Stags slip-up but stay second

Captain Ian Dunnett returned to the starting eleven, with centre-back Simon Halfacre and forward Ciaran Begg making their third appearances of the season, replacing absentees Mike Hawes and Greg Page respectively.
Hertford started in their usual bustling fashion, making life uncomfortable for the Bedford midfielders, taking the lead inside ten minutes. Dunnett stretched a jab-tackle to gain possession just beyond halfway, feeding Begg at the top of the circle, selflessly committing the keeper and slipping the ball to the onrushing Alec Short, who took his time to place his shot onto the backboard beyond the despairing slide of a recovering defender to notch up his third of the season.
Hertford continued to press, perhaps to their detriment as the hosts drew level. The visitors lost the ball high up the pitch, allowing Bedford to break down the left flank. Strong play from the leading forward allowed him to turn and fire in a cross which was deflected with a first touch into to the bottom corner of the goal.
Somewhat aggrieved Hertford reasserted themselves and had a couple of chances to retake the lead. Dunnett wriggled free at the top of the circle, but misplaced his pass to Nick Downer with the net gaping, then shortly afterwards a set-piece penalty corner was glanced goalwards, just being blocked by a defender’s leg.
Despite the pressure, it was Bedford who took the lead on the stroke of halftime. A misjudged recovery tackle in the final third of the pitch gave Bedford a penalty corner. The initial shot looked to be well covered by Max Capaldi in the Hertford net, but he was wrong-footed by an unfortunate deflection by the defensive runner, with the ball bouncing into the opposite corner.
The second period settled into a pattern with the home side withstanding Hertford pressure and playing on the break, while Hertford tried to show some patience in the build-up and fashion an opening.
On another day Hertford could have been back level, or even in front as twice strong crosses from the right just evaded Darren Norman and then Luke Kennedy on the back post, and then a drag-flicked effort from a penalty corner went fizzing over the bar.
With Hertford pressing forwards for the equaliser, gaps were inevitably left at the back, and Bedford punished the visitor’s lack of finishing by scoring a third, effectively ending the tie as a contest. A hard struck clearance found the right-winger, who showed a clean pair of heels to his marker, driving to the baseline and pulling the ball back across goal for a swept finish.
In the dying minutes Downer had a brace of chances to narrow the deficit; firstly from a Dunnett reverse-stick cross where he was just closed down in time, and then a penalty corner on the final whistle with the Bedford goalie using his helmet to deflect away a low drag-flick to close out the game.
Other results in the division mean that Hertford retain second place, three points off top spot, with a home fixture against a tenth-placed St Albans 4th team this coming weekend.

Hertford: Max Capaldi; Elliot Barling, Jamie O’Sullivan, Simon Halfacre, Oliver de Roeck; Alec Short, Ian Dunnett, Nick Downer; Darren Norman, Luke Kennedy, Ciaran Begg. Sub: Archie Akers