CHALFONT ST PETER 2 HERTFORD TOWN 0
Molten Spartan South Midlands League - Premier Division
Saturday 31st January 2009
Another game, more enforced changes and another below-par performance, but at least the goals conceded are getting fewer! The changes to the Hertford Town line-up this time were forced by the absence of Attila Korsoveczki due to work commitments and Duncan Hamilton through injury. Ryan Gordon returned at the unfamiliar left-back position and Andy Chapman started as the lone striker. Glenn Draper returned to the centre of defence and Dave Hunt resumed his more familiar midfield role.
Teams - Chalfont St Peter: 1. Mark Oliver, 2. Ben Stack, 3. Jerome Okimo, 4. Gareth Paxton, 5. John Carroll (capt), 6. Alan Hedley, 7. Terrell Lewis, 8. Lee Togwell, 9. Charlie Strutton, 10. Michael Swaysland, 11. Adam Louth. Subs Used: Carl Tasker (for Louth), Brian Connor (for Togwell), Luke Brook-Smith (for Swaysland).
Hertford Town: 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Jamie Abbott, 3. Ryan Gordon, 4. Joel Maybury, 5. Glenn Draper (capt), 6. Pablo Ardiles, 7. Owen Beale, 8. Dave Hunt, 9. Andy Chapman, 10. Matt McArdle, 11. Michael Cooper. Subs Used: Chris Spiteri (for Abbott), Alex Scriven (for Cooper), Rob Luya (for Chapman).
Both teams started off lively enough but it was the visitors who mounted the first real attack in the second minute. Owen Beale, playing wide on the right crossed to Andy Chapman in the centre, but the big striker's effort was just wide of the post. Chalfont immediately mounted a counter-attack and within three minutes of the game starting were one-nil to the good. Ben Stack, playing down the right, crossed the ball to the unmarked Adam Louth, who thumped an easy header into the back of the net. A couple of minutes later the visitors had another chance. Michael Cooper put in a shot/cross, it wasn't quite clear which, but whatever his intention, the ball sailed harmlessly wide of the far post. A minute later Andy Chapman was booked for gross stupidity! Chalfont were awarded a free kick in their own half, but the Hertford striker in his infinite wisdom decided to block the kick.
In the 11th minute Hertford were again on the attack. Dave Hunt went on a good run and played a one-two with Owen Beale, he then shot at goal but his effort was blocked. Two minutes later the visitors were forced into an early substitution as Jamie Abbott left the field of play with a recurrence of the hamstring injury he had picked up at Stevenage in the Herts Senior Cup. He was replaced at right-back by Chris Spiteri, himself returning from injury.
On the quarter-hour mark the home side had another good chance. Terrell Lewis played the ball to Michael Swaysland, who put a dangerous cross into the Hertford box. Fortunately for the visitors, Spiteri was on hand to clear the ball behind, and Chalfont were unable to capitalise from the resulting corner. The game then entered a period of stalemate, the home side having at least one eye on next week's FA Vase tie, and therefore unwilling to apply to much pressure, though their excellent organisation suggested they could have done had they needed to. On 21 minutes Hertford won a free kick, which Owen Beale played too close to home 'keeper Oliver, and just after the half-hour mark Beale again played into the 'keeper's arms following a pass from Michael Cooper.
In the final ten minutes of the half the visitors began to exert some pressure. Firstly Pablo Ardiles played in Beale, but his shot was easily dealt with by Oliver. Then after some excellent interplay by the visitors, Chalfont conceded a corner. Beale played the ball in but the chance came to nothing. Lee Togwell then became the first Chalfont player booked, following a poor challenge on Ardiles. The home side's card count soon doubled when Michael Swaysland persisted in disputing another free kick decision in the Hertford box, having already been waved away by the referee. Further good work by the visitors soon resulted in another corner. Beale played a good cross in, which was somehow scrambled behind by the home defence. The ball was eventually cleared following the second corner and the referee soon blew the half time whistle.
Half Time Score: Chalfont St Peter 1 Hertford Town 0
The home side definitely took their feet off the gas in the second half, again probably as a precaution in the run up to the game against Christchurch in the Vase. However, within two minutes of the restart, Terrell Lewis embarked on an impressive solo run. Almost unimpeded by the Hertford defence he was able to get in a shot, but his effort was just wide. The game then reverted back to the stalemate situation seen during much of the first half, though just before the hour mark Chalfont won a corner. This came to nothing and the visitors soon had a corner kick of their own, though this too was cleared by the home defence.
In the 62nd minute Hertford made their second substitution of the afternoon, bringing on Alex Scriven. Somewhat surprisingly, for those watching, it was Michael Cooper who was brought off, rather than Andy Chapman, who had simply not been at the races for much of the game. Following a further stalemate the home side won a corner though this was well cleared by the Hertford defence. Chalfont then made their first change of the afternoon; Carl Tasker came on for goal-scorer Louth. Within two minutes the home side had doubled their lead. Alan Hedley passed to Charlie Strutton, who put a dangerous cross into the Hertford box, where Lee Togwell found himself free to head into the back of the net and effectively end the tie as a competitive event.
The visitors immediately responded by making their third and final substitution. Chapman was finally withdrawn and replaced by the fresh legs of Luya, who, as he had done on Tuesday evening at Aylesbury, flung himself straight into the action. The visitors soon won a free kick. The ball was played in and came out to Dave Hunt, who struck a good effort from the edge of the box, though it was well saved by Oliver. A few minutes later, the impressive Luya chased down what to many would have been a lost cause. He somehow managed to get to a ball wide on the left and put in a superb cross to the far post, where the late-arriving Hunt was unlucky to find the side netting. The home side then made their second substitution, bringing on Brian Connor for second goal scorer, Togwell. In a rare attack they then won a corner, which was played short and eventually fizzled out. With just two minutes of normal time remaining they made their final substitution. Swaysland was withdrawn and Luke Brook-Smith given the chance of a brief run-out. Neither side created much in the final minutes and the referee's final whistle came as something of a relief to the shivering spectators.
Final Score: Chalfont St Peter 2 Hertford Town 0
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