HERTFORD TOWN 1 TRING ATHLETIC 0
Molten Spartan South Midlands League - Premier Division Cup 1st Round
Tuesday 15th September 2009
Three wins in a row now for the Blues and this one certainly the toughest, but the corner seems to have been turned. In truth this was a typical cup tie, played at pace by two teams who wanted to play football. It could have gone either way and as so often happens in these circumstances, it was settled by a single scrambled goal, which came as something of a relief to those in the crowd who were dreading half an hour of extra time in the soggy conditions. Teams- Hertford Town: 13. Lee Robinson, 2. Michael Cooper, 3. Pablo Ardiles, 4. Daryl Mitchell, 5. Glenn Draper (capt), 6. Harry Atkins, 7. Scott O'Donoghue, 8. Danny Ward, 9. Ryan Redford, 10. Attila Korsoveczki, 11. Lee Roberts. Subs Used: John Ward (for O'Donoghue), Alan Barker (for Danny Ward).
Tring Athletic: 1. Dave Clark, 2. Dave Salmon, 3. Rob Duncan, 4. Graham Hall (capt), 5. Henry Thomas, 6. Chris Salmon, 7. Andy Mullins, 8. Dave Whicker, 9. Neil Roberts, 10. Ashley Addison, 11. Danny Gray. Subs Used: Matt Myatt (for Gray), Steve Smith (for Duncan).
The first chance of the game fell to the away side when Neil Roberts lashed a shot across the face of the Hertford goal in the second minute. A minute later, with the ball at the other end, Ryan Redford hit a soft effort straight at visiting custodian, Dave Clark. The first booking of the match came as early as the tenth minute when Tring's Dave Whicker was shown a yellow card for a foul on Attila Korsoveczki. Daryl Mitchell took the resulting free kick but his effort was easily cleared. A short while later the home side won a corner, the well-flighted cross finding the head of Redford, but his effort was cleared behind. The second corner was easily cleared upfield, though the Blues were immediately on the attack again when Redford had an attempt on goal following a solo run. His effort was cleared behind for another Hertford corner. Another well-flighted cross this time found the head of Scott O'Donoghue, but his effort was saved at the near post.
A few minutes later O'Donoghue made a reckless tackle on a Tring player, a loud crack being heard across the pitch. The visitor however got up unscathed whilst the Hertford player went down in some pain. He had to be helped off the field and was replaced by John Ward, making his first team competitive debut. When the free kick for O'Donoghue's offence was eventually taken, Neil Roberts brought an excellent flying save out of Lee Robinson in the Hertford goal. The resulting corner was a pretty poor affair and went straight out of play. Five minutes later another Tring corner found the head of Glenn Draper, the ball being thumped further upfield by John Ward. On the half hour mark the visitors were awarded a free kick inside the Hertford half but Neil Roberts' effort was hit straight at Robinson. Two minutes later Michael Cooper became the first Hertford player to see yellow for disputing a referee's decision. Tring soon won another free kick but the effort was wide. As the half went into the final minute the home side were awarded a free kick. Mitchell's cross found the head of Draper but he hit his effort straight at Clark. After a little more uneventful play the referee blew the half time whistle.
Half Time Score: Hertford Town 0 Tring Athletic 0
The first chance of the second half fell to the visitors when they won a corner five minutes after the break, but this came to nothing. A second Tring corner soon followed, but the ball somehow evaded everyone on the pitch and fell harmlessly behind. Play was pretty even until just after the hour mark a stinging shot from the visitors brought another excellent save out of Lee Robinson. Two minutes later the ball was at the other end and the home side won a free kick, though Mitchell's cross cleared everyone. Midway through the half, Tring's Andy Mullins tried a spectacular overhead shot but his effort was wide. This was soon followed by the visitors' first substitution, Matt Myatt replacing Danny Gray.
With fifteen minutes to go, the visitors' Chris Salmon went down feeling the effects of an earlier injury and play was held up for a short while. When play was restarted the home side immediately won a corner, though Daryl Mitchell's cross was easily cleared. Hertford soon won three corners in succession and, on 81 minutes, it was certainly third time lucky for the Blues. The first two kicks were cleared behind but Mitchell's third effort found its way into the six yard area. After a scramble on the line, DANNY WARD eventually poked the ball over to record his first goal for the club and to give his side a slender lead.
The visitors then decided to throw everything in bar the kitchen sink to try and get the equaliser. Initial pressure brought a free kick, though Dave Whicker's effort came to nothing. They then won a corner, though again this proved unfruitful. They then should have scored after a total mix-up in the Hertford defence but again failed to capitalise, eventually winning another corner. This came to nothing and another corner was cleared upfield. With four minutes of normal time remaining they made another substitution, this time a tactical one, Steve Smith coming on for defender Rob Duncan. A powerful Matt Myatt shot from the edge of the box soon followed but this brought another superb save out of Robinson. Nothing came from the resulting corner. Well into injury time the visitors were awarded a free kick but Whicker's effort was headed clear. The home side were able to make a final change as Alan Barker, returning from injury, replaced Danny Ward. After a further two minutes play, with the visitors mostly encamped in the Hertford half, the referee blew the full time whistle, sending Hertford Town to a second round tie away at Welwyn Garden City on October 27th.
Final Score: Hertford Town 1 Tring Athletic 0