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TUESDAY 12 SEPTEMBER 2006
SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
LONDON COLNEY 2 HERTFORD TOWN 3
As this was the only league fixture of the night, a win for the Blues would take them to top spot (or London Colney could have gone top with a really big win). Hertford lined up in a new 3-5-2 formation, with Joel Maybury coming into the back three, and taking the captain's armband.
Team: 1. Mark Virgo, 2. Mark Teasdale, 3. Pablo Ardiles, 4. Robbie Syrett, 5. John Barker, 6. Joel Maybury (capt), 7. Nicky Marsh, 8. Leo Turner, 9. Ryan Redford, 10. Kevin Cooper, 11. Lee Roberts. Subs: 14. Matt Watts (for Barker, 71), 16. Scott Neilson (for Marsh, 76), 17. Brendan Brien (for Redford, 90)
The game got off to an electrifying start, with Hertford's pace going forward catching the so far unbeaten home side napping. An absolute avalanche of goals from the visitors saw them 3-0 up after only 28 minutes. First Pablo Ardiles made a determined run down the left before squaring the ball into the centre for KEVIN COOPER to tap home the 11th minute opener, then it was 2-0 after 14 minutes, this time Leo Turner the provider for COOPER to slot home from close range again. The rampant visitors won a couple of corners and then, on 28 minutes, came a breathtaking goal from RYAN REDFORD. He exchanged passes with Leo Turner, cut in from the left and drove the ball sweetly past Tom Blackman from outside the box, in a stunning finish worthy of any level of football.
3-0 up inside the first half hour against a side so far unbeaten, and it all seemed so easy. Hertford appeared to press the self destruct button when London Colney's STEVE FLAIN appeared to drive home a free kick from just outside the area, although there was a clear deflection on the shot and Joel Maybury sliced the ball into his own goal. What was most galling was that the Hertford players and bench were convinced that it should have been a free kick to Hertford, not London Colney, and they were upset that the referee gave the free kick from a long way off the play.
As if that wasn't enough, Hertford did it again five minutes later. This time there was no doubt that Joel Maybury got in a little touch which sent a home attacker sprawling in virtually the same spot a the previous free kick, and this time DAN JONES struck the ball past a bemused Mark Virgo. In the space of five minutes, Hertford had given the home side the encouragement to get right back into a game that looked all over.
Half Time: London Colney 2 Hertford Town 3
Hertford began the second half on the attack when, from the kick-off, Lee Roberts set off on a run down the left wing and passed to Leo Turner, who shot just wide. On the other side, Nicky Marsh cut in and fired across the face of the goal. The game was much more even now, and Mark Virgo made a smart block from Steve Flain on 57 minutes. Hertford were still doing their fair share of attacking and won a few corners. Then Lee Roberts fired in a shot from an acute angle which home 'keeper Blackman tipped onto the top of his crossbar. At the other end home hot-shot Jermaine Davey nearly got a shot through Mark Virgo, but Hertford's custodian held on well. Again Davey fired in a wicked effort, this time it was deflected for a corner, as it began to look more and more like London Colney would draw level. The referee was struggling to keep up with play, and angering both sides with his long range decision making. On 71 minutes, Nicky Marsh ran almost the whole length of the pitch before his shot was deflected for a corner. At this point Hertford sent on Matt Watts in place of John Barker. Then, on 75 minutes, home 'keeper Blackman brought off a stunning one handed save from a Kevin Cooper header, which looked certain to bring him his hat-trick. Hertford replaced Nicky Marsh with Scott Neilson, and within two minutes the teenager had the ball in the net with a fine strike. To the dismay of Hertford and their travelling fans, the assistant referee flagged for offside against the inactive Kevin Cooper. The ball went quickly to the other end and the struggling referee gave London Colney a free kick. Home striker Davey appeared to throw a punch at Joel Maybury, but the referee delayed dealing with that as his attention was drawn by London Colney players to the linesman who had ruled out Hertford's goal. He reported to the referee something that Kevin Cooper had said to him, and the referee immediately brandished a red card in front of Cooper. then he went back to the other end and showed a yellow card to Jermaine Davey.
As the game went into the last 10 minutes, Hertford still had enough left in the tank to win two more corners. Brendan Brien was sent on for Ryan Redford in the dieing seconds, as London Colney waited to take yet another free kick in a dangerous position, but they again wasted the opportunity, and the game ended 3-2 to Hertford, a scoreline which had seemed unlikely after 35 minutes.
Final Score: London Colney 2 Hertford Town 3
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