Hertford Town got back on the goals trail today, against relegation threatened Colney Heath. Although the home side twice hit back to level, it was the free scoring visitors who took the points, and in the process passed the 100 mark for league goals scored -for only the second time in the club's 99 year history.

Team: 1. Mark Virgo, 2. Nicky Marsh, 3. Pablo Ardiles, 4. Kevin Kilroy, 5. Glenn Draper, 6. Paul Taylor, 7. Leo Turner, 8. Phil Goss, 9. Ryan Redford, 10. Kevin Cooper, 11. Lee Roberts. Subs: 12. Ashley McAloon (for Ardiles, 67), 14. Tony Neilson (for Goss, 77), 15. Panayiotis Panayiotou (for Turner, 79).

With the dry weather of late the pitch was quite hard, and there was a stiff breeze blowing down the slope. Both made the bounce of the ball unpredictable. With a low, bright, sun to contend with as well, it made defending very difficult for Hertford in the first half. The Blues took the lead with their very first attack, on 3 minutes, when RYAN REDFORD ran through unmarked and coolly lobbed the ball into an open goal. Colney Heath took full advantage of the following wind and caused Hertford problems. They equalised on 15 minutes when Hertford failed to clear a corner and home captain Scott Lacey fired through a sea of legs with Mark Virgo unsighted.
Hertford almost hit back straight away, when Leo Turner headed wide from a free kick. As Colney Heath continued to worry their visitors, Phil Jackman only just missed the target with a header from a free kick. Then from a corner Mark Virgo punched firmly away, only for Tegana James to lash the ball back, just wide. Virgo had to stop another stinging shot before, on 34 minutes, KEVIN COOPER put the Blues back on top with a fine goal. Receiving the ball from Paul Taylor just outside the left corner of the penalty area, Coops flighted the ball towards the far post. It appeared to be going wide, but then died in the wind and fell inside the top corner with 'keeper Dominic Spring unable to get anywhere near it.
Moments later, Cooper was fouled just outside the 18 yard line, but Kevin Kilroy's free kick sailed just over the bar.

Half Time: Colney Heath 1 Hertford Town 2

Colney Heath took only 5 minutes to get level for a second time, when, from a right side corner, Scott Lacey headed down to Jake Parrett at the far post. He produced a really good overhead kick and the ball fairly flashed into the goal, giving Mark Virgo no chance whatsoever. Heath's defence didn't look that secure though, now that they were defending into the wind, and Hertford won a free kick 22 yards out to the left. PAUL TAYLOR placed his kick inside the left hand post before the 'keeper had any chance to move across, to register his first Blues' goal of the season.
The home side's Greg Deacon was booked on 55 minutes and was lucky to avoid a second yellow minutes later when he kicked out at Nicky Marsh after the Hertford defender had fouled him. On 64 minutes Hertford broke clear, and the ball fell to Leo Turner. The midfielder's shot was handled by a defender on it's way to goal, and the referee awarded a penalty. Before it could be taken, Jake Parrett was booked, but then KEVIN COOPER coolly slotted home for Hertford's 4th, and 100th league goal of the current season. Ryan Redford went close just afterwards and then Colney Heath sent on Wes Awad and Chris Haslam as they tried to get back into the game. Hertford used all three substitutes, sending on first Ashley McAloon for Pablo Ardiles, then Tony Neilson for Phil Goss and finally Pany Panayiotou for Leo Turner.
Nicky Marsh got himself booked for a foul on Greg Deacon and Paul Taylor headed away smartly when the free kick came in. On 85 minutes, the Hertford goal had an amazing escape as a home forward fired the ball across goal and no less than three of his colleagues just failed to reach the ball to tap it home. At the other end a home defender nearly turned a Ryan Redford cross into his own goal, and then Tony Neilson played the ball perfectly into the path of RYAN REDFORD to tap home a fifth for Hertford on 89 minutes. Neilson again proved his worth in the dieing moments, when he headed the ball away from in front of goal when Colney Heath mounted a final attack.

Final Score: Colney Heath 2 Hertford Town 5

We hope you will find our website helpful and informative . There is a separate "Fans Forum", for which the Club accepts no reponsibility .