Hertford were making their third visit to Altham Way in recent weeks, looking for their first win against the Jets. This came with surprising ease, as Jets conceded 4 goals for the first time this season, and indiscipline in the latter stages saw them finish the game with only eight men.
Hertford welcomed back Kevin Kilroy after illness, and saw Ryan Wade take over the midfield berth vacated by the unavailable Paul Taylor. Glenn Draper was suspended, so makeshift centre back Leo Turner continued to replace him.
Team: 1. Nick Barnaby, 2. Nicky Marsh, 3. Pablo Ardiles, 4. Kevin Kilroy, 5. Leo Turner, 6. Ryan Wade, 7. Panayiotis Panayiotou, 8. Phil Goss, 9. Ryan Redford, 10. Kevin Cooper (capt), 11. Lee Roberts. Subs: 12. Tony Neilson (for Panayiotou, 71), 14. Luke Smith (for Wade, 82)

Oxhey began brightly and won an early free kick, which resulted in a corner. From this, Pablo Ardiles needed to be on hand to knee the ball away to safety. Hertford began to find their bearings, and good work by Ryan Wade and Phil Goss gave Kevin Cooper a chance, but he was adjudged to have been offside. Oxhey signalled their intent to closely mark Ryan Redford when skipper Chris Harding was lectured for clipping the striker from behind as he bore down on goal. Minutes later, with ten gone, it was the other star hit-man who was celebrating when KEVIN COOPER tapped in from a couple of yards following exceptional work from Phil Goss to steal the ball following a defensive error and square across goal to the waiting Cooper.
This goal clearly rattled Oxhey and Hertford looked capable of scoring again. However, a long throw by Jets nearly caused the visitors embarrassment before Pablo Ardiles and Kevin Kilroy combined to such good effect that Hertford launched a rapid counter attack down the left flank through the speedy Lee Roberts. After 17 minutes, Phil Goss again fed Cooper, but the skipper's snap shot flew just the wrong side of the upright, with the Blues' faithful behind the goal about to celebrate again.
Oxhey looked capable of scoring themselves as they counter-attacked their visitors. On 25 minutes though, a Kevin Kilroy shot so nearly cleared the home 'keeper Kevin Paul. Paul then raced out of his area to head the ball before it reached Ryan Redford. Hertford delighted their following on 27 minutes, when LEE ROBERTS found himself clear on goal as he cut in from his wing and he calmly placed the ball to the despairing 'keeper's left from 18 yards.
Oxhey won several corners, a couple following spectacular clearances over his own bar from Leo Turner. Oxhey's Gary Beadle got himself booked for dissent for no obvious reason and then it was nearly 3-0 to Hertford as 'keeper Paul was called upon to make a flying save when one of his own defenders sliced an attempted clearance goalwards. The Jets got back into the game in controversial circumstances on 40 minutes, when Kevin Cooper was adjudged to have handled the ball as it was fired at him from a yard, well into Oxhey territory. As the visitors argued about the award, Oxhey played a quick ball forward and JAMIE ARTHUR used his renowned pace to get to the ball before any of the square Hertford defence and lash his shot past a startled Nick Barnaby. Leo Turner was booked for protesting following the goal.

Half Time: Oxhey Jets 1 Hertford Town 2

Although Jets were still battling to get back in the game, it cost them on 57 minutes, when a long through ball saw Kevin Cooper, in an offside position, leave the ball for RYAN REDFORD, running through to take on before striking the ball past Kevin Paul from distance to make it 3-1
On the hour, Oxhey sent on substitute Hussain Ali for Colin Jenkins, then Lee Roberts made a tremendous run down the left wing which resulted in a corner. When this came over, Panayiotis Panayiotou some how blazed over the bar from two yards. After 63 minutes though ,it was 4-1. Ryan Wade was barged over in the box and the referee immediately pointed to the spot. Gary Beadle, already booked, got a second yellow apparently for disputing the award, and was therefore sent off. KEVIN COOPER fairly thumped the spot kick home and the game was all over bar the shouting. Jets responded by taking off both Jamie Arthur and Chris Ingham, to be replaced by David Maynard and Ian Bywater, while Hertford sent on Tony Neilson for Panayiotis Panayiotou. Oxhey's Tim O'Mara chopped down Lee Roberts to end a good run through the middle, and Kevin Kilroy's free kick required a good save from Paul to concede a corner. As is so often the case when a team loses a man, they hit back strongly, and Oxhey got a goal back when subtitute DAVID MAYNARD did a Lee Roberts, bursting past Nicky Marsh, before cutting in and letting fly past a helpless Nick Barnaby. Lee Roberts saw his good shot fly just over the bar, and then there was more controversy as Jets' Wayne Gladdy was dismissed for foul and abusive language towards the assistant referee who he felt was giving Oxhey nothing.
Hertford introduced new signing Luke Smith in place of Ryan Wade and then Kevin Cooper cleverly stole the ball in front of 'keeper Paul. When he set up Lee Roberts, the winger's shot was spectacularly headed off the line by a Jets defender. With only minutes to go, Jets were reduced to only eight men when Hussain Ali was shown a straight red for throwing a left hook at Luke Smith. Ali had reacted badly to a strong challenge from Smith, who held him down to avoid a punch. When Ali got up, he still went through with his intended punch, so the beleaguered referee showed yellow to Smith and red to Ali.
Needless to say, tempers were high as the teams trooped off at the end, and for once there was silence from the Hertford fans. Needless to say, this was a vital victory in the pursuit of Edgware Town, and was a club record ninth consecutive league victory (unless you know otherwise!)

Final score: Oxhey Jets 2 Hertford Town 4