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HERTFORD TOWN 2 COLNEY HEATH 0
Herts Senior Cup - First Round
Tuesday 11th November 2008
After rain of near biblical proportions the previous day, it was with some surprise that this Herts Senior Cup tie was given the go-ahead, what with the tendency of the Hertingfordbury Park pitch to instantly resemble a bog with the merest threat of water. But go-ahead it did, with 72 souls braving the biting cold and forgoing the Carling Cup and Eastenders to arrive at the Park to witness Hertford entertain a Colney Heath side enjoying a seven game unbeaten run.
Teams- Hertford Town: 1. Louis O'Neill, 2. Chris Spiteri, 3. Duncan Hamilton, 4. Joel Maybury, 5. Glenn Draper (capt), 6. Matt McArdle, 7. Jamie Abbott, 8. Dave Hunt, 9. Andy Chapman, 10. Simon Eden, 11. Michael Cooper. Subs Used: Alex Scriven (for Cooper), Adam Mayson (for Chapman).
Colney Heath: 1. Tom Blackman, 2. Mark Teasdale, 3. Gerber Amadou, 4. Ant Muthusamy (capt), 5. Dennis Paratusic, 6. Jake Parratt, 7. Carl Ashton, 8. Neil Jordan, 9. Dean Parratt, 10. Phil Jackman, 11. Aaron Clarke. Subs Used: Jamie Eames (for Muthusamy), Tom Gunning (for Clarke), Trevor Stevens (for Jordan)
Hertford began the better of the two sides, using the ball well on the sticky surface and some lovely interplay between Cooper and Hamilton resulted in Jamie Abbott swinging in a cross which was narrowly headed over the bar by Hertford number ten, Simon Eden. Not to be outdone, Colney Heath immediately created a chance for themselves, Dean Parratt smashing a shot powerful enough to have O'Neill scrabbling to gather at the second attempt.
Five minutes in and the Blues took the lead, Dave Hunt's pass cutting out both defence and keeper for Andy Chapman to stroke the ball in to the empty net. Colney Heath were in trouble again almost straight from the kick off as a terrible kick from their keeper, the ball sticking to the gloupy surface then springing upwards, presented Chapman with a chance to double the lead only for the giant striker to be swamped by striped shirts.
The game continued to be played at break-neck speed, Parratt skipping into the Hertford box, showing great skill to beat his man, before seeing his cross put over the bar by the Blues' defence. Back to the other end of the pitch and Duncan Hamilton forced a panicked, sprawling save from the Colney keeper with a wickedly struck left-foot free kick.
After 17 minutes, Chapman struck again, defying both physics and logic with a diving header mere inches from the ground, to put the ball into the net and double the Blues' lead after a header across goal from Dave Hunt. The back-and-forth nature of the game continued however and Colney Heath were unlucky not to pull a goal back after a right foot shot by Clarke beat the Hertford goalie but failed to beat the post.
Colney Heath, two down, began to apply real pressure to the Blues, playing good flowing football. Former Blue Neil Jordan danced into the Hertford box, beating players at ease before blazing his shot over the cross bar, a bad miss after playing himself into a great position.
After the excitement and good football played by both teams in the first half hour, the remainder of the half began to fizzle out as neither team seemed able to keep hold of the ball, nor do anything with it when they did, perhaps tired by the heavy pitch. Colney Heath were unlucky not to get a free kick on the very edge of the penalty area after their number ten, Phil Jackman, seemed to be fouled. The referee however saw nothing amiss and play was waved on. Colney Heath were further denied by a good O'Neill save after a vicious shot from the left wing, meaning that the Blues left the pitch for the dressing rooms at half time happy with their display.
Half Time Score: Hertford Town 2 Colney Heath 0
The opening exchanges of the second half were all Colney Heath pressure, as Hertford struggled to cope with continued attacks. A feeling that it might just be the Blues' night though was reaffirmed by Muthasamy, completely unmarked, plonking a soft header straight into the grateful arms of Louis O'Neill, drawing a scream of annoyance from the player and a stream of giggles from the Hertford crowd. The Blues continued to look a different team from the first half as they struggled to make the ball move for them. A great chance for a hat-trick was fluffed by Chapman as he shot over the bar after a good cross from Cooper.
After fifteen minutes, Colney tried to alter things with a sub, sending on number 18 Jamie Eames for their captain, Ant Muthasamy. This did little to revive Colney's fortunes however as Hertford slowly began to regain control of the game, finally regaining the composure on the ball that the half time break seemed to have taken from them. Frustration seeped into the Colney Heath team and number seven, Carl Ashton was booked after a two footed challenge that luckily missed Abbott's shins.
Clarke was next on the deck for Colney, clutching his face after what appeared to be a fair challenge by Blues' captain Glenn Draper. The referee agreed and no action was taken. Soon afterwards Andy Chapman showed great agility with an over-head kick which narrowly missed the target, following a brilliant cross from the increasingly dangerous Michael Cooper.
Clarke was replaced with Tom Gunning for Colney Heath as they tried to change the game. There followed an intense five minutes. Studs, mud and blood flew as both teams set about each other with gusto, the tackles crunching as the referee looked on, seemingly oblivious. Neil Jordan was brought off by Colney, presumably to guard against him adding to his earlier booking and was replaced by Trevor Stevens as the game continued to slip away from the visiting team.
The Blues made changes themselves in the last ten minutes, Scriven replacing Cooper and Mayson coming on for two goal hero Andy Chapman. The last meaningful action of the half saw another player booked for Colney Heath, after a studs-up challenge on Hertford's Simon Eden. So the final whistle sounded with the Blues deserving to have their name in the hat for the next round.
Assistant manager Billy O'Driscoll was delighted with the teams performance; "We said to the boys beforehand that it would be a battle, especially with them coming here seven games unbeaten and it was a battling performance so we're really pleased. Jamie Abbott dictated the midfield and the two (Maybury and Draper) were rocks at the back." Andy Chapman's performance will surely give the management team a selection headache? "Its no headache, He's in! He did the job that was asked of him. We know what he's capable of and you saw that tonight".
Jack Roberts
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