Tony Tilbrook continued in goal for the injured Lee Robinson (and Mark Virgo, and Nick Barnaby, and James Sturgeon), and, with Ryan Redford serving a one match ban, Lee Roberts came back into the starting line up as his replacement.
Hertford Town: 1. Tony Tilbrook, 2. Nicky Marsh, 3. Louis Lancaster, 4. Kevin Kilroy (capt), 5. Matt Watts, 6. Ryan Wade, 7. Phil Goss, 8. Ryan Wade, 9. Pablo Ardiles, 10. Kevin Cooper, 11. Lee Roberts. Subs used: 12. Nicky Burt (for Collins, 72), 15. Matt McArdle (for Goss, 78), 16. Jamie Abbott (for Ardiles, 78)

Langford: 1. Steve Young, 2. Adam Pitcairn (capt), 3. Ross Scotney, 4. Paul Chamberlain, 5. Dave Coles, 6. Phil Feakes, 7. Dave Brown, 8. Jack Gregson, 9. Mark Wright, 10. Lee Pateman, 11. Paul Groves. Subs Used: 14. Luke NIcholl (for Feakes, 66), 16. Paul Donald (for Coles, 66).

The game began brightly on an excellant surface, and with the two games last season going 4-2 and 5-2 in Hertford's favour, another high scoring game was not a surprise. In the opening seconds, Langford signalled their intent with an attack down the left and Phil Feakes' cross nearly had the visitors in trouble. Hertford were building patiently and nearly took the lead on 3 minutes when Ryan Wade got in a close range diving header from a Nicky March centre, but the ball flew just wide of the upright. Then Phil Goss was only able to snatch at his shot when Ross Collins found him with a cross from the right. The visitors were rocked on six minutes when Langford attacked swiftly down the right and Lee Pateman whipped over a cross which big centre forward MARK WRIGHT slammed home gleefully from the edge of the box.
Hertford were not fazed by this setback though, and immediately won a corner, followed by a free kick which saw Louis Lancaster's astute ball into the centre flash agonisingly inches past the outstretched leg of Matt Watts. Hertford continued to have the majority of play, but Langford always looked capable of scoring again. On 18 minutes, Kevin Cooper played a tempting ball in front of Lee Roberts and Phil Goss but neither could make the contact necessary to trouble home keeper Steve Young. A minute later, Hertford won a free kick in front of goal, and Ryan Wade squared to Louis Lancaster, but his intended piledriver crashed against the home wall. As Hertford kept up the relentles pressure, Ross Collins saw his dipping shot from 20 yards just stay high enough to clear the crossbar. Then, on 26 minutes, Langford's Lee Pateman couldn't react quickly enough when he beat the offside trap with surprising ease, and fluffed a golden chance to put his team two up by miskicking, and only getting a corner.
Hertford got back into contention on 27 minutes when PABLO ARDILES got on the end of the product of a fine left wing run by Lee Roberts, to poke the ball home at the second attempt from a few feet. Phil Goss headed a Ross Collins corner kick over the bar then, from another corner, Kevin Kilroy fired in a looping shot which keeper Young held on to well. Still Hertford attacked, and Lee Roberts headed a Nicky Marsh centre over the bar. But Langford were dangerous on the break, and Tony Tilbrook pulled off a marvellous flying save to deny Dave Brown when the wide man shot from point blank range.
When the corner came over, Louis Lancaster sliced the ball in the air and Phil Goss had to tidy up to clear the danger. Hertford took a deserved lead on 43 minutes, when PHIL GOSS smashed home a Pablo Ardiles cross from the left, with a classic strike back across the keeper. Ardiles deserved great credit for retaining the ball in the corner, before setting up Goss's strike with a perfect centre.

Half Time: Langford 1 Hertford Town 2

The game was just as open after the break, with Hertford continuing to have the beter of the game. KEVIN COOPER was desperately unlucky on 59 minutes when he struck the right hand upright from close rang when a goal looked a formality. He made amends on 62 minutes though, when he got up from being tripped in the box to fire a perfect spot kick past Steve Young to put his side 3-1 up. Only three minutes later it was 4-1 when PABLO ARDILES got his second, tapping home a Nicky Marsh centre, with the Langford defence all at sea.

Phil Goss picked up a rare booking for an innocuous looking foul, and then Langford made a double substitution, sending on Luke Nicholl and Paul Donald, for Dave Coles and Phil Feakes. Hertford responded by taking off Ross Collins and sending on Nicky Burt. Paul Groves pulled a shot just wide of the far post on 77 minutes, to give Hertford a wake up call, but they didn't hear it. Hertford completed the substitutions by putting on Jamie Abbott and Matt McArdle. Nicky Burt was summoned over by the referee after an intervention by an assistant, and was duly booked, presumably for dissent. Langford got one back when impressive centre forward MATT WRIGHT got his second with a towering header fron a right wing cross, and then Ryan Wade tried to repeat his recent sucess direct from the restart, when he thumped the ball just wide of the left hand upright with keeper Young looking decidedly worried.
Hertford desperately wanted the final whistle, but Langford weren't done. PAUL GROVES fired a free kick into the Hertford wall, and then, with seconds left, the same player made it 4-3 from close range. Excellant value for the spectators, but a coach's nightmare!

Final Score: Langford 3 Hertford Town 4 We hope you will find our website helpful and informative . There is a separate "Fans Forum", for which the Club accepts no reponsibility .