HERTFORD TOWN 2 LONDON COLNEY 4
Herts Charity Shield - Second Round
Tuesday 24th November 2009
London Colney came to Hertingfordbury Park with something of a giant-killing reputation, having seen off a number of higher ranked teams in various cup competitions so far this season. However, the Hertford Town side, on paper at least, looked strong and dominated the first twenty minutes, deservedly taking an early lead. The visitors fought back though, and by half time the scores were level. In the second half, and without influential captain, Glenn Draper, who was unable to play, the home side lost their shape and subsequently the game. In the end it was quite comfortable for the visitors, who face a home tie against St Margaretsbury in the semi-final of this competition. Teams- Hertford Town: 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Chris Spiteri, 3. Rob Luya, 4. Daryl Mitchell, 5. Joel Maybury, 6. Ryan Gordon, 7. Attila Korsoveczki, 8. Matt McArdle, 9. Ryan Redford, 10. Kevin Cooper (capt), 11. Lee Roberts. Subs Used: Michael Cooper (for Spiteri), Dominic Musafiri (for Redford), Charlie Smith (for Luya).
London Colney: 1. Mark Whittamore, 2. Bobby Armstrong, 3. Dave Corran, 4. Shaun Murphy, 5. Mark Paradise, 6. Danny Fitzgerald, 7. Frankie Jowle, 8. Josh Humbert (capt), 9. Dave Parkinson, 10. Gary Simmonds, 11. Russell Gallagher. Subs Used: Rob Magwood (for Simmonds), Lee Benning (for Fitzgerald), Tom Dickie (for Armstrong).
The home side were the first to show and in the third minute a ball was played in from the right to Rob Luya. He embarked on a short solo run but hit his shot over the bar. The next real action came five minutes later when the visitors forced a corner, though the ball into the box was easily cleared. Hertford took the lead in the tenth minute: Good build-up play down the left saw Kevin Cooper pass to Lee Roberts, who crossed to ATTILA KORSOVECZKI in a crowded box. Under pressure from a number of defenders he was able to turn and hit the ball into the roof of the net for 1-0. Three minutes later the Blues had a chance to double their lead when Ryan Redford played in Roberts, but his effort was saved.
Play was soon at the other end and Rob Luya gave the ball away deep inside his own half. Colney's Frankie Jowle took advantage of the Hertford left back's error and blasted a shot goalwards, but his shot was excellently saved by a diving Lee Robinson and the resulting corner was easily cleared. Another corner for the visitors two minutes later was also easily dealt with.
Just before the half hour mark the visitors were awarded a free kick well inside the Hertford half. As the ball was played into the box it took a deflection that caused a little panic amongst the home defence. It eventually fell to London Colney captain Josh Humbert, who smashed it into the back of the net to level the scores. Shortly after the restart, Daryl Mitchell received the first booking of the evening, for a deliberate handball inside the centre circle. With five minutes of the half remaining, the same player tried a speculative shot from distance but his effort fell wide.
With half time rapidly approaching an attack by the visitors saw Dave Parkinson pass to Danny Fitzgerald who tried a shot, but his effort was wide. The home side immediately responded and in a swift counter-attack Rob Luya played in Kevin Cooper, who passed to KORSOVECZKI. He made no mistake in heading the ball into the net to restore the Blues' lead on what appeared to be the stroke of half time. Play continued however, and soon Colney's Bobby Armstrong played in Parkinson, though his soft header was easily saved. Two minutes into stoppage time the impressively quick Parkinson went on one of his trademark solo runs, with few other players able to keep up. He lashed in a shot and was unlucky to see it cannon off the crossbar. However, Gary Simmonds had been following up and made no mistake in burying the rebound in the back of the net to restore parity at half time.
Half Time Score: Hertford Town 2 London Colney 2
After the break the visitors attacked from the off and shot on goal in the opening seconds. However the threat was dealt with and the home side were immediately attacking at the other end. A Kevin Cooper shot rebounded off a post and Ryan Redford, following up, could only find the side netting. Play was soon at the other end and the visitors won a corner, though this came to nothing. However, they would soon take the lead for the first time in the match. Another Colney attack caught the home defence all at sea and Lee Robinson off his line, allowing Gary Simmonds to score his second goal of the night and give his side a 3-2 advantage. London Colney soon had another chance when Dave Parkinson played in Frankie Jowle, but he hit his shot over the bar. At the other end, Kevin Cooper shot just wide after a solo run, which was soon followed by Redford shooting wide from distance also after a solo run.
The visitors immediately countered and Dave Corran crossed to Russell Gallagher, though his headed effort was just over the bar. The home side soon made the first substitutions of the evening: Michael Cooper came on at right back to replace Chris Spiteri, who had been given a torrid time by the Colney forwards, and Dominic Musafiri replaced Redford, who still can't buy a goal for love nor money. The changes had little effect however, and Kevin Cooper was soon booked for not retreating at a London Colney free kick. Lee Robinson soon followed his captain into the book for using some rather flowery language.
The visitors now began to dominate and won a spate of corners as the home team's shape began to resemble that of a pear. A short respite saw play switch to the other end and the home side won a corner. The visitors were soon back in control and won themselves another corner, though this was easily cleared. London Colney then made their first change as Rob Magwood came on for Gary Simmonds. The Blues soon made their final change as Charlie Smith came on for Rob Luya, which was soon followed by another Colney substitution; Lee Benning replacing Danny Fitzgerald. Five minutes later the visitors made their final change as Tom Dickie came on for Bobby Armstrong.
As the game approached the final minute of normal time the visitors were awarded another corner. The ball was played into a busy box but somehow scrambled out by the Hertford defence. It came to Dave Parkinson, who went on another solo run. He hit what appeared to be quite a tame effort beyond the unsighted Robinson and into the back of the net, to put the result beyond doubt. As with the first, the referee added plenty of stoppage time at the end of the second half. Deep into time added on, an altercation between Michael Cooper and a couple of visiting players saw the referee and the nearside assistant intervene to keep players apart. Meanwhile, whilst the attention of most was fixed on this incident, Daryl Mitchell had got himself involved in another altercation elsewhere on the pitch. This was seen by the far side assistant and after some discussion with the referee, Mitchell, who had already been shown a yellow card, was given his marching orders. Play continued for another couple of minutes before the referee put everyone concerned with the home side out of their misery by blowing the final whistle.
Final Score: Hertford Town 2 London Colney 4