It was second against tenth in this Premier Division Cup, second round match, the hosts having seen off fellow league high-fliers, Biggleswade Town in the opening round, and the visitors receiving a bye to this stage of the competition. Prior to kick off the sensible money would probably have been on a home win, but Hertford Town hadn't read the script. Playing some of their best football of the season, particularly in the first half, they ran out worthy winners of an entertaining game, contested by two teams playing football as it should be.

Teams - Langford: 1. Steve Young, 2. Dave Ralph, 3. Ross Scotney, 4. Ryan Nichol, 5. Richard Beckett, 6. Adam Pitcairn, 7. Dave Brown, 8. Lee Pateman, 9. John Coley, 10. Liam Errington, 11. Rob Groves (capt). Subs Used: Danny Howells (for Coley), Craig Pateman (for Beckett), Joe Gormill (for Brown).

Hertford Town: 1. Louis O'Neill, 2. Michael Cooper, 3. Duncan Hamilton, 4. Joel Maybury, 5. Glenn Draper (capt), 6. Pablo Ardiles, 7. Jamie Abbott, 8. Owen Beale, 9. Attila Korsoveczki, 10. Dave Hunt, 11. Lee Roberts. Sub Used: Andy Chapman (for Korsoveczki).

From the off it was the visitors who looked like they were more up for this game than their hosts and won a corner in the first minute, though this came to nothing. On three minutes Michael Cooper played in Attila Korsoveczki but the big striker put his shot wide to the right of the goal. Six minutes later Hertford won a corner and the ball was played dangerously into the box, though headed to safety by Langford's Dave Ralph. The Blues increased their pressure in the 12th minute, when Lee Roberts, advancing down the left, crossed the ball to Dave Hunt, but he scuffed his shot. A minute later the same player shot across the front of the goal, having been put in by Korsoveczki. The home side immediately went on the counter attack and the ball fell to Rob Groves, but he smashed his shot straight at Hertford 'keeper, Louis O'Neill. The following minute Hertford won a free kick in the centre of the park. Owen Beale passed to Jamie Abbott who put a dangerous cross into the Langford box. The panicky home defence somehow managed to scramble the ball to safety, when it seemed the visitors would score.

As the game approached the midway point of the first half it was the visitors who were by far the better team, confidently playing the controlled passing game favoured by boss, Pablo Ardiles. It was Ardiles himself who instigated the next move, playing in Michael Cooper, who won a corner. Lee Roberts took the kick but the referee adjudged that there had been an infringement in the Langford box and the home team were awarded a free kick.

The Blues were soon on the attack again. Michael Cooper passed to Jamie Abbott, who in turn played in Owen Beale, but his softly hit shot was wide, when he should have done better. Michael Cooper cut out the ensuing goal kick and passed to Korsoveczki, but again his shot was wide. The next effort fell to Lee Roberts. The winger found himself in an unusually central position, where he skilfully turned his marker, but he also shot just wide of the post. It seemed with all their dominance that the visitors just could not score, and then, just before the half hour mark, Glenn Draper was booked for an untidy challenge. Langford were unable to capitalise from the resulting free kick. Five minutes later Dave Brown picked up Langford's first caution of the game following a foul on Owen Beale. Beale himself took the ensuing free kick, but his shot lacked power and was easily dealt with.

As the half went into its final ten minutes it was again the visiting team applying the pressure. Following good work down the right, Owen Beale played in ATTILA KORSOVECZKI, who skilfully controlled the ball, and advancing on the Langford goal, calmly slotted his effort past home 'keeper Steve Young, to give the Blues a deserved 1-0 lead. Two minutes later it was 2-0. The ball again found its way into the danger area in the Langford box, and following a communication breakdown amongst the home defence, fell to LEE ROBERTS. He made no mistake in placing the ball past the despairing Young, to double the visitors' lead. There was then a little more Hertford pressure before the referee blew the half time whistle.

Half Time Score: Langford 0 Hertford Town 2

Langford's John Coley did not come out for the second half, having received a knock during the first. He was replaced by Danny Howells. It was again the visitors who started the brighter of the two sides, and within thirty seconds of the restart Dave Hunt was put in with a scoring chance, but he blasted his effort straight at 'keeper Young. Seven minutes into the half Lee Roberts was brought down by Dave Ralph, for which the Langford defender received a booking. Pressure from the resulting free kick led to the home side conceding a corner, which was taken by Roberts. He played a fine cross in to Owen Beale, but his shot was wasted.

The visitors were not having it all their own way in this half however, and Langford began to apply pressure of their own. They were awarded a free kick wide on the left and began to besiege the Hertford goal. It seemed it would be only a matter of time before the visitors buckled under the pressure, and sure enough, with the away defence appearing a little tatty for the first time in the match, the ball fell to Langford substitute, DANNY HOWELLS. He made no mistake in blasting the ball past Hertford 'keeper O'Neill to put the score at 2-1.

On the hour mark Korsoveczki was booked for a hefty challenge on a Langford player, but it was the home side who were the more dominant and looking likely to get the equaliser. Then Owen Beale was fouled by the fiery Danny Howells, who became the latest player to incur the referee's wrath and was duly booked. Unfortunately for the visitors, Jamie Abbott's free kick came to nothing, and the home side again began to apply the pressure, winning a corner, though they were unable to take advantage of the opportunity. They soon made their second substitution, bringing on Craig Pateman for Richard Beckett, who had been suffering with cramp for some time.

As the game went into the final quarter of an hour, the visitors again became dominant and their superior play soon reaped its reward. An excellent passing move saw the ball fall to Attila Korsoveczki, who controlled the ball and passed to Dave Hunt. He calmly played in LEE ROBERTS, who despite protestations from the home defence concerning a possible offside, stroked the ball past Steve Young to restore the away team's two goal advantage. Before the game could be restarted, the referee showed Young a yellow card, for something the 'keeper had said to one of the referee's assistants.

Hertford again continued to apply the pressure and with less than ten minutes to go made their first and only substitution of the game, bringing on Andy Chapman for the hard-working Korsoveczki. Langford shortly followed this with their third and final change; bringing on Joe Gormill for Dave Brown. As the game went into injury time Owen Beale had the chance to further the lead, but his excellently hit shot was superbly saved by 'keeper Young. The referee played rather more injury time than the travelling supporters were expecting, but the Blues continued to threaten until the end, when the final whistle was eventually blown.

Final Score: Langford 1 Hertford Town 3