After 24 hours of non-stop rain, it was something of a surprise to get the game on. Glenn Draper, Phil Goss, and Kevin Cooper were missing from Saturday's line-up, and Kevin Kilroy, Jamie Abbott and Nicky Burt replaced them.
Hertford: 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Nicky Marsh, 3. Louis Lancaster, 4. Kevin Kilroy (Capt), 5. Matt Watts, 6. Jamie Abbott, 7. Nicky Burt, 8. Matt McArdle, 9. Ryan Redford, 10. Ryan Wade, 11. Pablo Ardiles. Subs Used: 14. Mark Draper (for Abbott, 51), 15. Brendan Brien (for Robinson, 17), 16. Chris Melvin (for Kilroy, 75).

Brimsdown Rovers: 1. Allan Buck, 2. Darren Reid, 3. Gary Schillaci, 4. Andrew Julius, 5. Michael Pelley, 6. Jason Coughlan, 7. Neil Thompson, 8. Reece Prestedge (Capt), 9. Scott Atkinson, 10. Gavin Taylor, 11. Mervin Abraham.

Both sides were treating the sodden pitch with suspicion but it was Rovers who threatened first, when centre back Michael Pelley stole in at the far post at a free kick, and nearly managed to tap the ball home. Then Jamie Abbott easily dispossessed Gavin Taylor before firing a dipping shot narrowly over the bar from 20 yards. Hertford were beginning to get on top, and. after a spell of concerted pressure, Ryan Redford was adjudged offside when Jamie Abott cleverly played the ball through to him. On 14 minutes , when a Brimsdown defender missed a Pablo Ardiles cross, Nicky Burt's dipping shot was inches over the bar.
Apparent disaster struck for the home side after only 17 minutes, when 'keeper Lee Robinson went down injured with a re-occurance of his knee injury. With no spare 'keeper on the bench, and regular deputy Kevin Cooper watching from the stand, new boy Matt McArdle was pressed into service as an emergency custodian. Reserve player Brendan Brien came on up front, with Ryan Wade taking over McArdle's centre midfield role. This was not a night for Brimsdown though. Despite this stroke of fortune for them, they were unable to capitalise, and it was Hertford who took the lead, on 21 minutes. Enjoying his left wing role, Pablo Ardiles cut in and shot at keeper Buck, who spilled the shot just where you wouldn't want to - at the feet of RYAN REDFORD, who duly stabbed the ball home to make it 1-0.
The visitors tried to hit back, and McArdle was called into action to smother a grubber of a free kick against the post. Then the stand in 'keeper rushed out to challenge Mervin Abraham, and there were muted cries for a penalty, but the referee, on the spot, was happy with the challenge. Hertford managed to reach half time still in the lead, and Rovers' tall midfielder Taylor was booked just prior to the interval.

Half Time: Hertford Town 1 Brimsdown Rovers 0

Hertford have recently put together a run of six home games in which only one goal has been conceded (to ex Blue Gazmend Dauti, of Broxbourne Borough), and again rarely looked like conceding a goal in this game. Jamie Abbott went down injured on 51 minutes and had to come off, replaced by reserve leading scorer Mark Draper, for his first team debut. He went up front with Redford, and Brendan Brien dropped back to midfield. Hertford were well on top and went two up on 53 minutes, when a Redford shot was hacked out to PABLO ARDILES, whose rasping drive took a significant deflection to beat Allan Buck.

On 61 minutes, Ardlies turned provider as he made a strong run down the wing before whipping over the perfect cross to the far post, where Brendan Brien headed firmly goalwards, only for Buck to make a fine flying save to turn the ball behind for a corner. Brimsdown responded by sending on Eric Manangu for a very miffed Scott Atkinson. Brendan Brien robbed Gavin Taylor and set up Ryan Redford ,but the striker was fouled right on the edge of the box. Ryan Wade and Louis Lancaster both shaped to take the free kick, and it was Wade who did so, firing his kick straight into the defensive wall. Brimsdown had thrown the burly Taylor up with the attack, and he was frustrated to see his shot deflected for a corner on 70 minutes. Hertford went three up on 72 minutes when RYAN REDFORD tapped home after a Matt Watts shot had cannoned off keeper Buck. Hertford took advantage of their comfortable lead to blood young U18 defender Chris Melvin in place of skipper Kilroy for the last 15 minuts or so. A spat between Ryan Wade and ex Blue Jason Coughlan saw them both booked, and at the end of the game, Brimsdown's Gavin Taylor was shown a straight red card by the referee, apparently for threatening him.
Hertford's reward for this win was a quarter final tie away to Leverstock Green.


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