HANWELL TOWN 1 HERTFORD TOWN 1
Molten Spartan South Midlands League - Premier Division
Saturday 25th April 2009
This game bore all the hallmarks of an end of season clash between two teams who had little to play for. Both sides clearly wanted to play an attractive passing game on the smooth Reynolds Field surface, though both were frequently caught out by the high bounce afforded by the hard, dry ground. In the end the result was probably a fair one and the game played in good spirit. Hertford Town now have a Floodlit Cup semi-final to prepare for, whilst Hanwell still have one more league fixture to complete; a now meaningless tie against Chalfont St Peter.
Teams - Hanwell Town: 1. Kieran Jimmy, 2. Gulad Adan, 3. Chris Pape, 4. Matt Kidson (capt), 5. Jason Tucker, 6. Luke Kenny, 7. Adam Miller, 8. Chris Mills, 9. Charlie Baverstock, 10. Sam Byfield, 11. Aaron Wise. Subs Used: Michael Buckley (for Miller), Antony Rowlands (for Adan), Tom Duffy (for Kidson).
Hertford Town: 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Michael Cooper, 3. Chris Spiteri, 4. Joel Maybury (capt), 5. Ryan Gordon, 6. Pablo Ardiles, 7. Alex Scriven, 8. Troy Alexander-Jarrett, 9. Attila Korsoveczki, 10. Daryl Mitchell, 11. Lee Roberts. Subs Used: Andy Chapman (for Alexander-Jarrett), Lee Garrity (for Scriven).
The home side made all the running at the start of the game and as early as the second minute a headed effort was hit straight at Lee Robinson. The visitors did start to get into the game and a few minutes later Alex Scriven played in Troy Alexander-Jarrett, but he blazed a volley high over the bar. The hosts were soon in charge again and in the seventh minute the Hertford Town defence allowed Hanwell's Adam Miller far too much space. Given such generosity the Hanwell player was able to control the ball, pick his spot and competently put his side 1-0 up. With the visitor's defence looking frail without the leadership of Glenn Draper at its heart it seemed that this may be the first of many goals, especially when, three minutes later a Hanwell corner caused mayhem in the visitors box. However, this was cleared and Hertford began to find their feet. They soon won a free kick well inside the Hanwell half and Daryl Mitchell's direct effort was only just over. Five minutes later Lee Roberts played in an excellent cross from the left, which found Alexander-Jarrett in the box, though he was dispossessed by the home defence. Korsoveczki soon went on a solo run but shot wide. The visitors then won another free kick. This time Mitchell's effort was deflected wide for a Hertford corner, though when this was taken, Korsoveczki was adjudged to have fouled in the Hanwell box and the chance was wasted.
Halfway through the first period Chris Spiteri had control of the ball and was allowed space to run down the left. Some distance outside the Hanwell box he checked and put in what a lot of people thought would be a cross, including it appeared, home custodian Kieran Jimmy. The ball sailed over Jimmy's head, hit the underside of the bar and bounced over the line for the unlikeliest of equalisers. This was only Spiteri's second goal for the club, but possibly a contender for goal of the season!
The home side soon began to take the upper hand again and won a free kick on the edge of the Hertford box, though Chris Mills blasted his effort high and wide. A Hanwell corner a few minutes later saw the ball fall to Aaron Wise, though his shot was saved by Lee Robinson and the ball cleared. The visitors immediately countered and Lee Roberts crossed to Alex Scriven, but he hit his shot high. Good interplay a couple of minutes later between Korsoveczki and Alexander-Jarrett saw the latter take a shot, but it was easily gathered by Jimmy. A good Hanwell move followed though the resulting shot was hit wide. At the other end a Daryl Mitchell effort from distance was hit wide, and on the stroke of half time another Hanwell effort was well saved by Lee Robinson.
Half Time Score: Hanwell Town 1 Hertford Town 1
Hanwell's goal scorer, Adam Miller did not re-appear for the second half but instead was replaced on the field by Michael Buckley. The second half (which began for the visiting supporters to the accompaniment of the incessant whine of bagpipes somewhere south of the ground!) was less than two minutes old when Lee Roberts had a chance, but his softly-hit effort was wide. A Korsoveczki cross then found Scriven, though his overhead effort was also hit wide. A Hanwell corner eight minutes after the break came to nothing and when the ball fell to Aaron Wise a minute later, he hit his effort wide. Hertford soon won a free kick on the edge of the Hanwell box, though Mitchell's effort came to nothing. Two Hanwell corners a little while later were also ineffectual, and then Korsovecki hit another shot wide. The home side then made their second and third substitutions of the game. Antony Rowlands came on for Gulad Adan, and then, somewhat surprisingly their skipper Matt Kidson, who had been a rock at the heart of defence, made way for Tom Duffy. Jason Tucker took over the captain's armband. The visitors soon had another chance when Roberts played in Alexander-Jarrett, but his effort was saved by Jimmy. This was to be Alexander-Jarrett's last action as he was soon replaced by Hertford's first substitute, Andy Chapman. A second substitution for the visitors soon followed when Lee Garrity came on for Alex Scriven.
As the game went into the final fifteen minutes the home side won two consecutive corners, the second of which resulted in a shot, though this was hit wide. The visitors soon won a free kick at the other end, though Mitchell's effort was deflected off the wall to safety. Pablo Ardiles then became the only player of the afternoon to be booked, after complaining just a little too much about the incident that had led to the free kick. With a few minutes left Ryan Gordon tried an effort, which Jimmy got his fingertips to and knocked behind. Unbelievably the referee's assistant signalled a goal kick, much to the relief of Jimmy who was being applauded for his save by the visiting supporters. Hertford soon won another free kick but Daryl Mitchell's effort was saved. In the final action of the game Hanwell won a corner. This was taken short and then the ball played in to substitute Michael Buckley. He headed his effort wide and the referee soon blew the full time whistle.
Final Score: Hanwell Town 1 Hertford Town 1