KENTISH TOWN 1 HERTFORD TOWN 0
Molten Spartan South Midlands League - Premier Division
Saturday 20th March 2010
After Tuesday's comfortable home win over Welwyn Garden City, Hertford Town came back down to earth with a bump on their first visit to the Copthall Stadium. With Attila Korsoveczki away and Kevin Cooper injured, Scott O'Donoghue was forced to play a makeshift front line against Kentish Town. The Blues were always in the game, helped by another good Lee Robinson performance, including a first half penalty save, but were undone by the dangerous Lee Scott, who pounced on a defensive error to punish the visitors for the only goal of the game. Teams - Kentish Town: 1. Netanel Elraz, 2. Kesi Dryden (capt), 3. Charlie Kanaris, 4. Steven Collins, 5. Rak Hudson, 6. Mariusz Serwin, 7. James Lindsay, 8. Fabion Simms, 9. Lee Scott, 10. Uduma Kalu, 11. Aaron Clarke. Subs Used: Andreas Pilides (for Kanaris), Samy Sari (for Kalu), Thomas Looney (for Lindsay).
Hertford Town: 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Michael Cooper, 3. Alan Barker, 4. Dave Hunt, 5. Glenn Draper, 6. Joel Maybury (capt), 7. Tom Bowgett, 8. Pablo Ardiles, 9. Rob Luya, 10. Matt McArdle, 11. Dominic Musafiri. Subs Used: Lee Roberts (for Bowgett), Andy Chapman (for Ardiles), Mwetaminwa Masangu (for Maybury).
The game started off pretty slowly as both sides tried to come to terms with the tricky conditions created by heavy rain. There were half chances at both ends in the opening minutes but neither goal was really threatened. The home side were awarded a corner in the tenth minute after a rare fumble by Hertford 'keeper Lee Robinson, but Steven Collins' cross was easily headed clear by Dave Hunt. Two minutes later Kentish Town had a free kick on the edge of the Hertford box but a dangerous ball into the danger zone was headed over. In the seventeenth minute James Lindsay beat Michael Cooper and had a good chance on goal but the Kentish Town midfielder shot wide. There was then a short delay after Pablo Ardiles was accidently caught in the face by a challenge from Collins.
It was not long before the home side were on the attack again and following a solo run Lee Scott had a shot on target but his effort was well saved by Robinson. Aaron Clarke took the resulting corner and the ball was temporarily cleared. However it came to Uduma Kalu, who tried a shot but this was also well saved by Robinson. The resulting corner came to nothing.
In the 27th minute Lee Scott had the ball just inside the Hertford box but was brought down by a clumsy challenge from Joel Maybury. The Hertford skipper was shown a yellow card and the home side were awarded a penalty. Scott stepped up to take the kick himself but for the second time in three games he saw a penalty he had won, saved by the opposing 'keeper, Robinson pulling off another magnificent save.
A few minutes later the visitors had a chance after Dominic Musafiri latched onto a long throw from Matt McArdle but his shot was saved. The final ten minutes of the half continued in much the same vein as the first ten, with neither side really creating any chances, before the referee blew the half time whistle.
Half Time Score: Kentish Town 0 Hertford Town 0
The first chance of the second half fell to the home side when they were awarded a free kick five minutes after the interval but the ball was hit straight at Robinson. Tom Bowgett then became the second Hertford player booked as he brought down Fabion Simms with a mis-timed challenge.
Thirteen minutes after the break the visitors won their first corner of the game. Unfortunately the ball never really left the ground after Alan Barker's kick and the threat was gone. Four minutes later it went decidedly pear-shaped for Hertford town after Glenn Draper failed to control an erratically bouncing ball on the uneven surface. Unfortunately for Draper the ever-threatening Lee Scott was on hand to take advantage of the situation and he took the ball into the Hertford box before calmly slotting it past Robinson and into the goal to give the home side the lead. Kentish Town immediately made their first substitution as Andreas Pilides came on for Charlie Kanaris.
Hertford Town attacked immediately from the restart and Rob Luya soon found himself inside the Kentish box with a chance on goal but he hit his effort just wide. The visitors soon won their second corner. This time Barker's cross was much better and he found the head of Glenn Draper, though the big defender's effort was saved by Netanel Elraz in the Kentish goal.
It was not long before the home side made their second substitution as Samy Sari came on for Uduma Kalu. They then won a corner and although the cross found one of their players, it was headed wide. It was then the turn of Kentish town to receive a yellow card as Steven Collins had his name taken, apparently for something he said. This was followed by a double substitution by the visitors, Lee Roberts and Andy Chapman coming on to replace Pablo Ardiles and Tom Bowgett. The home side's third and final change soon followed as James Lindsay was replaced by Thomas Looney. Draper then missed another bouncing ball which again fell to Scott. There was then a shot but the ball hit the bar and went behind for safety.
With five minutes of normal time remaining the visitors made their third and final change as Mwetaminwa Masangu came on for Maybury, who passed the captain's armband to Draper. Kentish Town substitute Samy Sari then received his side's second yellow card for what can only be described as gross stupidity: The visitors were awarded a free kick following a Kentish Town player being flagged offside. The ball was placed ready for the kick to be taken but Sari idiotically picked it up and threw it away. The game continued beyond the ninety minutes and the home side threatened again, winning another corner. This came to nothing and the referee soon blew the final whistle.
Final Score: Kentish Town 1 Hertford Town 0