Hertford Win First Competitive Meeting in near 20 Years.

This was the first time in history that the two teams had met in a competitive league match and it was an occasion the whole team were relishing.

We knew going to play in the local rivals back yard would be tough on a sometimes tricky pitch to play on, but we were well prepared for the big clash ahead, even missing 4 regular 1st team players.

The first half was a relatively cagey affair with both teams seeming an equal match. Jared Parry-Ford in goal made a couple of top quality saves ensuring it was up to us to put our chances away. Our forwards all had chances but failed to convert meaning we were under alot of pressure.

Broxbourne got the breakthrough near the end of the first half from Hertford failing to track their players and allowing a Broxbourne midfielder to run through space from well outside the 25 , coast into the past two defenders and slot in the corner. A disappointing end to the half but we knew we were in with a chance.

The half time team talk from Downer and Forrester was focussed around continuing what we were doing but to step up another 10% on pace and to have confidence we would rep the rewards.

This proved true and early in the second half Nick Downer drove into the D with a defender on his back and the keeper advancing quickly.

A quick move to create an angle drew a cynical foul from the defender resulting in Hertford being awarded a penalty flick. Captain Downer stepped up to the mark and giving the keeper no chance fired into the roof of the net to make it level at 1-1.

Hertford felt the momentum was back in our favour although at times squandered chance left us wondering if we would ever find the winner.

It eventually came when a well worked move between Cooper and Branford firing a ball across the face of goal and Nick Hart marking his move up to the first team with a composed finish from a yard.

10 minutes left and Broxbourne kept pushing with a growing crowd giving them the encouragement they needed. This was a test of Hertford's game management and we saw out the game to mark a historical 2-1 win and a much needed 3 points to keep Broxbourne below us in the table.