Tuesday 11 August 2009
Spartan South Midlands Premier Division
Hertford Town 2 Brimsdown Rovers 4

Report by Jack Roberts

Teams: Hertford Town: 1 Lee Robinson (C),2 Ryan Gordon, 3 Alan Barker, 4 Rob Ager,5 Rakesh Dhall,6 Matt AcArdle, 7 Wes Beckles, 8 Owen Beale, 9 Michael Cooper, 10 Ryan Wade, 11 Lee Roberts Subs Used: 12 Alex Scriven (for Roberts,76) , 14 Harry Atkins (for Dhall, 60), 15 Scott O'Donoghue (for McArdle, 76) Subs Not Used: 16 Louis O'Neil, 17 Pablo Ardiles
Brimsdown Rovers: 1 Mark Virgo, 2 Mark Sontag, 3 Lee Sontag, 4 Ryan Gordon, 5 Jordon Bostock, 6 Sam Underhill, 7 Paul Campbell (C), 8 Paul Burton, 9 Jon Stevenson, 10 Ricci Crace, 11(wearing 22)Rikki Burbridge. Subs Used: 12 Jermain Hughes (for Burbidge, 76), 13 John Hickman, 14 James Martin, 15 Ben Andreas, 16 Tony Neilson (for L Sontag, 76).

Brimsdown Rovers arrived at Hertingfordbury Park on another evening perfect for football to provide the opposition for Hertford's first home league game of the season. Hertford fan's early season optimistic bubble had been emphatically pricked away to Hillingdon Borough three days earlier, when the opening ten minutes had seen the Blues' defence breached three times. Although two goals were eventually pulled back it was a bitter pill to swallow for the travelling Blue support. Nevertheless, different day, different bubble and after last season's heated game against Brimsdown Rovers this one was eagerly anticipated.
The game kicked off with Hertford attacking the Stable End and the first chance of the half fell for the Blues' when Ryan Wade, playing his last game for the club before joining Royston Town, was felled ten yards from the edge the box. The free kick was swung into the area but easily cleared by the Brimsdown defence. The away team then began to take control of proceedings and moved the ball with a sharpness that the Blues' struggled to contend with. It took a good challenge from Alan Barker to prevent a goal scoring opportunity for Brimsdown after Crace had played a pass to Burbridge, who was running into the six yard box. The resultant corner caused a scramble in the box with the ball eventually bobbling to the Hertford keeper.
The Blues' were next to be denied when Beckles played a good ball into the area which Wade jabbed a toe at only to see the ball go wide of the right post. After eleven minutes, Rovers' Mark Sontag put in a cross from the right wing which Burbridge headed back across goal for captain PAUL CAMPBELL to loop a header over Robinson and into the Hertford net giving Brimsdown the lead. As with Saturday, the Hertford defending was simply not good enough and it is obvious that Glenn Draper is desperately missed, not just for his defensive presence but also for his organisational skills that were clearly absent here. Time after time the Blues' defence was caught out of position which naturally played into the oppositions hands.
Brimsdown continued to have the best of the play as Hertford seemed to have been shaken by going behind. However, after eighteen minutes, Ryan Gordon played a cross into the Brimsdown box toward lone striker RYAN WADE. The Hertford number ten was barged in the back by two defenders and the referee was quick to blow for a penalty, which, naturally enough, was hotly contested by the Rovers' players. Wade picked himself up and stroked the ball into the right hand corner of the net to bring the Blues' level. The equaliser seemed to be a well needed slap in the face for Hertford and they started to pass the ball with more conviction and appeared to grow in self belief. Moments later Gordon played another inviting ball into the box only to see it headed behind for a corner, which, to the Stable Ends annoyance, was easily caught by ex-Blue stopper, Mark Virgo.
Always eager to provide the fans with a dose of reality, the Blues' defence again had their support gasping in amazement as centre back Dhall allowed a simple ball to run underneath his boot and into the path of on-running attacker Burbridge. To the relief of the home crowd and the centre half, the striker put his shot wide of the left post. Moments later and Brimsdown beat a nonexistent offside trap with Mark Sontag dashing down the right wing. His cross was a good one but was well cleared by Hertford. With half an hour gone, a long ball was played up-field by the Blues' but was easily caught by Virgo on the edge of his box. Running in, Wade caught the keeper with his boot, leaving him sprawling on the turf. Wade was promptly booked, as was Brimsdown's Stevenson for questioning the referee's choice of card.
Brimsdown began to retake control of the game and on 40 minutes, Hertford's Dhall jumped to challenge for a header, lost, and watched the ball run through to RICCI CRACE, who found himself onside and on his own in the Hertford box. He easily beat an onrushing defender before blasting the ball into the net giving Brimsdown the lead. Seconds after kick-off Crace again broke through the Hertford defence but was foiled by Robinson who dived on the ball at his feet. The half-time whistle was music to Hertford ears, as Brimsdown threatened to run riot.

Half Time: Hertford town 1 Brimsdown Rovers 2

The second half began with Brimsdown still on the front foot as Mark Sontag hit a brilliant volley from the edge of the box which Robinson was equal to, clawing the ball behind for a corner. Hertford were next to attack however as Beale sent a good ball through to Wade, only to see the striker bundled over in the box. This time the referee shook his head, no penalty. Wade did not have to wait long to see the ball again. Beckles played a great pass to Beale on the right wing, who swung a cross toward the back post. Arriving to meet it, RYAN WADE sent the ball into the net with a header. An hour gone and Hertford were once again level. The Blues' then decided to make a change, replacing the hapless Dhall with Harry Atkins.
Hertford then enjoyed a brief spell of possession with Wade making a nuisance of himself amongst the Brimsdown defence. After 70 minutes he cut in from the left wing and sent in a shot which whistled past the left hand upright for a goal kick. Minutes later and Campbell burst through the Hertford back line and toward goal. Robinson was quick out of his goal and flung himself at the ball. Unfortunately the attacker poked the ball past him, unable to get out of the way, Robinson clattered into his opponent and the referee was left with no option but to award a penalty. JON STEVENSON took the kick and put the ball into the net to again give Brimsdown the lead.
Three minutes later and the game was put out of Hertford's reach. Campbell played the ball into RICCI CRACE who shot the ball right footed into the net and left Brimsdown sitting pretty with a two goal lead. There was then a flurry of substitutions as Brimsdown brought off Burbridge and Lee Sontag and replaced them with Hughes and Neilson. Hertford replaced Roberts and McArdle with Scriven and O'Donoghue.
Within minutes of being on the pitch, Scriven lunged at Brimsdown's Martin on the half-way line, leaving him crumpled on the turf. The red card was inevitable and was yet another example of the unprofessionalism and petulance that seems to have cursed Scriven's time at the club and has seen him sent off twice in a season that is not out of its first month. This is unacceptable. Scriven has obvious talent and sort of pace that should make him a star at this level, unfortunately this is irrelevant when he seems unable to control his temper.
The remainder of the match was played at a canter; Brimsdown knew they had won and Hertford knew they had lost. The final whistle brought an end to a disappointing game for the Blues. Luckily, its early days, this league is still here for the taking and Hertford will undoubtedly be vastly improved when players such as Draper, Maybury, Hunt, Redford and Korsoveczki are available for selection. However, over a season there will be injuries, there will be suspensions and Hertford cannot afford to allow whoever steps into the team, especially in defence, to be as disorganised as they have been over the last two matches.

Final Score: Hertford Town 2 Brimsdown Rovers 4