ST MARGARETSBURY 2 HERTFORD TOWN 1
Molten Spartan South Midlands League - Premier Division
Saturday 6th December 2008
This was truly awful! Having led at half time and with their hosts not having a decent shot on target over 90 minutes, Hertford Town contrived to lose this game through a comedy own goal and an injury time penalty. St Margaretsbury will play far better this season and lose. Hertford Town? Well they can only play better.
Teams - St Margaretsbury: 1. James Sturgeon, 2. Simon Hayward, 3. Ed Taylor, 4. John Barker (capt), 5. Steve Barker, 6. Paul Taylor, 7. Kevin Ashwood, 8. Andy Birnie, 9. Brendan Brien, 10. Tony Smith, 11. Marc Angelini. Sub Used: Ben Herod (for Angelini).
Hertford Town: 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Chris Spiteri, 3. Jamie Abbott, 4. Joel Maybury (capt), 5. Dave Hunt, 6. Pablo Ardiles, 7. Owen Beale, 8. Matt McArdle, 9. Andy Chapman, 10. Attila Korsoveczki, 11. Michael Cooper. Sub Used: Milka Karoly (for Chapman).
The opening minutes of the game set the tone for most of the rest of the match; a typically turgid local derby played out mostly in the middle of the park. Indeed home custodian James Sturgeon was only kept awake by the occasional banter from the visiting support. The first chance of any description did not come until the eleventh minute. Good interplay between Owen Beale and Matt McArdle was followed by the latter playing a pass to Andy Chapman, but the big striker's volley sailed over Sturgeon's crossbar. Two minutes later the visitors won two corners in quick succession, but neither of these came to anything.
On eighteen minutes Michael Cooper was fouled in an area level with the edge of the St Margaretsbury penalty box. Owen Beale stepped up to take the ensuing free kick but he hit his shot straight at the home wall and the set piece came to nothing.
Approaching the half hour mark the home side mounted a rare attack and won a corner. Typically for this game though, this came to nothing. The only excitement of the half came a few minutes later. Michael Cooper advancing at speed down the right did well to evade a tackle from an onrushing defender. He was then able to put in a good cross to his left. The cross was met by ATTILA KORSOVECZKI who calmly placed the ball wide of Sturgeon and into the back of the net. With the visitors having taken the lead, the game once again degenerated into a turgid spectacle for the rest of the half.
Half Time Score: St Margaretsbury 0 Hertford Town 1
It didn't really get any better in the second half, indeed for the visitors it got decidedly worse. Ten minutes into the half, Joel Maybury under no real pressure from the opposition headed the ball back to Hertford 'keeper Lee Robinson. However, Robinson was not in the position the Blues skipper expected and both players frantically ran after the ball as it approached the open net. Robinson got to the ball first but was unable to stop it crossing the line. The St Margaretsbury players and supporters must have thought that Christmas had come early; scores level and not a home player in sight!
Five minutes later there was a little altercation between Hertford's Andy Chapman and St Margaretsbury's Steve Barker, for which both players were shown the yellow card. A rare Hertford attack followed soon after. A good cross was played into the home box but Attila Korsoveczki's powerful header struck the bar and went out to safety.
As the game went into the final half hour the home team made the first substitution of the game, bringing on Ben Herod for Marc Angelini. A few minutes later the visitors also made a change, withdrawing the tiring Chapman for debutant Milka Karoly.
As the game went into the final ten minutes of normal time there was a little action. Firstly the home side put a dangerous cross into the visitors' box but the ball went safely wide. There was then a moment of controversy at the other end. With the action in the St Margaretsbury box, a home defender appeared to handle the ball whilst clearing. Despite protests from the visiting players and supporters, and much to the relief of the home support, the referee waved play on and nothing was given. Soon after, Korsoveczki tried an ambitious long shot but his effort was wide. Owen Beale then tried another shot from distance, but his attempt was also wide of the mark.
As the game approached injury time Beale became the second Hertford player booked, for a clumsy challenge in the centre circle. Disaster struck for the visitors shortly afterwards. With the home side applying pressure in the Hertford box, Dave Hunt was adjudged to have handled the ball and a penalty was awarded. St Margaretsbury skipper John Barker stepped up to take the spot kick and made no effort in placing the ball well wide of Robinson and into the goal. Although the referee played a few more minutes of stoppage time, for the visitors the game was lost.
Final Score: St Margaretsbury 2 Hertford Town 1