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SATURDAY 9 AUGUST 2008 -
SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
HERTFORD TOWN 2 KENTISH TOWN 2
Manager Greenwood, with 20 players signed on found that he could only field 11, including a 16 year old youth team player, plus himself as sub today. When Kevin Cooper headed the all important record breaking goal after only 2 minutes, it looked like a cricket score might be on, but that was a premature thought, and some cultured play from the visitors saw them take a lead which the only lost in the last 10 minutes following a hotly disputed corner. Last season's Division One champions were entitled to feel that they deserved more from this game, and Hertford can perhaps consider themselves fortunate to share the spoils.
Teams: - Hertford Town: 1. Louis O'Neill, 2. Sean Crossley, 3. Joel Maybury, 4. Panayiotis Panayiotou, 5. Glenn Draper, 6. Kevin Kilroy (capt), 7. Dave Hunt, 8. Chris Odell, 9. Dean Harding, 10. Kevin Cooper, 11. Jack Bruno.
Kentish Town: 1. Neil McDaid, 2. Paul Butler, 3. Thomas Looney, 4. Thomas Kanaris, 5. Tom McMullen (capt), 6. Shaka Cole, 7. Sarfraz Pivano, 8. Eddie Nazary, 9. Jonathan Donoghue, 10. Dave Dawson, 11. Karam Essiaghi. Subs Used: 12. Rehia Giwa O'Sagie (for Pivano, 90+4), Julian Ramirez (for Nazary, 70)
Kentish Town's Thomas Looney tried a speculative shot in the first minute which didn't trouble home 'keeper Louis O'Neill, then, in their first attack, Hertford won a free kick out on the left. When Kevin Kilroy floated the ball into the box, KEVIN COOPER rose unchallenged to head home the opener and beat Dave Whitehead's all time goalscoring record with his 217th in all competitions. It all looked so easy as another Kilroy free kick was hurredly cleared for a corner, from which Glenn Draper tested 'keeper McDaid with a looping header. But Kentish Town began to settle, and Eddie Nazary dropped the ball on Jonathan Donoghue's head for the big striker to test O'Neill in the home goal. Debutant Chris Odell conceded an 11th minute free kick about 30 yards on the angle from goal, and the former Bristol Rovers and Colchester United youngster was booked for the foul. PAUL BUTLER flighted a superb free kick straight into the goal with O'Neill not getting near it to level the scores at 1-1
Hertford hit back, and Jack Bruno was unlucky to see his snap shot blocked, then at the other end, Dave Dawson turned well in the box and Louis O'Neill did well to hold his close range shot. Straight back to the other end, and a good build up from Kevin Cooper gave Bruno another chance, but the youngster pulled his shot wide of the far post. Kentish Town were definitey asking questions of Hertford now, and former Broxbourne Borough player Sarfraz Pivano saw his effort fall on to the roof of the net. As the pressure from the visitors continued, Joel Maybury conceded a corner when Kazam Essiaghi burst into the box, and Glenn Draper had to concede another as he headed clear. Colombian Eddie Nazary was causing much displeasure in the home crowd by repeatedly falling and rolling about as if hit by a train but he was proving a tricky customer when he stayed on his feet. On 23 minutes there was a clear handling offence in the box by a Kentish Town defender which denied Kevin Cooper a shot at an open goal, but the referee saw nothing wrong. Then from a corner, Jack Bruno was bundled off the ball in the box for what looked like another case for a penalty. But again, the ref saw nothing untoward.On 40 minutes, Kevin Kilroy and Dean Harding combined to set up Kevin Cooper, but the new record goalscorer shot wide after a good run into the box. Hertford were stunned when Kentish Town took the lead with a goal from nowhere. KARAM ESSIAGHI hit an unstoppable drive from all of 30 yards which fairly flew past Louis O'Neill before anyone could close him down. On half time, Sarfraz Pivano nearly added another, but for the legs of O'Neill.
Half Time: Hertford Town 1 Kentish Town 2
Kentish Town went straight on the attack at the resumption, and Dave Dawson floated along cross on to Jonathan Donoghue's head, but the giant striker put his header just wide of the post. On 53 minutes the visitors were fortunate not to concede when Kevin Cooper laid the ball back to Dave Hunt, and when the former Hendon man whacked the ball, it rebounded off a defender and was only just retrieved by keeper McDaid. The game was being played at a high tempo, more to the liking of Kentish Town than Hertford. Hertford applied some pressure however, and won a couple of corners, one when defender Kanaris booted the ball high in the direction of the far side of the car park. Kentish Town made a substitution on 70 minutes when Nazary was replaced by Julian Ramirez. Dean Harding was narrowly off side when Kevin Cooper chested the ball down to him, but in truth there was too little threat from Hertford. On 73 minutes, Cooper and Harding combined well again, only for the supporting Sean Crossley to pull his shot wide. Glenn Draper became the second home player to see yellow on 76 minutes for one robust tackle too many, and then Hertford drew level in controversial circumstances on 80 minutes. The referee awarded a corner when even the home fans behind the goal saw that it was a goal kick, or even a hand ball against Kevin Kilroy, and when the ball came over , KEVIN COOPER seized on a rebound to sweep the ball home to make it 2-2.
Visiting skipper Tom McMullen was so incensed that he was booked for his protests.
Kentish Town hit back immediately, and Thomas Looney let fly with a venomous strike which Louis O'Neill parried brilliantly with a flying one handed save for a corner. There was an ugly confrontation involving most of the players when Dave Hunt made a reckless tackle from behind which took his victim over the touch line right in front of the dugouts. The referee quickly sorted things out, booking Hunt for his challenge, and sending Kentish Town's coach Clement Temile and Hertford's Dave Greenwood to the stands for squaring up to each other.
The visitors ended the game in some disarray, with Thomas Kanaris booked and Tom McMullen being shown a second yellow and a red as the "red mist" descended on him.
Final score: Hertford Town 2 Kentish Town 2
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