HERTFORD TOWN 3 HOLMER GREEN 0
Molten Spartan South Midlands League - Premier Division
Saturday 28th February 2009

After an enforced break of four weeks the Blues finally got back into action, and on a revitalised Hertingfordbury Park pitch, that prior to the game looked a lot better than it had done for some months. One might be forgiven for thinking that a game between a team lacking match practice and their main striker against the division's basement residents would end in a goalless stalemate, but this match was far from that.

Teams- Hertford Town: 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Pablo Ardiles, 3. Duncan Hamilton, 4. Joel Maybury, 5. Glenn Draper (capt) 6. Matt McArdle, 7. Owen Beale, 8. Dave Hunt, 9. Andy Chapman, 10. Alex Scriven, 11. Rob Luya. Subs Used: Chris Spiteri (for Chapman), Magid el Amin (for Luya), Jack Bruno (for Scriven)

Holmer Green: 1. Charlie Fanner, 2. Andy Goddard, 3. Jamie Pike, 4. Andy Wheeler-King, 5. Ben Sturgess, 6. Stuart Walker, 7. Steve Groves, 8. Jay Gould (capt), 9. Lee Taylor, 10. Andy Shed, 11. Danny Craggs. Subs Used: Dave Keenan (for Wheeler-King), Dave Allen (for Craggs)

The Blues started the brighter of the two sides and as early as the third minute Dave Hunt put in a cross from wide on the right to Rob Luya, but he scuffed his effort. The same two players were involved in the next Hertford attack, three minutes later. This time Luya's effort was saved by 'keeper Fanner. A minute later the home side won a corner. Owen Beale's initial cross came straight back to him, but his second attempt found Glenn Draper, who headed wide.

On thirteen minutes the visitors mounted an attack but a dangerous shot on the Hertford goal was brilliantly saved by a diving Lee Robinson. The ball was soon up the other end and a shot was stopped by Fanner, but he failed to gather. It bounced away from goal but came to ALEX SCRIVEN, who made no mistake in rifling a powerful shot into the back of the net to give the home side a 1-0 lead. Hertford soon won another corner. Rob Luya's cross into the box came back out and was eventually cleared. The visitors then mounted an attack and won a free kick inside the Hertford half. Ben Sturgess put a dangerous cross into the box, which was cleared behind by Matt McArdle at the expense of a corner. The visitors were unable to take advantage of this and the ball was easily cleared.

Hertford soon won another corner but Luya's cross was again cleared. They soon mounted another attack. Alex Scriven crossed to Luya but his headed effort was saved. As the game approached the half hour mark the visitors won a corner. When the ball came in, Pablo Ardiles headed behind for another corner kick. This time the ball came in and somehow evaded everyone. It appeared to be curling in towards the Hertford net, but to the relief of the home team and supporters, fell just wide of the far post. A short while after, play was stopped for a couple of minutes for an injury to a Holmer player who had fielded a vicious Owen Beale shot at point-blank range - with his face! When play resumed the Blues soon won a free kick. Duncan Hamilton crossed the ball in and it fell to Dave Hunt but his shot was just wide.

For a while Andy Chapman had been feeling the effect of a calf injury and on 38 minutes was forced to leave the field of play. With none of the substitutes sufficiently warmed up, the Blues played the next couple of minutes with ten men. During this time they won a couple of corners, but both Rob Luya's and Owen Beale's efforts came to nothing. Then Chris Spiteri came on to replace the injured Chapman. The home side then won a free kick but Hamilton's cross was cleared to safety. They then won a corner, but this again came to nothing and the referee soon blew the half time whistle.

Half Time Score: Hertford Town 1 Holmer Green 0

It was the visitors who probably had the better of the opening minutes of the second half. Just four minutes after the break they won a free kick inside the Blues' half. Ben Sturgess had an effort on goal but his shot was wide. The home side then won a free kick. Dave Hunt put a dangerous cross into the Holmer box, which Fanner fumbled. The ball fell to Chris Spiteri but was eventually cleared behind. Nothing came of the resulting Owen Beale corner. The visitors were soon on the attack and won a free kick in a dangerous position. However, no sooner had the kick been taken, that the referee blew, presumably for an infringement. Green's Andy Wheeler-King then became the first and only player of the afternoon to receive a yellow card. The visitors soon won another corner and managed to get in a shot but it was over the bar.

Twenty minutes after the break, and with the game starting to slip away from the visitors, they made a double substitution. Andy Wheeler-King and Danny Craggs left the field of play and were replaced by Dave Keenan and Dave Allen. A minute later, the wisdom of the double change was being seriously questioned. Duncan Hamilton, playing wide down the left put in an excellent cross beyond the far post, which fell perfectly to CHRIS SPITERI. From a very narrow angle he slipped a sublime shot just inside the post to double the home side's advantage.

Hertford Town were now very much in the driving seat. They soon won a free kick, though Hunt's header from Hamilton's cross was over the bar. Then Alex Scriven went on a little solo run, but his effort was again over. The visitors then mounted a rare attack. It wasn't quite clear whether Lee Taylor intended a cross or a shot, but whatever it was, the ball fell harmlessly wide and went behind for a goal kick. The ball was soon back at the other end and Duncan Hamilton crossed to Dave Hunt. This time his header was just over the bar. The visitors again countered. Taylor attempted a much better looping shot that Robinson was forced to tip over. Nothing came of the resulting corner, however.

With ten minutes of normal time remaining, Hertford made their second substitution, bringing on Magid el Amin for Rob Luya, who left the field to an ovation from the home supporters. A very good move by the home side followed a few minutes later, which resulted in a corner. Owen Beale's cross was close to Charlie Fanner and it appeared that the visiting custodian would safely gather, but he dropped the ball, leaving ALEX SCRIVEN to score one of the easier goals of his career. At 3-0 down there was certainly no way back for the visitors now as the home side continued to dominate. They soon won another corner but this time Beale's effort came to nothing. The Blues then made their third and final substitution of the afternoon. Two-goal man Scriven left to another ovation and was replaced for the final few minutes by Jack Bruno. As the game went into injury time, Holmer Green won a rare corner. However the ball was easily cleared and the referee soon blew the full time whistle.

Final Score: Hertford Town 3 Holmer Green 0