After this tie was fixed at an early date at Stortfords request, they then arranged a home friendly with Barnet for the same evening, so the squad which was sent along to Hertingfordbury Park was a mixture of youth players and triallists, plus veteran defender Al-James Hannigan. Whatever, they were no match whatsoever for a rampant Blues side who went one better than Saturday's 5-0 win over Baldock Town to completely rout the team representing their more illustrious neighbours.
Team: 1. Mark Virgo, 2. Nicky Marsh, 3. Pablo Ardiles, 4. Kevin Kilroy, 5. Glenn Draper, 6. Paul Taylor, 7. Panayiotis Panayiotou, 8. Nicky Burt, 9. Ryan Redford, 10. Kevin Cooper, 11. Lee Roberts. Subs: 12. Ryan Wade (for Panayiotou, 55), 14. Louis Lancaster (for Roberts, 45), 15. Michael Cooper (for Burt, 62)

One big advantage of the poor Summer so far is that the thousands of gallons of extra rainwater which have fallen on the pitch have promoted good grass growth and taken the hardness out of the ground. This has led to much more entertaining pre-season games, and this one was no exception. Hertford showed no mercy to the scratch Stortford side, and could already have been two goals to the good before KEVIN COOPER shot them ahead on 7 minutes with a wonderful strike from all of 25 yards, when he seized on a loose ball under no challenge and fairly lashed the ball home. Before that, Ryan Redford had pulled a shot wide and then seen the visitors' 'keeper tip over a good drive, for a corner.
The only threats from Stortford in these early minutes were two efforts from No. 10, who tried his luck from wide right of the goal each time, without troubling Mark Virgo.
On 10 minutes, Ryan Redford saw his shot strike the post, and when the ball rebounded to him, his second shot was deflected for a corner, as the visitors' defence looked incapable of keeping the Blues at bay. Lee Roberts was enjoying the freedom of the left wing and getting in crosses at will. Glenn Draper instigated the next attack which saw Roberts playing in Ryan Redford, and last season's top scorer saw his lob just about held by the Stortford 'keeper.
There was a moment to savour on 22 minutes when LEE ROBERTS scored his first headed goal in senior football, when he converted a Nicky Burt cross at the far post, completely unchallenged. It was all Hertford, as this time Pablo Ardiles overlapped Roberts and saw his excellent cross fall just onto the roof of the net. When Stortford did get down to the other end, Glenn Draper headed away when they won a corner. After 31 minutes the game was over. Ryan Redford was felled in the box as he was about to score, and KEVIN COOPER stepped up to convert the spot kick.
It looked like Pany was certain to score on 36 minutes, but somehow the ball went wide of the upright. Then the Bishops Stortford left back Chris Wilson was injured in an accidental challenge with Nicky Burt and had to be taken to hospital for treatment for ahead injury. He might well have been not to disappointed to take no further part in the game. On 42 minutes it was 4-0. The lively Lee Roberts found Kevin Cooper, who, in turning on the proverbial sixpence, managed to send his right boot flying further than the pass he made to RYAN REDFORD. The visiting defenders offered no challenge as Redford walked the ball into the net.

Half Time: Hertford Town 4 Bishops Stortford 0

Blues' manager Dave Greenwood gave the hard working Lee Roberts a rest at half time, sending on new signing Louis Lancaster in his place. Lancaster was quick to stake a claim for a regular place as first he crossed from the left for RYAN REDFORD to head home at the far post on 50 minutes, and then three minutes later he saw his own shot tipped onto the bar by the overworked Stortford 'keeper. RYAN WADE came on for Pany on 55 minutes and became the scorer of the sixth and final goal on 65 minutes when he received the ball from Kevin Cooper 20 yards out in the centre of goal and curled in the perfect shot to make it 6-0.
With little incentive to press for more goals, Hertford saw out the rest of the game, to book their place in the semi-finals of a competition they are not even supposed to be eligible for since their "restructuring" move out of the Ryman League!

Final score: Hertford Town 6 Bishops Stortford 0






We hope you will find our website helpful and informative . There is a separate "Fans Forum", for which the Club accepts no reponsibility .