HANWELL TOWN 1 HERTFORD TOWN 1
Molten Spartan South Midlands league - Premier Division
Saturday 24th October 2009
A vastly improved performance from Hertford Town saw them unlucky not to get anything more than a draw from this match. The unluckiest man on the pitch was Daryl Mitchell who struck the Hanwell crossbar on no less than four occasions, each time with the home custodian well beaten. On another day, the visitors would have won comfortably with this type of performance, and if they carry it into forthcoming fixtures they could well do that.Teams - Hanwell Town: 1. Kieran Jimmy, 2. Antony Rowlands, 3. Marvyn Watson, 4. Gulad Aden, 5. Jason Tucker (capt), 6. Michael Buckley, 7. Tashan Bradshaw, 8. Chris Mills, 9. Charley Baverstock, 10. Blaise O'Brien, 11. Tashan Francis-Adeyinka. Subs Used: Stephen Potter (for Buckley), Yassine Fehmi-Gill (for Bradshaw), Keith Rowlands (for Watson).
Hertford Town: 1. Louis O'Neill, 2. Michael Cooper, 3. Rob Luya, 4. Ryan Gordon, 5. Glenn Draper (capt), 6. Joel Maybury, 7. Daryl Mitchell, 8. Matt McArdle, 9. Attila Korsoveczki, 10. Dominic Musafiri, 11. Lee Roberts. Subs Used: Jason Coughlan (for McArdle), Harry Atkins (for Roberts).
The home side attacked from the off and inside the first minute they forced a fine save from Hertford custodian Louis O'Neill, though the visitors soon gained their composure. In the fifth minute they won a free kick well inside the Hanwell half, though Daryl Mitchell's effort was hit too long in the strong following wind. The Blues soon won a corner and Mitchell's cross was played out to Lee Roberts, though he hit his shot wide of the target. Another Hertford corner a few moments later was also taken by Mitchell, who saw the ball returned to him. He shot from an angle but his effort was saved by home custodian Kieran Jimmy. Approaching the twenty minute mark another Mitchell corner was cleared by the home defence.
Midway through the half, disaster struck for the visitors as Rob Luya was adjudged to have brought down a Hanwell player in the box and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Both Ryan Gordon and Mitchell were booked for protesting his decision. Blaise O'Brien stepped up to take the spot kick and smashed his effort straight down the middle and under the diving O'Neill, to give his side the lead.
The visitors were soon back on the attack and won another corner, though the ball was blown behind before making contact with any players. Mitchell then gave the ball away inside his own half, though Hanwell's Tashan Francis-Adeyinka shot wide when he really should have done better after being gifted a shooting opportunity. Attila Korsoveczki then embarked on a solo run for the visitors but saw his shot saved by Jimmy. Another Hertford corner on the half hour mark was eventually cleared. Mitchell soon tried a speculative shot from some distance, but with Jimmy beaten his effort cannoned off the Hanwell crossbar.
With the half into the last ten minutes the home side received their first yellow card when Tashan Bradshaw was booked for a foul. Mitchell took the resulting free kick, which found Michael Cooper deep inside the Hanwell box, but he headed wide. Another Mitchell corner minutes later was cleared upfield and moments later Hanwell's Chris Mills was booked for a foul on Korsoveczki. A Hanwell corner shortly afterwards was hit along the ground to Bradshaw. The somewhat unusual pass almost reaped its rewards as the home side's number seven shot just wide. The ball was soon at the other end and after a scramble in the Hanwell box, Mitchell hit another powerful shot that struck the bar. Moments later Matt McArdle became the third Hertford player booked, for a badly timed challenge just inside his own half. The home side made nothing of the resulting free kick and the referee soon blew the half time whistle. The home side had a slender lead but it was the visitors who had dominated possession and probably felt somewhat aggrieved as they trudged off to the dressing room.
Half Time Score: Hanwell Town 1 Hertford Town 0
The first chance of the second half fell to the visitors, five minutes after the break. A Mitchell free kick found Roberts but his shot was headed clear. A short while later, Mitchell passed to Dominic Musafiri who turned and shot, but his effort was just wide. Another Mitchell free kick was then headed behind for a Hertford corner. Mitchell's cross led to a scramble in the Hanwell box and the ball fell to Roberts but he shot just wide of the target. The home side then made the first substitution of the afternoon as Michael Buckley was replaced by Stephen Potter.
The visitors remained the dominant force and Musafiri had a shot saved following a pass from Mitchell. Hertford then won three consecutive corners, the ball eventually falling into the arms of Jimmy, who quickly cleared upfield. Play was soon back in the Hanwell half however, and Musafiri turned and shot inside the home box, but his effort was hit straight at Jimmy. The home side then made their second change as Yassine Fehmi-Gill came on for Tashan Bradshaw. Immediately a fine solo effort for the visitors by Lee Roberts, who was having his best game for some time, led to him shooting just wide. Hertford then made their first substitution of the game as Matt McArdle was replaced by Jason Coughlan. Korsoveczki then had a good chance for the Blues as he controlled the ball, turned and shot, but his chipped effort was just wide of the target. Mitchell soon tried another effort from distance, but for the third time in the match the ball struck the crossbar.
As the game went into the final quarter of an hour the visitors were handed a lifeline. A tangle in the Hanwell box between Jimmy and Musafiri saw both players fall to the ground, but the referee adjudged that the Hanwell 'keeper had brought down the Hertford striker, and awarded the second penalty of the game. The home side's Antony Rowlands disputed the decision and was shown Hanwell's third yellow card of the match. Mitchell stepped up to take the spot kick and made no mistake in blasting the ball into the back of the net to give the visitors a well-deserved equaliser.
Hertford were soon on the attack again, though Mitchell hit a free kick over the bar. The home side then made their third and final substitution as Keith Rowlands came on for Marvyn Watson. This was soon followed by Hertford's second change as Harry Atkins replaced Lee Roberts. The visitors then won two corners in close succession but both Mitchell's and Korsoveczki's crosses were cleared. Another Hertford attack then saw the ball passed to Mitchell on the corner of the Hanwell box. He hit a magnificent shot that had Jimmy well beaten but unbelievably it cannoned off the underside of the crossbar and was cleared to safety. With the forty-five minutes almost up, Hanwell substitute Yassine Fehmi-Gill struck a dangerous shot that was well-saved by O'Neill. The resulting corner was well cleared by the Hertford defence. Well into stoppage time the home side won another corner, though it was taken short and hit harmlessly behind. After a few more seconds the referee blew the final whistle.
Final Score: Hanwell Town 1 Hertford Town 1