With keeper Mark Virgo suffering from damaged ankle ligaments which he sustained during the warm up at Harefield, reserve team keeper James Sturgeon was given his first first team outing of the season.

Team: 1. James Sturgeon 2. Ashley McAloon 3. Michael Bakare (Pablo Ardiles, 52m) 4. Kevin Kilroy 5. Glenn Draper 6. Paul Taylor 7. Panayiotis Panayiotou (Ryan Wade, 52m) 8. Leo Turner 9. Ryan Redford 10. Kevin Cooper 11. Lee Roberts, Unused sub: Dave Greenwood

Hertford had the first attempt on a goal a few minutes in to the game, when Kevin Cooper shot just wide following a cross from Leo turner on the right. Ryan Redford also saw a shot go wide, before Saffron Walden opened the scoring after 8 minutes, when a header by Godden set Barker up to fire into the net. The defence may have been somewhat blinded by an onlooker taking flash photographs at this crucial point.

Sturgeon easily dealt with a powerful header from Barker. A free kick by Lee Roberts found the head of Glenn Draper who headed over the bar, Redfords header from the Blues' first corner of the game after 25 minutes also went over.

Redford connected with a free kick taken by Paul Taylor, but his header went just wide. On 38 minutes the away support were howling for a penalty, when Flack pulled Cooper down in the area, but the referee obviously did not see the incident. Pany was booked for a foul on 43 minutes. Just before half time home keeper Pledger was forced to come out of his area to cope with Redford who was through on goal. A free kick was given, with no booking, when it looked as if a goal scoring opportunity had been denied. In the build up to the kick being taken Cooper was booked. The kick by Kilroy went out for a corner taken by Taylor from which Roberts shot just went wide.

As the teams left the pitch for half time, Dave Greenwood was booked for words with the referee. Half Time: Saffron Walden 1 Hertford Town 0

Walden scored early in the second half, as they had done in the first. On 51 minutes Barker's cross found Godden to volley home Walden's second. Following this there was a double substitution when Bakare and Pani were replaced by Ardiles and Wade. On the hour corner kick was handled by Clark for a penalty from which Cooper pulled a goal back for Hertford. A couple of minutes later Taylor was booked for a foul, as was Walden's Chadwick.

Hertford continued to press for an equaliser. Some excellent work by Redford gave Turner a chance but his shot was again just wide. Redford, Cooper and Roberts all tried for the equaliser in the last few minutes, but Saffron Walden held out to go through to the final.
Full Time: Saffron Walden 2 Hertford Town 1


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