HERTFORD TOWN 0 HANWELL TOWN 2
Molten Spartan South Midlands League - Premier Division
Tuesday 9th March 2010
On paper Scott O'Donoghue had one of the strongest squads at his disposal than he has had for quite some time, including the return of the influential Glenn Draper at the heart of defence. However, the Hertford manager tried an experimental and high-risk 3-5-2 formation, which completely backfired. For much of the first half the Blues had trouble adapting to the new set-up and many players frequently found themselves out of position. It also gave Hanwell the chance to effectively use the wings with the home side providing no proper full back cover. Inevitably both the visitors goals came about through defensive frailties as a result of confusion with the new system. The second half was better for the Blues and if it had not been for some wasteful misses they may have salvaged something from the game. As it was however, they slumped to a third consecutive home defeat. Teams- Hertford Town: 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Michael Cooper, 3. Alan Barker, 4. Matt McArdle, 5. Glenn Draper, 6. Mwetaminwa Masangu, 7. Jason Coughlan, 8. Pablo Ardiles, 9. Dominic Musafiri, 10. Kevin Cooper (capt), 11. Rob Luya. Subs used: Dave Hunt (for Coughlan), Lee Roberts (for Musafiri), Andy Chapman (for Masangu).
Hanwell Town: 1. Keiran Jimmy, 2. Michael Buckley, 3. Jack Abelson 4. Aonghus Martin, 5. Jason Tucker (capt), 6. Aaron Wise, 7. Yassine Fehmi-Gil, 8. Chris Mills, 9. Charley Baverstock, 10. Blaise O'Brien, 11. Wayne Jackson. Subs Used: Rory Jenkins (for Fehmi-Gil), Connor Duffy (for O'Brien).
The game started pretty evenly with the home side possibly having the advantage in the opening exchanges. In the thirteenth minute they were awarded a corner but Alan Barker's cross was played too close to visiting custodian, Keiran Jimmy and he easily gathered. Two minutes later the Blues won a free kick well inside the Hanwell half, though again Barker hit his effort too close to Jimmy.
It was not long before the visitors began to exploit the confusion in the home ranks caused by the experimental formation. They were afforded far too much space on the wings and Yassine Fehmi-Gil in particular, playing down the right, frequently found himself totally unmarked and with more space than he could have wished for. However, the visitors' first serious chance came from a free kick; Chris Mills' cross found Jason Tucker but the Hanwell skipper headed wide. A minute later the visitors won another free kick but this came to nothing.
The breakthrough came in the 25th minute when a mistake by Mwetaminwa Masangu in the Hertford defence let in the ever-threatening Fehmi-Gil. He crossed to Blaise O'Brien and the unmarked Hanwell goal machine made no mistake in putting his side ahead. The game was now all Hanwell's and they continued to push for a second goal. Just before the half hour mark they forced a corner, though Dominic Musafiri was on hand to clear upfield for the home side. The ball was soon back inside the danger area and Hertford conceded another corner, though this was taken short and eventually cleared.
The home side's defensive frailties were again exposed in the 35th minute when after a comedy of errors, in which no-one appeared to want to take control, Hanwell's Wayne Jackson was able to help himself to his team's second goal. The remainder of the half continued in much the same vein, with the visitors repeatedly exposing the flaws in the hosts' playing formation, though they were unable to add to their score.
Half Time Score: Hertford Town 0 Hanwell Town 2
The second half was better for the Blues and four minutes after the break, Kevin Cooper played in Musafiri, though he headed wide. Two minutes later, after a good move by the home side, Rob Luya should have shot but he selflessly passed to Cooper, who was actually in a worse position and hit his effort wide. On the hour mark the returning Draper was shown a yellow card and was soon followed into the book by Matt McArdle after he was guilty of a particularly late tackle.
A few minutes later Hertford had another half chance but Cooper hit a soft shot straight at Jimmy. It was then the visitors' turn and a free kick found one of their players unmarked at the near post but he headed wide. Another good Hertford move then saw Michael Cooper play in Musafiri but his shot was blocked.
With quarter of an hour to go the home side made a triple substitution as Dave Hunt (making his first appearance of the season), Lee Roberts and Andy Chapman came on to replace Masangu, Musafiri and Jason Coughlan. This was soon followed by a double change for the visitors, with Rory Jenkins and Connor Duffy replacing possibly their best two players on the night; Fehmi-Gil and O'Brien.
The Hertford substitutes were soon in the thick of the action and Chapman passed to Hunt, though he hit his effort over the bar. Alan Barker then became the third home player to be yellow carded. The home pressure continued and Luya crossed to Chapman, who was unfortunate to see his shot tipped over by Jimmy. Chapman was then booked for disputing a poor decision by the referee's assistant, who had wrongly signalled a goal kick. The referee however, had seen the save and awarded a Hertford corner. Barker's kick came back to him but he hit his follow-up shot at Jimmy. Michael Buckley then became the first Hanwell player to see yellow for a foul on Kevin Cooper. The resulting Hertford free kick though, was easily cleared and Aaron Wise soon picked up Hanwell's second booking.
With the game clearly won and going into stoppage time, the visitors tried to keep the ball in the corner, which they did successfully for some time, before conceding a goal kick and it was not long after the kick was taken that the referee blew the final whistle.
Final Score: Hertford Town 0 Hanwell Town 2