Too tough a Hill to climb

Hertford slumped to their second defeat in as many weeks, falling short in a 3-1 loss away to third-placed Winchmore Hill & Enfield on Saturday.

The visitors were unchanged from the previous week's battling performance against Potters Bar, excepting the addition of Archie Akers to bolster the bench.

The newly laid Aylward Academy pitch was causing the ball to skip and bounce, putting a spring in the step of the hosts who started much the stronger. There were a few nervous moments as flashed crosses and shots narrowly evaded the visitor's goal.

As Hertford got to grips with the surface they worked their way into the contest, with Akers just unable to apply the finishing touch with the net gaping, after Alec Short's drive in and pass across the goalmouth from the right flank.

Winchmore Hill made a deserved breakthrough mid-way through the first half. An overlap down Hertford's left-channel and a strong cross was neatly deflected at the near post, squirming its way onto the backboard despite Max Capaldi's best efforts to prevent a shooting angle.

The lively pitch continued to cause trouble for both sides as many a pass went astray and bounce was misread. A lengthy aerial from the host's centre back kicked up off a length and could only be top-edged by the intended recipient, finding its way, very unfortunately onto the brow of the closing Ben Tootell, who had to leave the pitch for medical attention.

The hosts continued to press, and it was only a deft Capaldi stick-save from a drag-flicked short corner, turning the ball over the crossbar, which kept the deficit to one-goal at half-time.

Despite a firm team-talk from the Hertford coaching staff, Winchmore Hill doubled their lead shortly after the break. The aerial outlet from the home side was opening up space on the pitch, and one such pass created a two-on-one, this time down Hertford's right side. The recovering defenders were unable to prevent the cross coming in, which was turned home at the second time of asking.

Determined to get a foot-hold, Hertford altered their formation to put a third striker on the pitch, which served to drag the host's defence deep and create room for the full-backs of Gavin Elliot and Elliot Barling to get further forward. Elliot was continually in space and fired in a succession of crosses in a man of the match performance, but even with the extra man in the danger area, Hertford were unable to apply a finishing touch.

Nick Downer was next to go close. Seizing on a wayward defensive pass, and shooting from the top of the circle, only to see the ball roll narrowly wide of the far post.

The away team did eventually narrow the deficit due a defensive lapse. Winchmore Hill paused when the ball hit one of their defender's feet, but the umpire played a good advantage, with Ian Dunnett laying off to the bandaged Tootell, who slid the ball into Ben van Rooyen in the D. The South African kept up his remarkable 100% scoring record by driving across the circle and shooting on his reverse with such power that the keeper could only glance the ball off his glove and into the net to register his seventh of the season.

The home side responded almost immediately, restoring the two-goal advantage. In an almost carbon-copy break as the second goal, a foray down Hertford’s right and cross wasn’t dealt with, finding a forward unmarked on the back-post who flicked on-target, and despite Capaldi’s recovering dive the umpire adjudged the ball to have already crossed the line before it could be cleared.

The final ten minutes were an open affair as Hertford attacked, leaving gaps at the back, but neither side were able to trouble the score-sheet again.

The loss leaves Hertford seventh in the table, with next weekend seeing the visit of Bishop Stortford 2nd XI to the Simon Balle ground where Hertford will be looking to extend their 11pt advantage over the 11th placed team in the division.

Hertford: Max Capaldi; Elliot Barling, Ben Tootell, Jamie O'Sullivan, Gavin Elliot; Alec Short (Cpt) , Ian Dunnett, Nick Downer, Jeremiah Donogue; Ben van Rooyen, Ciaran Begg. Subs: Mike Branford, Archie Akers.