Stags get stuck Well-In

Vice Captain Jamie O'Sullivan returned at the heart of defence, player-coach Nick Downer came into midfield and last season's South-African goal-machine Ben van Rooyen was up front, replacing the unavailable Oliver deRoeck, injured Marcus Stirling and absent Archie Akers respectively. These changes, along with the return of Alec Short in the middle of the pitch gave the hosts a strong looking side on paper, contrary to Welwyn who were a number of players short of a full strength team.

An unseasonably warm day had slowed the Simon Balle pitch, but this didn't prevent Hertford from starting at a high tempo which earned them some early set pieces; van Rooyen flashed wide from one penalty corner, before a second just lacked the final touch following a switched move.

The breakthrough came from open play as a flowing passage of quick ball movement provided Ciaran Begg the chance to weave his way in to the left hand side of the shooting circle and force a reverse stick cross, where Short collected from the defender's mis-control and calmly slotted home.

Seizing the momentum, Hertford doubled their advantage not long after, as a quick sideline afford Dunnett the space to turn and drive towards goal, laying off to van Rooyen, who ventured into the D and unleashed a typical strike, hard and low into the bottom-left corner of the goal.

Although penalty corners continued to be won, it was still in open play where Hertford looked most dangerous. Downer collected a free hit from Power on the turn and fired a reverse stick shot over the crossbar and - after showing good skill to create the chance - Norman was denied from close range by a sprawling net minder.

The hosts attacked on the break, with Max Capaldi, being forced into a double-save mid-way through the half, before Hertford capitalised with a break of their own. Play broke down on the edge of their own circle, where Dunnett found Rooyen once more, who set Begg free on the left-wing. Hertford's youngest player on the pitch - in a deserved man of the match performance - showed a clean pair of heals to get beyond the last defenders, selflessly squaring for Dunnett, who had gone up in support, for a simple reverse -stick tap-in at the back post to send the hosts in 3-0 at the break.

The heat took its toll in the second half as the pace from both teams slowed considerably. Welwyn reorganised, proving more difficult to break down, resulting in a somewhat turgid affair.

Set pieces continued to be won, but some wayward shooting from van Rooyen only tested the safety of a defender's face-mask rather than the keeper's reactions, and then Downer couldn't find a clear angle for a shot, being blocked by his own player.

Hertford did eventually find a fourth, as Short found Dunnett in space on the left side of the circle, who drive to the baseline and crossed reverse stick, only for the ball to hit a defender's foot. The umpire played advantage, and it was Norman who was quickest to react, flicking in at the near post for his third of the season, with the keeper already committed to a dive across goal.

As legs tired and the final minutes of the game approached the Stags conceded their clean sheet as two Welwyn forwards calmly passed the ball between them up the middle of the pitch, and inexplicably found their way to pass into an open goal, Alston this proved to be nothing more than a late consolation.

The win puts Hertford second in division 3SW with their next challenge an away trip to Letchworth 2s late next Saturday afternoon.

Hertford: Max Capaldi; Elliot Barling, Jamie O'Sullivan, Ben Tootell, Mike Branford; Ian Dunnett (cpt), Alec Short, Nick Downer, Ciaran Begg, Darren Norman, Ben van Rooyen. Subs: Simon Halfacre, Stan Power