HERTFORD TOWN 2 HARINGEY BOROUGH 1
Molten Spartan South Midlands League - Premier Division
Thursday 26th March 2009
Going into this game the home side had the second best current form of any team in the division, having won five of their previous six league games. The visitors on the other hand had lost five of their previous six. On current form then, one could be forgiven for predicting an easy home win. However, this was the first match in charge for Haringey's new boss, Tom Loizou; all so often a change at the top can boost a team's performance. And so this game proved. The Blues just edged the first half but the visitors belied their lowly league position and current run of form to match their hosts for the second. Indeed if it had not been for an outstanding reflex save by Lee Robinson and the referee turning down what appeared to be a good shout for a Haringey penalty, then the result could have been somewhat different.
Teams- Hertford Town: 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Pablo Ardiles, 3. Rob Luya, 4. Joel Maybury (capt), 5. Jamie Nicholson, 6. Matt McArdle, 7. Owen Beale, 8. Jamie Abbott, 9. Troy Alexander-Jarrett, 10. Scott O'Donoghue, 11. Daryl Mitchell. Subs Used: Dave Hunt (for Luya), Alex Scriven (for O'Donoghue), Lee Roberts (for McArdle).
Haringey Borough: 1. George Anderson, 2. Charles Douse, 3. Ronnie Bridges, 4. Lloyd Mitchell, 5. Diatomba Denteli, 6. Alex Davids, 7. Kesi Dryden, 8. Jermaine Ffolkes, 9. Karl Lewis, 10. Paull Abbott (capt), 11. Niall Ritchie. Subs Used: Lasalle Simon (for Ffolkes).
With Glenn Draper still enjoying the delights of Disneyland, Joel Maybury retained the captaincy of the home side. Pablo Ardiles brought himself back in at right back and Jamie Abbott replaced Dave Hunt in midfield. The visitors fielded three of this week's ten new signings.
The first attack of the game saw the home side win a corner in the second minute but this was easily cleared by the visitors. They soon won a free kick, but Daryl Mitchell's effort was also cleared. On eleven minutes, player-manager Pablo Ardiles tried a rare shot from distance, but this was easily saved by visiting 'keeper, George Anderson.
The breakthrough for the Blues came five minutes later. Ardiles played the ball to Owen Beale, who hit a shot goalwards. Anderson appeared to have it covered but he was caught out by the Hertingfordbury Pitch and he fumbled when the ball bounced wickedly just in front of him. Unfortunately for the young 'keeper, Jamie Abbott was on hand to rifle the loose ball into the back of the net and put the home side 1-0 up. The Blues soon won another corner, which was played short to Daryl Mitchell, though his cross was ultimately wasted.
As was the case on Tuesday night against Welwyn Garden City, the Hertford lead did not last for long. In the 25th minute Haringey were awarded a free kick in their hosts half. Niall Ritchie played a dangerous cross into the box and Kesi Dryden popped up, unmarked, to head firmly into the back of Lee Robinson's net, and level the scores.
A couple of minutes later the home side were awarded a free kick just inside the visitors half. Following Mitchell's kick another foul was committed a short distance outside the Haringey box. This was surely a great opportunity for a Daryl Mitchell special - he had scored from a similar position against the Blues when playing for Broxbourne earlier in the season. And so it was this time. The wall could do little to stop Mitchell's direct free kick, which he lashed into the top right corner of the net to give the hosts a 2-1 lead.
The Blues continued to look the better team though created few real chances and the visitors were always a threat on the break. With ten minutes of the half remaining Hertford won a free kick. The ball was played in to Jamie Abbott but his shot was cleared. The visitors were soon forced into an early substitution; the injured Jermaine Ffolkes making way for Lasalle Simon. On the stroke of half time the home side won a corner, but the chance was cut short when the referee blew for an apparent infringement in the Haringey box. The match official soon also blew the half time whistle.
Half Time Score: Hertford Town 2 Haringey Borough 1
Rob Luya did not reappear for the hosts after the interval, being replaced by Dave Hunt, with Jamie Abbott dropping back into a defensive position. Strangely the change appeared to unsettle the Blues and for much of the second half they did not appear to be the consistent unit they had been in the first. Indeed it was the visitors who had the first chance of the half. Karl Lewis tried an effort on goal, which took a wicked deflection off a home defender. Fortunately for the hosts, Lee Robinson was on the top of his form and pulled off a magnificent diving save to preserve his side's slender lead. The visitors again threatened and soon won a corner, though this came to nothing.
The home side were not entirely lacking in attacking credentials however, and were soon awarded a free kick inside the Haringey half. Daryl Mitchell's shot took a deflection off a visiting player and went behind at the expense of a corner. Mitchell also took the corner kick but it was poorly hit and the ball went behind before it could reach any of his team mates. Haringey's Lasalle Simon soon became the first player of the evening to be booked, for a foul on Matt McArdle. The home side then made their second substitution of the night, bringing on Alex Scriven for Scott O'Donoghue.
The Blues soon won another corner, but again they could not take advantage of Mitchell's cross. The ball was soon at the other end and Haringey were awarded a free kick in the Hertford half. Ronnie Bridges played a good ball in to the Hertford box, but it was cleared by the home defence. The Blues then made their final substitution of the evening. Off came the tiring Matt McArdle and on came Lee Roberts for his first Hertford town appearance since December 13th, much to the approval of the Stable End faithful, who gave him an ovation as he entered the field of play.
With a quarter of an hour of the game remaining the visitors won a corner but this came to nothing and the ball was soon back in the other half. The Blues soon won another corner, which Mitchell again stepped up to take. With the exception of his goal, he hit arguably the best dead ball kick of the night; into the danger zone and far enough away from the 'keeper. However, it somehow managed to evade every one of the crowd of players in the Haringey box and went harmlessly behind for a goal kick.
Possibly the most controversial incident of the game came in the 82nd minute. During Haringey attack, one of their players appeared to be brought down inside the Hertford box. It all went very quiet in the Stable End when it looked like the referee was pointing at the spot - but he was actually signalling a goal kick, much to the surprise and relief of the home supporters. A few minutes later a visiting player was adjudged to have been fouled and Pablo Ardiles was booked for protesting. Haringey's Niall Ritchie soon also saw yellow.
As the game went into injury time the home side won a free kick, but the chance came to nothing following the kick as visiting 'keeper Anderson was fouled by an advancing Hertford player. There was time for one more yellow card; Haringey's Charlie Douse was booked for an awful challenge on Lee Roberts. A couple more minutes of play followed before the referee blew the final whistle.
Final Score: Hertford Town 2 Haringey Borough 1