HERTFORD TOWN 1 NEWPORT PAGNELL TOWN 2
F A Cup Extra-Preliminary Round
Friday 14th August 2009
With news that the FA Cup itself would be in attendance at this game, the paying public started to trickle through the Hertingfordbury Park turnstiles more than an hour before the scheduled 7.45 pm kick-off, in order to get themselves photographed alongside the esteemed trophy. A number of them also had their photos taken with Ossie Ardiles and collected autographs of the ex-Spurs star, who was also at the game. Both teams got in on the act too, each posing for photographs alongside the iconic silverware - the closest many will ever get to the great prize! Teams- Hertford Town: 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Ryan Gordon, 3. Alan Barker, 4. Matt McArdle, 5. Glenn Draper (capt), 6. Harry Atkins, 7. Pablo Ardiles, 8. Owen Beale, 9. Lee Roberts, 10. Attila Korsoveczki, 11. Michael Cooper. Subs Used: Adam Furness (for Gordon), Scott O'Donoghue (for Cooper), Joel Miller (for Roberts).
Newport Pagnell Town: 1. James Howarth, 2. Tom Hill, 3. Jordan Spruce, 4. John Thorpe (capt), 5. Sam Dawe, 6. Rob Tapp, 7. Darren Dykes, 8. Richard Armstrong, 9. Vinny Shrieves, 10. Darren Lynch, 11. Rob MacDonald. Subs Used: Scott Mulkern (for Dykes), Matt Broomes (for Shrieves).
Hertford Town started the game with a line-up somewhat unfamiliar from the previous two Spartan League outings: Glenn Draper returned at the heart of defence and was joined at centre-back by Matt McArdle in an unusual position. Harry Atkins started the match, though in a rather more advance position than his normal full-back role, Michael Cooper was also advanced to a more attacking role and Lee Roberts moved to a more central striking position alongside the returning Attila Korsoveczki.
As was the case with the first league game of the season, a temporary lack of concentration in the Hertford defence led to the concession of an early goal. In the 4th minute the visitors won a corner, which was swept into the box by Tom Hill. His cross found the head of the completely unmarked Richard Armstrong, who easily directed his effort past the unprotected Lee Robinson.
Having been stunned by this early setback, however, the home side soon began to get into their stride. In the 7th minute Korsoveczki hit a shot across the visitor's goal and four minutes later a Lee Roberts free kick on the edge of the Newport Pagnell box was hit over the bar. The visitors then began to dominate for a while. On the quarter hour mark a Tom Hill corner was headed away by Matt McArdle and three minutes later a free kick by the visitors was blocked by one of their own players. A dangerous cross from Pagnell's Darren Lynch was headed behind by Ryan Gordon but the visitors wasted the ensuing corner as that too was sent behind. They then won a free kick, which was cleared after Robinson had initially fumbled.
Mid way through the half the home side won a corner, which was taken short and as so often happens in this situation, the chance was wasted. Owen Beale then found himself in a good position, but his headed effort lacked power and was easily saved by visiting 'keeper James Howarth. Two minutes later McArdle sent an effort wide, which was shortly followed by probably Hertford's best chance of the half. Alan Barker put in a good cross to Korsoveczki who was unlucky to see his excellent strike cannon off the post and fall to a visiting defender who put the ball behind. From the resulting corner the ball again fell to Korsoveczki, but his effort was wide.
On the half hour mark the visitors were forced to make an early substitution; Scott Mulkern coming on for the injured Darren Dykes. Immediately afterwards there was a scuffle and Pagnell's Armstrong was booked for a foul on Blues' player-manager, Pablo Ardiles. A short while later the home side were awarded a free kick, though Beale's dangerous cross was headed behind. Before the corner could be taken, the home side also made an enforced change as Adam Furness replaced the injured Ryan Gordon. This also resulted in position changes as Furness replaced Roberts in the central striking position, Roberts reverted to his normal wing role and Cooper moved to full-back. When the corner was taken, Roberts hit his cross behind. However, the ball must have taken a deflection as the referee awarded another corner to the home side. Beale's cross was initially headed clear but the ball fell to Roberts who unleashed a powerful shot, but his effort was wide of the target.
As the half time whistle approached, the visitors won a corner, though this came to nothing. The ball was soon at the other end and the home side were also awarded a corner kick. Again Beale's cross was headed out and fell to Roberts, but again the diminutive winger's effort was wide of the mark. Well into injury time Pagnell's Vinny Shrieves beat Alan Barker and put in a powerful shot, but saw his effort sail wide of the post. The final action of the half saw a dangerous attack by the visitors, which brought a magnificent double save out of Lee Robinson to ensure the score at the break remained 1-0.
Half Time Score: Hertford Town 0 Newport Pagnell Town 1
The visitors maintained their pressure at the beginning of the second half and just two minutes after the break were awarded a free kick well within the Hertford half, though Rob MacDonald hit his effort out of play. As happened at the beginning of the first half, the home side then came back into the game and they won a corner. The ball was passed short to Lee Roberts, who played in Glenn Draper, but the big skipper's effort was hit over Howarth's bar. Further Hertford pressure then saw the home side have a double chance to score but on each occasion one pass too many was made and the threat evaporated. Pagnell's Jordan Spruce was then booked for dissent.
On the hour mark the visitors were awarded a corner but wasted their chance. They then won a free kick but Spruce's shot was hit wide. Two minutes later the home defence allowed Darren Lynch too much space in the box and were fortunate to clear the Pagnell striker's shot on goal. The home side then had a chance at the other end when Roberts played in Beale, but the Blues' midfielder hit a soft shot straight at Howarth. This was shortly followed by Hertford's best and most effective move of the game. The ball was played to Adam Furness in the middle of the field. The powerful substitute then embarked on an impressive solo run and blasted a magnificent shot past Howarth to level the scores with his first senior competitive goal for the Blues.
They say that a team is most vulnerable just after it has just scored and sadly for the Blues, this was the case after Furness' goal. A free kick by the visitors was initially cleared but poor defending by the home side allowed Vinny Shrieves to take control of the situation and he hit a magnificent shot past Robinson to restore the visitors' lead.
Hertford soon won a corner but the resulting shot was easily cleared. With the ball at the other end the visitors soon won a free kick on the edge of the Hertford box, though the home side were relieved to see Tom Hill hit his shot wide of the post. With less than quarter of an hour to go, the home side made a tactical substitution, sacrificing Michael Cooper's defensive capabilities for the attack of Scott O'Donoghue. The Blues were able to increase the pressure on their visitors after this and both Furness and Draper hit efforts over the Pagnell bar following attacks by the home side. The visitors then made a tactical substitution of their own, pulling off goal scorer Shrieves and sending on Matt Broomes.
With time running out Hertford pressure saw them almost force an own goal out of the visitors as the ball passed narrowly by the post, though the referee adjudged that a Blues player had the final touch and awarded a goal kick. With less than a minute of normal time remaining the match was suspended temporarily as the referee went down with cramp and required attention. Hertford brought on Joel Miller for the tiring Lee Roberts as play restarted and then won a corner, though this came to nothing. Deep into injury time there was a melee involving players from both sides, which saw Hertford skipper, Draper shown a yellow card. This was effectively the last action of the game and the referee soon blew the final whistle, much to the delight of the travelling support and despondency of the home fans.
Hertford Town will consider themselves unlucky on the night. Many in the ground, particularly many of the neutrals present, thought a draw would have been a fair result, and indeed, had it not been for two defensive lacks in concentration, a different result may have been the outcome. The overall performance was not a bad one and the team must now pick themselves up and look positively towards their next league game away at Hatfield Town on Wednesday night. Newport Pagnell have an FA Cup preliminary round tie at home to Heybridge Swifts to look forward to and Hertford Town wish them luck in that game.
Final Score: Hertford Town 1 Newport Pagnell Town 2