HILLINGDON BOROUGH 3 HERTFORD TOWN 2
Molten Spartan South Midlands League - Premier Division
Saturday 8th August 2009
This game was played out on a balmy August afternoon in the pleasant surrounds of the Middlesex Stadium, certainly a more suitable day to be appreciating the gentle crack of leather on willow rather than the less than subtle thump of leather on Molten stitch-free advanced technology. Anyway, the start of the Spartan League season it was. Hertford Town's previous competitive outing had been a victory over Royston Town in the Herts Charity Shield, so in this game they decided to extend that charity by gifting their hosts a three-nil lead in the first six minutes. The remainder of the contest was a rather more even affair, but as the saying goes; "it's a funny old game" and the lads from Hertingfordbury Park left Breakspear Road like a broken pencil - pointless! Teams - Hillingdon Borough: 1. Ben Harris, 2. Ben Payne, 3. David Pugh, 4. Gareth Long, 5. Steven Notte-Macaire, 6. Matt Jarvis, 7. Lucas Williams, 8. Myron Ramsey, 9. Sam Jolliffe, 10. Chris Cox, 11. Alec Gediking. Subs Used: Zachary Gill (for Payne), Lewis Craze (for Jolliffe), Ricardo Engleman.
Hertford Town: 1. Lee Robinson (capt), 2. Michael Cooper, 3. Alan Barker, 4. Rakesh Dhall, 5. Wesley Beckles, 6. Pablo Ardiles, 7. Alex Scriven, 8. Matt McArdle, 9. Owen Beale, 10. Ryan Wade, 11. Lee Roberts. Subs Used: Scott O'Donoghue (for Scriven), Harry Atkins (for Barker), Ryan Gordon (for Ardiles).
In the absence of suspended inspirational skipper, Glenn Draper, this was the first time this defensive line-up had played together - and it showed. With the game barely a minute old a lack of communication amongst the visiting back four allowed Hillingdon's SAM JOLLIFFE a free shot from the edge of the box, which he finished with some aplomb to put his side 1-0 up. In the fourth minute the Hertford defence was again at sixes and sevens. Michael Cooper tried to cut out a long shot from Hillingdon's CHRIS COX, but the ball had probably already crossed the line when he made contact and sent it into the back of the net. 2-0 to the home side and the visiting strikers hadn't even had a sniff of the ball. It got worse for Hertford in the sixth minute. This time ALEC GEDIKING took advantage of the chaos in the visiting defence and put his side 3-0 up. At this stage it appeared that the cricketing weather may produce a cricket score. Fortunately for the visitors, they were able pull themselves together and began to get back into the game.
Having stabilised their ship, the visiting side began to apply pressure on their hosts. In the 18th minute Hertford were awarded a free kick following a foul on Owen Beale. Ryan Wade stepped up to take the kick but his effort was just wide. Two minutes later the home side won a corner but the cross avoided everyone and went harmlessly behind. The Visitors immediately mounted a counter-attack and soon won a corner of their own. Beale's cross found a couple of Hillingdon heads and was eventually cleared. A few minutes later the home custodian, Ben Harris, who had a less than safe pair of hands and some equally dodgy footwork, attempted to clear a loose ball but instead hit it straight at Ryan Wade. The Hertford striker was unable to capitalise however, and hit his shot wide. A few minutes later there was further chaos in the Hillingdon defence. With Harris and his defenders caught in no-man's land, the ball fell to OWEN BEALE, twenty-five yards out. He calmly lobbed the ball into the empty net to reduce the arrears to 3-1.
Hertford were soon awarded another free kick, though it was not taken before Matt McArdle became the first player of the afternoon to be shown the referee's yellow card. The free kick came to nothing but soon another was awarded to the visitors. This time Beale's effort was headed clear. One of the best Hertford moves of the half soon followed. From a central position Beale played the ball wide to Michael Cooper. The Hertford right-back crossed to Wade at the far post and he played the ball into Rakesh Dhall, but his headed effort was hit straight at a somewhat relieved Harris. The visitors soon pulled another goal back. Lee Roberts played a dangerous ball in to RYAN WADE, who rounded a Hillingdon defender and then passed Harris, before skilfully placing the ball in the empty net to make the score 3-2.
As the half began to draw to a close, the visitors continued to pressure. A Hertford corner was cleared back out to the taker, Lee Roberts, but when he played the ball back in to the danger area, the referee's assistant signalled an offside and the chance was over. On the stroke of half time the visitors had a good chance to equalise. Beale had control of the ball in the Hillingdon box and probably should have shot. Instead he passed to Alex Scriven, who also somehow wasted his chance, and was also booked for a foul on Hillingdon's David Pugh as he tried to regain control of the ball. Shortly after brandishing the yellow card, the referee brought the half to a close.
Half Time Score: Hillingdon Borough 3 Hertford Town 2
The visitors looked a more solid unit at the beginning of the second half than they had done at the beginning of the first, and within three minutes of the restart they forced a corner. Lee Roberts' cross was headed behind by a Hillingdon defender, but the referee failed to notice the subtle contact and awarded a goal kick to the home side. Hertford soon won another corner, which this time was taken by Owen Beale. His cross was met by Ryan Wade but he headed over. A Hillingdon attack soon followed and a Lucas Williams shot brought out an excellent save from Lee Robinson in the Hertford goal.
There was a slightly controversial incident ten minutes into the half. Following an unsuccessful Hertford attack, Hillingdon custodian Harris, pushed Ryan Wade to the ground, when the ball had long gone. After a lengthy discussion with his assistant, the referee showed Harris his side's first yellow card of the afternoon. Two minutes later the home side made the first change in personnel of the game, sending on Zachary Gill in place of Ben Payne. Another two minutes later and Beale put in a good cross for Wade, but his header was just wide of the post. Hillingdon's Gareth Long soon received his side's second booking for a foul. Wade's resulting free kick was hit at the Hillingdon wall and deflected behind for a corner. The ball again came to Wade and he was probably too selfish, losing possession of the ball when he had a chance to pass. Hillingdon immediately cleared up field and a Chris Cox effort brought out another excellent stop from Robinson.
The ball was soon back at the other end and Wade saw his effort headed off the line. The resulting corner was taken short and the chance wasted when the ball fell harmlessly into the arms of Harris. Another Owen Beale corner soon afterwards came to nothing and then the home side made their second substitution, bringing on Lewis Craze for Sam Jolliffe. A Hillingdon effort then brought out another tremendous diving save from Robinson. From the resulting Hillingdon corner the ball eventually found a home player but was headed just over. Robinson then pulled off another blinding save from a further Hillingdon attack, and was grateful to see the ball fall safely into his arms from the resulting corner. The ball was soon at the other end and Beale had a shot saved.
There then followed a plethora of substitutions by the visitors: Scott O'Donoghue came on for Scriven, Harry Atkins came on for Alan Barker and Ryan Gordon replaced Pablo Ardiles. Hillingdon also sent on Ricardo Engleman. The home side soon won a corner though it was hit harmlessly behind. With the ball at the other end this was soon followed by two Hertford corners in quick succession. From the first the ball was headed behind, leading to the second, which was taken by Beale, though the ball was ultimately cleared safely up field. As the game began to draw to a close the home side began to mount a little pressure on their visitors. Firstly they were awarded a free kick, though Gareth Long's effort was blasted over and then they won a corner, but this came to nothing. As the game went well into time added on there was an altercation between Hillingdon's Steven Notte-Macaire and Hertford's Ryan Wade, which saw both players booked. After a brief period of uneventful play, the referee blew the full-time whistle.
Final Score: Hillingdon Borough 3 Hertford Town 2