KINGSBURY LONDON TIGERS 1 HERTFORD TOWN 0
Molten Spartan South Midlands League - Premier Division
Saturday 10th April 2010
This encounter was never going to be a classic display of the beautiful game. Hertford Town only had thirteen players available for the trip to Jubilee Park, including Manager, Scott O'Donoghue and Chief Coach, Martin Paine, and the home side were missing their top two goal scorers, so a goal fest was never on the cards. As it was, a defensive slip-up by the Blues let the Tigers in to score the only goal of the game on an afternoon made bearable by the superb north London weather rather than anything that happened on the pitch.Teams - Kingsbury London Tigers: 1. Axinte Valentin, 2. Terence Cariba, 3. Franklyn Morris, 4. Adil Salih (capt), 5. Marcus Lansiquot, 6. Farhad Anvari, 7. Ivan Forbes, 8. Henry Emenike, 9. Rehia Osagie, 10. Benjamin Kargbo, 11. Paulius Olisauskas. Subs Used: Steven Roleio-Doe (for Kargbo), Kye Hendrix (for Osagie), Aderito Manuel (for Olisauskas).
Hertford Town: 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Stuart Bailey, 3. Tom Neill, 4. Scott O'Donoghue, 5. Masangu Mwetaminwa, 6. Joel Maybury (capt), 7. Michael Cooper, 8. Dave Hunt, 9. Ben Bouchnak, 10. Dominic Musafiri, 11. Lee Roberts. Sub Used: Robert Barker (for Bouchnak).
The first quarter of the game was mostly pretty forgettable; both teams had a few half chances but neither defence was really troubled, then in the 23rd minute the visitors created the first really threatening chance. Lee Roberts crossed the ball into the Kingsbury box where it found Michael Cooper, though he was unlucky to see his well-directed header saved by Tigers' stopper, Axinte Valentin. The resulting corner was taken by Lee Roberts and hit behind for another corner kick. This time however, the ball was overhit and the home defence cleared to safety. The next excitement came twelve minutes later when Hertford player-manager, Scott O'Donoghue was booked for a foul on Kingsbury's Benjamin Kargbo.
The home side were soon on the attack and a fine solo run by Ivan Forbes, who appears to be in training for the UK 2012 Olympic diving squad, saw him cut inside and unleash a powerful shot from the edge of the box. His goal-bound effort was superbly saved by Lee Robinson in the Hertford goal at the expense of a corner. The ball was knocked behind by the Hertford defence from the corner kick for another corner. The second cross was cleared well out of the danger area by Masangu Mwetaminwa. The rest of the half remained pretty uneventful apart from a booking for Dave Hunt in the 47th minute for a foul on Kingsbury's Henry Emenike.
Half Time Score: Kingsbury London Tigers 0 Hertford Town 0
The first incident of note in the second half was the booking of Kingsbury's Farhad Anvari for dissent, seven minutes after the break. Five minutes later a promising Hertford attack saw Lee Roberts cross from wide on the left and once again find Michael Cooper, though he hit his effort into the side netting.
On the hour mark the home side were awarded a free kick on the edge of the Hertford box. Emenike stepped up to take the kick but blasted the ball over the bar. The visitors immediately made a substitution, Robert Barker coming on to replace Ben Bouchnak.
The next action of any note saw the home side take the lead. Without the influential Glenn Draper the Hertford defence can look a little shaky and today was to be no different, with the big centre half absent, receiving anti-proliferation surgery. In the 66th minute some frail Hertford defending saw the ball given away to Rehia Osagie well within the danger area. He was able run through and place the ball past the unprotected Robinson and into the net to open the scoring. A short while later the home side made their first change of the afternoon as Steven Roleio-Doe came on for Kargbo. The visitors were soon on the attack however, and a Tom Neill cross found Hunt, though his headed effort was saved.
It was not long before Kingsbury made their second change as goal scorer Osagie made way for Kye Hendrix. A double Hertford corner soon followed but the ball was cleared at the second attempt. It was then the Tigers' turn to apply the pressure and Emenike passed to Paulius Olisauskas, though his shot was well-saved by Robinson. Two corners followed before the ball was eventually cleared to safety. As the game went into the final five minutes the hosts made their third and final substitution as Aderito Manuel replaced Olisauskas. Little real action followed before the referee blew the final whistle.
Final Score: Kingsbury London Tigers 1 Hertford Town 0