Bar Humbug!

Hertford Men’s 1st team slipped to their second defeat of the season at Potters Bar on Saturday, despite dogged first-half resistance.

Hertford were forced into four changes and travelled to the Dame Alice Owen School ground with some younger squad members; Doug Ashworth, Tom Ashworth, Finn Kennedy and Archie Akers joining the squad in place of Alec Short, Ben Cooper, Darren Norman and Jonny Goodson.

The tone of the game was set from the first whistle with Potters Bar having the majority of possession, pressing high and reducing Hertford to mostly playing on the break.

Stubborn defending and hard work from the visitor’s rear-guard and midfield, along with a man-of-the-match performance from net-minder Max Capaldi repelled successive attacking waves from the hosts, with a frustrating half for both sides ending goalless.

The hard work of the first half started to tell on the Hertford defence and early in the second half the home side finally made the breakthrough as a defensive mistake gifted possession in the ‘D’ for a simple square ball and finish into the bottom corner.

Hertford were still reeling when Potters Bar doubled their advantage, taking a quick free-hit and driving into the circle from the left-flank, forcing a shot home at the near post at the second attempt.

Nick Downer got Hertford back into the match, when a long through-ball from Gavin Elliot, via Akers, got in behind the home back-line, with Downer latching on and smartly striking from the top of the circle for his second of the season.

The next goal was always going to be crucial, and the home side found it from a set piece short corner through a traditional straight-strike, with Elliot defending on the line only able to deflect it up into the net.

Hertford continued to tire and Potters Bar were allowed to add two more. Firstly, with Hertford’s defence sat too deep, a crashed ball into the ‘D’ was deflected in from close range, and then a desperate tackle led to another short corner, dispatched from close range after some neat passing around the defensive runners.

The frustration told as Elliot saw Green towards the end of the match, with some spectators (and teammates) thinking that perhaps a more severe caution may have been warranted.

Hertford will look to bounce back this Saturday, with the visit of league-toppers Winchmore Hill & Enfield to the Simon Ball School.