A Kevin Cooper hat-trick was enough to earn three points at struggling Holmer Green. Without Ryan Wade (suspended) and Glenn Draper and Attila Korsoveczki (unavailable), Joel Maybury started in a 3-5-2 lineup.
Hertford Town: 1. Mark Virgo, 2. Nicky Marsh, 3. Pablo Ardiles, 4. Sean Crossley, 5. Matt Watts, 6. Joel Maybury, 7. Matt McArdle, 8. Dave Hunt, 9. Panayiotis Panayiotou, 10. Kevin Cooper (capt), 11. Lee Roberts. Subs Used: 12. Phil Goss (for Marsh, 62), 14. Ross Collins (for Cooper, 73)
Holmer Green: 1. Dave Clark, 2. Adam Chaumeton, 3. Andy Wheeler-King, 4. Steve Groves, 5. James Williams, 6. Tom Alabaster (capt), 7. Monje Miah, 8. Jay Gould, 9. Alvin Rajaram, 10. Simon Williams, 11. Luke Harman. Subs Used: 12. Tom Bedder (for Harman, 80), 14. Stuart Walker (for James Williams, 80),15. Phil Clark (for Groves, 45)

Holmer Green had a chance in this game for the first three minutes. The wind at their back, they caused a few anxious moments for the experimental Hertford back line. Then Hertford broke down the right and wing back Nicky Marsh crossed perfectly for KEVIN COOPER to sidefoot home from close range. Almost immediately Dave Hunt set Lee Roberts in on goal, but he was given offside in a tight decision.
After 10 minutes, Holmer Green's Jay Gould caused Mark Virgo to dive at his right hand post to save a groundshot. This was to be about as much as Holmer Green had to offer. Immediately, at the other end, Kevin Cooper, who was enjoying the freedom of the park saw his 6 yard effort beaten away by home keeper Dave Clark. When Nicky Marsh won a corner for Hertford, Lee Roberts dropped the ball on Cooper's head, and the leading scorer got in a good header which was cleared onthe line. The ball came out to Lee Roberts, who hit a rasping drive inches over the bar, from all of 30 yards.
On 16 minutes a free kick to the visitors led to Cooper smashing a volley high over the home goal. A minute later, Cooper headed well over the bar from a Lee Roberts corner. When Green won a free kick near the halfway line, the wind took the ball past everyone but safely into Mark Virgo's waiting hands. Then Lee Roberts set off on a mazy run before firing his shot inches wide of the post. Pablo Ardiles was presented with what looked like an open goal on 34 minutes but a home defender got in an heroic blaock when he shot.It was 2-0 to Hertford on 39 minutes when KEVIN COOPER rose to head home a pin-point cross from the right by Lee Roberts, inch perfect into the angle of post and bar. Cooper had a simple task three minutes later, to earn himself a first half hat-trick, but he spooned the ball over the bar from 5 yards.

Half Time: Holmer Green 0 Hertford Town 2

Holmer Green introduced Phil Clark, in place of Steve Groves for the second half. On 48 minutes, Lee Roberts was tugged back by Andy Wheeler-King but managed to wriggle free just as Kevin Cooper moved into a scoring position unmarked. The referee did not allow advantage, much to the annoyance of Roberts and Cooper, and awarded a free kick to Hertford just outside the 18 yard line. Lee Roberts took this himself and curled a marvellous effort which clipped the top of the crossbar.
KEVIN COOPER completed his hat-trick on 61 minutes, making the score 3-0 with a tap-in after keeper Clark had pushed out a Lee Roberts piledriver. This was Cooper's 211th goal for the Blues, as he chased Dave Whitehead's all time record of 216.
Hertford immediately sent on Phil Goss for Nicky Marsh, and reverted to 4-4-2. Hat-trick hero Cooper was replaced by Ross Collins on 73 minutes, as Hetford continued in complete control of the game. Dave Hunt went close with a shot on 75 minutes, then they really laid siege to the home goal as Ros Collins twice nearly turned the ball home. When Hertford won a corner, Matt Watts hit a volley wide as he fell back, off balance. Home keeper Clark pushed out a firm drive by Dave Hunt, and Lee Roberts smacked the ball home, only for the assistant referee to flag for offside. An interesting decision.

Final Score: Holmer Green 0 Hertford Town 3

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