and after a few more minutes the referee blew the full time whistle, bringing the curtain down on the history of Brimsdown Rovers Football Club and signalling the end of a long and somewhat disappointing season for Hertford Town.
Final Score: Brimsdown Rovers 3 Hertford Town 2