Still without captain Kevin Kilroy (injured) and Nicky Marsh and Matt Watts (unavailable), manager Dave Greenwood continued with Phil Goss in the unaccustomed role of full back, and included all three strikers, with Ryan Redford occupying the wide right berth. Surprisingly, having been taken to hospital on Tuesday night, Shaun Crossley had recovered enough from his midweek injury to continue at centre back.

Hertford Town: 1. Mark Virgo, 2. Phil Goss, 3. Pablo Ardiles, 4. Shaun Crossley, . Glenn Draper, 6. Ryan Wade, 7. Dave Hunt, 8. Ian Cooper, 9. Ryan Redford, 10. Kevin Cooper (capt), 11. Lee Roberts. Subs Used: 12. Panayiotis Panayiotou (for Wade,75), Joel Maybury (for Ian Cooper,62).

Welwyn Garden City: 1. Simon Bartley, 2. Nathan Davis (capt), 3. Eric Obio, 4. Milton Elenoe, 5. Richard Teixiera, 6. Jordan Lockie, 7. Danny Griggs, 8. Al Oujd, 9. Craig Tomkins, 10. Jake Parrett, 11. Michael Bakare. Subs Used: 12 Jackson Fossi (for Elenoe, 62), 14. Ryan Mattos (for Bakare, 45), 15. Neil Richardson (for Oujd, 60)

There was a stiff breeze blowing the length of the pitch, to the home side's advantage in the first half. Using this to the full, City had their visitors penned in their own half for much of the first half hour, winning no less than six corners to Hertord's nil in this period. Attempts at inswinging corners generally saw the ball go straight out of play though, so much of their advantage was wasted by City. Jake Parrett turned well in the box and was unlucky to see his snap shot narrowly miss the wrong side of the upright. Then Craig Tomkins brought a smart save from Mark Virgo, and the ball ballooned off Virgo's foot over the bar for a corner. Ex Blue Michael Bakare was prominent down the left wing and a shot from him went narrowly wide in the 33rd minute.
Then the game swung completely Hertford's way on 39 minutes, thanks to a moment of madness from City's Danny Griggs. The midfielder inexplicably elbowed Ryan Wade in the face right in front of the referee, who had no choice but to show him a straight red card. From the resultant free kick, Shaun Crossley moved the ball smartly to KEVIN COOPER, who lobbed the ball past Simon Bartley, to put Hertford a goal up with their only chance so far.

Half Time: Welwyn Garden City 0 Hertford Town 1

Michael Bakare did not appear for City at the start of the second half, having been replaced by Ryan Mattos. Hertford, now with the advantage of the following wind, were making hard work of adding to their tally, and Ryan Redford might have considered himself lucky to receive only a yellow card for a two footed tackle on 55 minutes. Ian Cooper soon followed Redford into the book, and although City offered no real threat apart from a firm strike from Jake Parrett whih brought a flying save and catch from Mark Virgo, it looked as though Hertford might have to settle for the one goal. Hertford re-organised when Joel Maybury came on to replace Ian Cooper on 62 minutes. Maybury went to right back, Phil Goss to wide right, and Ryan Redford moved up t opartner Kevin Coopeer. The second goal on 73 minutes, like the first, came from a free kick. This time Lee Roberts floated the ball into the home box wher eKevin Cooper appeared to handle the ball on it's way to the far post, where SHAUN CROSSLEY stooped to head his first ever senior goal for the Blues.

Pany Panayiotou came on for Ryan Wade for the final 15 minutes. Ryan Redford had a typical penetrating run at the home defence, but his shot went over the bar. It was 3-0 though on 85 minutes, as LEE ROBERTS scored another of his special goals, using skill to tee up the ball before sliding it past a helpless Simon Bartley. Ryan Redford had a clear one on one with the keeper but the ball was proving difficult to control on the bobbly pitch, and the chance was lost.
In the end another comfortable scoreline, no goals conceded in open play for six consecutive league games, but today it was perhaps all due to that rash elbowing in the first half!

Final Score: Welwyn Garden City 0 Hertford Town 3

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