Hertford rested skipper Kevin Kilroy, Pabl Ardiles and Ryan Wade for this knock out cup game against Division One side Winslow United. The visitors had a torrid evening, having to start with an outfield player in goal and being required by the referee to borrow a kit from the home club as the one they intended to play in had too much blue in it for the referee's liking.
Hertford Town Team: 1. Mark Virgo, 2. Nicky Marsh, 3. Louis Lancaster, 4. Robbie Carroll, 5. Glenn Draper, 6. Paul Taylor, 7. Ross Collins, 8. Phil Goss, 9. Ryan Redford, 10. Kevin Cooper, 11. Lee Roberts. Subs Used: 12. Kevin Kilroy (for Carroll, 63), 14. Pablo Ardiles (for Cooper, 82), 16. Alex Scriven (for Redford, 55)
This was The Blues' third 9-0 victory in the past four seasons, and there was a common feature about all of them - all the goals were squeezed into the middle of the game.Try as they might, Hertford were unable to get the extra goal to make it double figures, despite their opponents on this occasion being down to 9 men for the last few minutes.
The opening 10 minutes provided absolutely nothing to write about, as Winslow, playing 3-5-2 or 3-6-1 at times, got men behind the ball and frustrated Hertford's attacking intent. That couldn't last though. Stand-in 'keeper Lee Parrack was injured in a challenge with Ryan Reddford as he opted to use his feet rather than his hands, and required lengthy treatment. As Hertford bulit up momentum, they started winning free kicks and corners and when a Paul Taylor shot was deflected for a 19th minute corner, RYAN REDFORD headed home Lee Roberts accurate kick to open the floodgates.
Straight from the restart Ross Collins saw his snap shot go wide, then Lee Roberts had a shot parried by the uncertain visiting 'keeper. On 25 minutes, a Kevin Cooper shot was parried by Parrack right into the path of Redford, but the No. 9's shot hit the post.
Winslow's skipper, Ryan Wiffin, was clearly not fully fit, and had to come off on 27 minutes, being replaced by Phil White. It was 2-0 on the half hour, as Kevin Cooper burst down the left and squared the ball to partner RYAN REDFORD, who gleefully converted for his second of the evening. On 33 minutes, with Redford about to complete his hat-trick, 'keeper Parrick hacked the ball high over the fence into the river.
As Hertford mounted sustained attacks, RYAN REDFORD converted again on 35 minutes by tapping home to complete a 16 minute hat-trick. Nicky Marsh was uncharacteristically booked on 38 minutes, with the referee lecturing him at length. Lee Roberts was enjoying the complete freedom of the left wing, and one of his many crosses was headed goalwards by Kevin Cooper, only for Parrick to bat the ball away. After 40 minutes though, COOPER did open his account, when he stroked home a rebound from a Redford effort. That made it 4-0 and there was no way back for Winslow, indeed there never had been, as they had not threatened the home goal once. David Smith was booked, presumably for protesting too long that there had been an offside leading up to the fourth goal. In the last minute of the half, Winslow had to make a second substitution when Kevin White had to come off, to be replaced by Craig Heywood.

Half Time: Hertford Town 4 Winslow United 0

Redford nearly added to his tally in the 48th minute when 'keeper Parrick hacked the ball away, straight to him. The leading scorer's narrow angle shot was deflected for a corner, as Hertford carried on where they had left off. Winslow's David Smith was sent off on 49 minutes for a second yellow card, as things went from very bad to much worse for the Buckinghamshire side. It was 5-0 on 51 minutes when LEE ROBERTS moved into the centre forward position and when his first shot cannoned off the post, he was first to the ball to tap in home from close range.
Hertford withdrew Ryan Redford on 55 minutes as a precaution as he had a back problem, Alex Scriven replacing him. Winslow made their third substitution at the same time. Good work down the right by Phil Goss and Alex Scriven set up KEVIN COOPER with a close range header for number six on 58 minutes, and then COOPER converted with another header on 62 minutes for his hat-trick, this time the cross coming in from Lee Roberts on the left. Robbie Carroll came off on 63 minutes to allow Kevin Kilroy some time on the pitch and om 64 minutes Winslow's Seb Ryan had their only shot on target, which Mark Virgo clutched safely to his chest. Alex Scriven was looking very quick up front and was easily outpacing the tired Winslow defence. The visitors were once again grateful to their grossly overworked stand in 'keeper when he saved an effort from Scriven on 65 minutes. Then Lee Roberts completely out-ran Seb Ryan but his fine cross was shinned by Phil Goss just wide of the post. Keeper Parrack, hampered by injury, was making save after save, not often in orthodox fashion, but he was beaten again on 74 minutes, when Kevin Cooper played in ALEX SCRIVEN, who ran on and netted from an acute angle to make it 8-0.
. On 78 minutes, a long ball was controlled by Phil Goss and passed to KEVIN COOPER, who made it 9-0. With over 10 minutes still to go, heroic 'keeper Parrick could play no longer and came off to the longest,loudest, applause of the evening. Kevin Cooper came off and Pablo Ardiles came on, and the home crowd were torn between pity for the gallant visitors and the elusive 10-0 win! They thought it had arrived when Kevin Kilroy headed goalwards in the 89th minute, but from a position where it looked impossible to miss, "Killer" somehow managed to head wide. There was still time for Lee Roberts to get the chance to make it double figures, but he too failed to find the net.

One wonders what the "spy" from Barkingside made of the evening!

Final Score: Hertford Town 9 Winslow United 0 We hope you will find our website helpful and informative . There is a separate "Fans Forum", for which the Club accepts no reponsibility .