Saturday 24 April 2010
Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Hertford Town 3 St Margaretsbury 3

I decided to make a rare visit to the Park for the last home game of a disappointing season, and there was no sign of "I've compiled my last HTFC programme" editor and regular report writer Pete Boyer, so I think I'd better write a brief website report. Thanks for all your hard work Pete, especially keeping the Website informed of team line-ups!

On a wonderful Spring afternoon designed for cricket, Hertingfordbury Park looked a picture. The season's highest league attendance basked in the warm sunshine and supersub Andy "Chappers" Chapman guested in goal as regular No.1 Lee Robinson had defected to cricket. Captain Maybury was off on one of his infamous lads' weekends and with a long injury list, the Town lineup stretched resources to the limit.

Hertford Town: 1. Andy Chapman, 2. Stuart Bailey, 3. Tom Neill, 4. Masangu Mwetaminwa, 5. Alan Barker, 6. Dave Hunt, 7. James Halsey, 8. Pablo Ardiles (capt), 9. Dominic Musafiri, 10. Ben Bouchnak, 11. Lee Roberts. Subs: 12. Josh Paine (for Halsey), 15. Cooper (for Musafiri)
The Bury included ex Blues John Barker, Paul Taylor and Mark Draper.

Let's gloss over the opening minutes - lots of endeavour on a hard surface in very warm conditions, between two side who don't concede (or score!) many goals indicated a 0-0 draw as a banker . But wait, the other time I saw Chappers pressed into service in goal at the end of a season, the game ended in a 3-3 draw, despite his valiant efforts!

Having failed to test Chappers in any way whatsoever so far, Bury won a corner on 13 minutes and the home side failed to pick up CARL RANDALL, who slotted home gleefully through a crowded goalmouth. Ah well, 0-1. The bumper crowd of 153 included a fair sprinkling of away fans, who noisily greeted the goal.

The same fans howled their disagreement on 33 minutes, as Hertford were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box. Up stepped ALAN BARKER to fire a ground shot past the young stand-in 'keeper for Bury, and the home crowd rose to cheer it into the far right hand corner. 1-1

The end of term atmosphere encouraged me to circulate, greeting friends not seen for a while. One such sortie took me over to Club Shop manager Tony Parrott, and, view blocked by the stand, I missed seeing DOMINIC MUSAFIRI put The Blues ahead on 35 minutes. I followed this up by being in the tea queue talking to Mr & Mrs Nott when LEE ROBERTS beat the outrushing Bury 'keeper before knocking the ball home for 3-1 (44 minutes).

Half Time: Hertford Town 3 St Margaretsbury 1 "Hertford Half" winning ticket 436 - a visiting lady committee lady won several folding notes (Chris had sold me tickets 437 and 438!). The lads in the boardroom gave me a free cuppa, gratefully received, but Michael did me for £5 for a lottery ticket!

Hertford dominated the second half, as the stalwart Barker brothers began to show signs of a long season not ending early enough, and when Lee Roberts took over the central striker role after Michael Cooper replaced Dominic Musafiri, he ran riot through the middle. However, Roberts missed a glorious opportunity to seal the match as he burst through the chasm in the middle of the Bury defence, rounded the outrushing 'keeper and then slotted the ball narrowly wide of the left hand post. At this point I was standing with the injured Kevin Cooper and Sarah, and it sounded like Coops said "Oh, my word" or something like that!



Hertford continued to miss golden opportunities to increase their lead, with the Stable End Choir in superb voice behind the goal. However, they failed to score any more, and as the game went into overtime, the visitors somehow nicked two goals, through CARL RANDALL and CHARLIE EDWARDS to spookily replicate the score the last time Chappers played in goal! As before, not his fault at all. And frankly, few on the terraces cared about the final score, as the merriment continued behind the Stable End goal.

Final Score: Hertford Town 3 St Margaretsbury 3
Thanks to all old friends who made me feel really welcome!

Bob Brown