Hertford were playing their first home league game since 29th December, with four away games sandwiched in between. The sunny weather plus last week's 6-0 win at Aylesbury certainly brought the public out in force, with 135 spectators watching this one. Skipper Kevin Kilroy was out injured, so Matt Watts in place of him was the only change from last week.
Before the kick off, Kevin Cooper received a presentation to mark his 200th goal for the club, scored at Aylesbury last Saturday.
Hertford Town: 1. Mark Virgo, 2. Nicky Marsh, 3. Pablo Ardiles, 4. Matt Watts, 5. Glenn Draper, 6. Ryan Wade. 7. Phil Goss, 8. Matt McArdle, 9. Ian Cooper, 10. Kevin Cooper (capt), 11. Lee Roberts. Subs Used: 12. Ryan Redford (for Marsh, 45), 14. Paniotis Panayiotou (for Ian Cooper, 78), 15. Carl Ashton (for McArdle, 61).

Cockfosters: 1. Chay Morris, 2. Rob Laney, 3. Steve Kessack, 4. Steve Weldon (capt), 5. Ben Andreas, 6. Michael Casey, 7. Nicky Paige, 8. Gavin Conway, 9. Jon Moniatis, 10. Dan O'Connor, 11. Nick Martin. Subs Used: 12. Andreas Sheritas (for Moniatis, 87), 14. Tony Neilson (for Rob Laney, 65). 16. Jack Chandler (for Martin, 87)

In the first minute, a long ball punted forward was nearly met by Jon Moniatis, but Nicky Marsh just beat him to the ball and headed back to Mark Virgo. It was clear from early on that the visitors were going to play it safe, with all but their two strikers getting back to defend at every opportunity. Nicky Marsh then had to concede a corner when faced with another long ball. Hertford then took charge, and after a patient build up involving the Cooper brothers, the final ball to Pablo Ardiles was a tad too far in front of him. Cockfosters were proving very resilient in defence and The Blues were struggling to make any impact. When they won a free kick on the halfway line, Glenn Draper pumped the ball in to the visitors' goalmouth, where Matt Watts forced a corner. Then Lee Roberts burst through the packed defence but shot just wide of the left hand upright. Hertford were sure they should have had a penalty, or at least be allowed to play on, when Ian Cooper was fouled by Ben Andreas as he ran into the box. Cooper got up and carried on into the box, but the referee stopped play and gave an indirect free kick on the 18 yard line. Andreas was booked, presumably for dissent. When the free kick was cleared from the Cockfosters goalmouth the ball was headed back goalwards by Kevin Cooper, only for it to drop onto the crossbar. Then, on 24 minutes, Phil Goss robbed Andreas, and passed to Ian Cooper. The striker found his brother Kevin, but he fired 18 inches over the bar.
On 26 minutes, Cockfosters should have taken an unexpected lead. Dan O'Connor got onto the end of a long clearance and beat several home defenders before ballooning the ball high over the bar from 12 yards, with only 'keeper Virgo to beat. This was a turning point in the game, as a goal for the visitors at this point would have been hard to come back from. A poor clearance by Cockfosters 'keeper Morris fell to Kevin Cooper, who calmly smacked it back into the empty net. Unfortunately, he was adjudged to have handled the ball in controlling it, so the goal did not stand. Te game was quite dour now, with Cockfosters having little ambition other than to frustrate the home side, and perhaps get a long ball up to Moniatis and O'Connor. Nicky Marsh went off with an injury on 38 minutes, and. although he returned after a few minutes, he looked in some difficulty.
The referee was dishing out quite a few lectures at this stage, with Cockfosters' Martin and Hertford's Ian Cooper and Ryan Wade the main recipients. In the dieing seconds of the half, Cockfosters won a corner, and Jon Moniatis got in a header, which flashed across the goalmough and out.

Half Time: Hertford Town 0 Cockfosters 0

Ryan Redford took the field for the second period, to a loud cheer from his faithful fans. Nicky Marsh had not returned for the second half and a reshuffle saw Phil Goss take Marsh's place with Redford taking over on the right wing. Cockfosters' Nicky Paige was another to receive a ticking off from the referee when he brought down Redford on the edge of the box, but nothing came of the free kick. Dan O'Connor made a good run into the home penalty area on 55 minutes, but his cross cum shot was cleared from in front of goal by Pablo Ardiles, watched by father Ossie. Dave Greenwood sent on Carl Ashton for Matt McArdle on 61 minutes to freshen up midfield, and Ashton was soon in the action. When Hertford conceded a free kick at a safe distance, Matt Watts must have said something to the referee, as he was called over and shown a yellow card.
Cockfosters made their first substitution on 65 minutes, when ex Blue Tony Neilson came on to much friendly banter from the home crowd, in place of Rob Laney. Neilson had little opportunity to impress his new colleagues though, as Hertford were battering Cockfosters now, and it only looked a matter of time before a goal came. Michael Casey was booked for the vistors when he brought down Lee Roberts with a heavy tackle, once more right on the 18 yard line. The classy Carl Ashton took the free kick and curled it towards the far corner, only for a defender to get a touch and turn the ball behind for a corner. When Ashton again played a fine ball into the box, there were too many home forwards trying to get on the end of it, and no-one managed to turn the ball home. Hertford were exerting huge pressure on their visitors now, with Cockfosters hardly able to get the ball out of their own half. Nick Martin was booked for Cockfosters, and then when they did get into Hertford's half, Glenn Draper was booked for bringing down Jon Moniatis.
As the game went into the last 10 minutes, and the vocal home crowd urging their team on, Hertford got a break, when Ryan Redford fell under a challenge from Ben Andreas in the box, and the referee pointed straight to the spot. Andreas clearly said too much, for he was shown his second yellow card of the game, and the obligatory red one followed. He left the field muttering that he had got the ball, as indeed he may well have. KEVIN COOPER calmly smacked the ball to the 'keeper's right and high into the net, much to the relief of the home fans. With the lead secured, Hertford sent on Pany Panayiotou and withdrew Ian Cooper, who left the field to warm applause. Ryan Redford had been working tirelessly with no personal reward and it looked like that was about to change on 90 minutes, when pocket dynamo Ryan Wade burst through and centred to Redford. The striker's first effort was beaten away to Lee Roberts, who quickly returned it to Redford, but the man who just can't buy a goal at the moment saw his splendid header turned round the post for a corner. The points were made safe in the second minute of time added, when who else but KEVIN COOPER was on hand to turn the ball home from close range, but a difficult angle, to make the final score 2-0.
So, six points and eight goals without reply in the last two games - has the corner been turned?

Final Score: Hertford Town 2 Cockfosters 0

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