Monday 28 December 2009
Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Hertford Town 0 Chalfont St Peter 2
For the third match in a row Hertford were matched against a team in the upper reaches of the league table and despite another battling performance Hertford were beaten by a strong Chalfont team who have now completed the league double over the Blues for a second successive season.Whilst the snow which had decimated the pre Christmas fixtures was nowhere to be seen, and the overnight frost had thankfully disappeared, the wintery conditions were still very evident and complemented by the sight of Barry Brosnan, the Chalfont striker, dressed as a Christmas Tree during the pre match warm ups.
Teams- Hertford Town: 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Matt McArdle, 3. Tom Neill, 4. Ryan Gordon, 5. Michael Cooper, 6. Joel Maybury (capt), 7. Pablo Ardiles, 8. Owen Beale, 9. Joe Scales, 10. Dominic Musafiri, 11. Lee Roberts. Subs Used: Ryan Redford (for Musafiri), Jason Coughlan (for Gordon) Tom Oram (for Neill).
Chalfont St. Peter: 1. Mark Oliver, 2. Lee Togwell, 3. Adam Lowth, 4. Ray Walsh, 5. John Carroll (capt), 6. Alan Hedley, 7. Ben Stack, 8. Daniel Hughes, 9. Charlie Strutton, 10. Barry Brosnan, 11. Joe Brittain
Chalfont, who were playing in rather unfamiliar yellow, started the stronger of the two teams and although they had the majority of possession in the first ten minutes, Lee Robinson was rarely threatened in that time. On ten minutes a dangerous cross from the left fell between Robinson and Michael Cooper at the far post, Barry Brosnan still maybe had tinsel in his eyes as he pushed his effort wide. A minute later Cooper was harshly penalised for a high challenge, his boot hardly reaching waist height, the resultant free kick was cleared at the second attempt by Ryan Gordon.
On 12 minutes Hertford managed their first attempt on target, good work down the right between Pablo Ardiles and the industrious Dominic Musafiri, set up Lee Roberts, his shot from 25 yards was comfortably saved by Mark Oliver.
Five minutes later and Chalfont wasted their first clear cut opportunity, a run by Adam Lowth saw him one on one with Lee Robinson, his shot cleared the Hertford keeper, the cross bar and the Stable End stand. On 24 minutes a good run down the left and subsequent dangerous cross by Charlie Strutton caused problems in the Hertford defence but they managed to clear for a corner.
Down the other end 3 minutes later Mark Oliver pulled off a fine double save to deny Hertford, firstly from Pablo Ardiles who had been played in by Owen Beale, and then the follow up by Musafiri.
On 31 minutes Chalfont broke the deadlock. A through ball from midfield released Charlie Strutton on goal, only a fine challenge by Tom Neill denied the striker a shot on goal. The resultant corner was subsequently cleared but was fired back in by BEN STACK, his shot flying through a crowd of players and into the left hand corner of the goal giving Lee Robinson no chance.
Hertford tried to respond in the 33th minute, a similar through ball from Lee Roberts released Dominic Musafiri down the right, and only a last ditch tackle from a Chalfont defender prevented a run on goal. Unfortunately this was to be the last significant action for Dominic, an injury picked up just afterwards saw him replaced in the 38th minute by Ryan Redford.
Charlie Strutton was given a lecture by the referee a few moments later, presumably for an act of dissent. A minute afterwards the yellow card was produced for the first time, the referee adjudging a tackle by Owen Beale to be worthy of a caution even though he seemed to win the ball in the challenge.
The remaining minutes were rather uneventful and after a solitary minute of injury time the referee blew the whistle for half time.
Half Time Score: Hertford Town 0 Chalfont St Peter 1
Chalfont started the second half as they had begun the first, with the majority of possession, but without really threatening a second goal, on 49 minutes a shot from distance by Joe Brittain cleared the bar, and 2 minutes later Daniel Hughes headed wide from a corner.
Hertford had their best chance of the game on 53 minutes. Owen Beale worked hard on the wing to win the ball, his cross into the centre of the penalty area found Lee Roberts, who neatly controlled the ball, turned quickly and shot towards the top corner only for Chalfont custodian, Mark Oliver, to produce a fine flying save deflecting the ball out for a corner.
Hertford had another chance to cause problems in the 61st minute following a foul on Ryan Redford, the free kick taken by Roberts was however cleared by the Chalfont defence. With many players up field for the free kick the Hertford defence was then a little stretched as Chalfont went straight down the other end. Another run and cross from the right fired across the six yard box to be met by JOE BRITTAIN who made no mistake at the far post to make it 2-0.
Hertford continued to press for that elusive goal, an attempted through ball was thankfully blocked in the 65th minute as it would have found 3 players in offside positions, a second pass was only prevented by a foul by Charlie Strutton. Despite being warned earlier in the game, he was not shown a yellow card, the referee deeming it sufficient to give him yet another talking to.
On 67 minutes some fine work by Owen Beale in congested space on the right touch line found him in space and he advanced menacingly, a pass to Pablo Ardiles and another to Joe Scales, a fine move was only brought to an end by another Chalfont foul. Unfortunately the resultant free kick, again taken by Roberts, was fired over the bar.
Hertford made a double substitution on 75 minutes, Jason Coughlan and Tom Oram coming on to replace Ryan Gordon and Tom Neill. Unfortunately this did not have the desired immediate impact as the next chances fell to Chalfont. Firstly, on 78 minutes Charlie Strutton was denied by a top class full length save by Lee Robinson, then two subsequent corners caused problems but were eventually cleared.
As Hertford continued to press forward the Hertford defence understandably became even more stretched, Robinson was forced into a further save on 89 minutes and a fabulous triple save in the second minute of injury time. In between the saves Hertford won a corner after fine interplay between Ardiles and Redford, which again was cleared by the solid Chalfont defence.
The referee found time to administer a second caution of the game to Matt McArdle in the 94th minute for a foul as Chalfont tried to run the clock down in the corner of the pitch, the signal for the end of the game soon followed.
Final Score: Hertford Town 0 Chalfont St Peter 2