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HERTFORD TOWN 0 HAREFIELD UNITED 1
Molten Spartan South Midlands League - Premier Division
Saturday 22nd November 2008
Hertford Town came into this match on the back of three successive victories. Unfortunately this was not to be the fourth as the Blues went down to a narrow defeat at home to the League leaders, in front of special guest, ex Spurs and Argentina star Ricardo Villa. This was Town's first home defeat for nearly three months and was very unfortunate as most of those present agreed that they deserved at least a point.
Teams- Hertford Town: 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Jamie Abbott, 3. Duncan Hamilton, 4. Joel Maybury, 5. Glenn Draper (capt), 6. Pablo Ardiles, 7. Owen Beale, 8. Matt McArdle, 9. Attila Korsoveczki, 10. Dave Hunt, 11. Michael Cooper. Subs Used: Alex Scriven (for Cooper), Andy Chapman (for Korsoveczki).
Harefield United: 1. Charlie Miller, 2. Luke Eldridge, 3. Tom Kirk, 4. Gary Williams (capt), 5. Warren Gladdy, 6. Jamie Houliston, 7. Adam Willis, 8. Murray Williamson, 9. Ben Cowans, 10. Danny Buckle, 11. Paul Haynes. Subs Used: Craig Totton (for Willis), Alex Brown (for Buckle).
The opening quarter of an hour of the game saw plenty of action but no real chances on goal at either end. Both teams were trying to play a proper passing game with each cancelling the other out on the bobbly pitch. The first real chance fell to the visitors in the 18th minute, when they won a free kick in a dangerous central position. Paul Haynes' kick was powerfully hit but was wide of the target. The game then continued to be a stalemate between two very equally matched teams.
Just before the half hour mark United's Paul Haynes caught Michael Cooper with a clumsy challenge and duly became the first name in the referee's book. Two minutes later disaster struck for the home side. After some good approach play by Harefield the ball came out to Danny Buckle on the edge of the Hertford box. He thundered in a shot from this position, which went beyond the helpless custodian Lee Robinson and into the back of the net. After the restart the visitors continued to dominate for a short while, winning two corners in quick succession, though none of these came to anything.
On 36 minutes the ball was up the other end and Duncan Hamilton tried a shot from wide on the left side of the Harefield box, but his effort was just wide of the left post. A minute later Dave Hunt received the ball in a central position and did well to turn and shoot, but his effort was just wide. A minute later the now dominant home side won a corner. The ball was well played into the visitors' box and after a scramble they could count themselves lucky that it was cleared off the line. With five minutes of the half to go the Blues were again in a dominant position, firstly winning a free kick and then a corner after the initial ball in was cleared behind by the visiting defence. This too was cleared by the defence. Two minutes later Hertford had another chance when the ball fell to Matt McArdle but he hit his effort over the bar. After a few more minutes play, with neither side setting up any real chances, the referee blew the half time whistle.
Half Time Score: Hertford Town 0 Harefield United 1
The second half also began with neither side looking the more dominant, but within a minute the visitors won a corner. The ball fell to Danny Buckle but his powerful shot was hit straight at Lee Robinson. Two minutes later the play was at the other end and the ball fell to Attila Korsoveczki. He tried a shot from distance but his effort was comfortably mopped up by Hares' 'keeper, Charlie Miller. Five minutes into the half the home team won a corner but this came to nothing. Then two minutes later a dangerous cross found Michael Cooper on the right. He shot from what appeared to be an impossibly acute angle, but he was unlucky to see his shot cannon off the cross bar and to safety.
Ten minutes into the half the visitors applied a little pressure and won two successive corners but none of these came to anything. There was a little controversy four minutes later when the referee whistle blew his whistle during a promising Hertford attack. After a discussion with his assistant he awarded the home side a free kick inside their own half and booked Harefield's Danny Buckle, apparently for an elbowing offence. Three minutes later the Blues won another free kick. This was hit long but the team were unable to make an impression on the visiting defence.
Just after the halfway point of the half Attila Korsoveczki was shown the home side's first card for a clumsy challenge on a Harefield player in the centre of the park. Three minutes later though, the Blues won a free kick wide on the right, but this came to nothing.
As the game approached the hour mark, with both teams still pretty evenly matched, Hertford Town made a double substitution, withdrawing Michael Cooper and Attila Korsoveczki in favour of Alex Scriven and Andy Chapman. This move almost paid dividends straight away. Scriven controlled the ball at pace down the right, beating a defender in the process and put a dangerous cross into the Harefield box. The ball found Chapman but his header was just wide. Three minutes later a near identical move and cross by Scriven again found Chapman, but again the big striker's effort was just wide.
Five minutes later there was a confrontation in front of the main stand between Scriven and Harefield's Adam Willis. Scriven was shown a straight red card for elbowing the visiting player and Willis for his part was shown a yellow. Two minutes later Willis was replaced by Craig Totton and Paul Haynes became the third Harefield player in the referee's book for a foul.
With time running out Hertford won a corner but this came to nothing, then with a minute of normal time remaining Harefield's Paul Haynes kicked the ball away after a decision went against him. For this he was shown a second yellow card and became the second player of the afternoon to be dismissed.
Hertford soon won a corner, which was taken by Jamie Abbott. The Harefield defence cleared this behind for another corner kick on the other side. This was taken by Duncan Hamilton but came to nothing. With the game deep into injury time, Harefield made their second substitution, bringing on Alex Brown for the goal scorer, Buckle. Brown had barely entered the field of play when the referee blew the full time whistle.
Final Score: Hertford Town 0 Harefield United 1
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