Stags Weather Storm

Hertford were missing three forwards who accounted for 50% of their goals so far this season as Ben van Rooyen and Darren Norman were unavailable and Greg Page had to pull out with a hamstring problem. Alec Short also remains on the injury list, recovering from a bruised hand.
Archie Akers was called up to add some fire-power, with Stan Power bolstering the midfield and James Rollins making his second appearance of the season.
The game started with at a good pace from both sides, with the moistened pitch aiding the ball to zip around.
The visitors were enjoying the lion-share of possession in the early stages, making Hertford work hard to close down any opportunities to venture forwards, as the Luton midfield showed a good deal of pace and skill, looking a continual threat.
Max Capaldi in the Hertford net featured much more than in recent weeks, and deservedly took the man of the match award, coming out to smother well on two occasions, and then producing a pair of excellent gloved-saves in either direction from Luton penalty corner efforts.
The hosts found their way into the game a little more, as Winchmore Hill pressed high, enabling Oliver de Roeck and Nick Downer to find space with the aerial ball over the top. Ian Dunnett latched on to an overhead, and put Ciaran Begg in on goal, but his shot was wide of the near post and then Akers ran in behind the last man, but his reverse stick effort had too much angle to trouble the goalie.
At the other end Jamie O’Sullivan received a two minute suspension when over-stretching for a tackle, quickly followed by Luke Kennedy who was too eager to retrieve the ball when running back from the halfway line, but Hertford held-out with the tie remaining goalless at the break.
Hertford mace a few tactical adjustments to help them compete in the second half, but they didn’t pay off immediately. Forced into another preventative measure, Jamie O’Sullivan was awarded a yellow card. Dunnett saw off the resulting short corner after another vital save from Capaldi.
Despite being down to ten men, Hertford broke the deadlock. Nick Downer picked up the ball on the right-flank, drifting around one opponent and then beating a second with lifted skill before firing across the goalmouth where Begg brought the ball to a standstill with a reverse-stick touch before Akers ran in to sweep home under the goalkeeper.
Somewhat aggrieved Luton pressed forward and levelled things quite quickly. Another penalty corner being conceded by Hertford. The injection wasn’t as planned, but the ball was slipped left and the shot was deflected in front of O’Sullivan and looped agonisingly over Capaldi’s left pad.
As Luton’s midfield tired Hertford enjoyed greater spells of possession in the attacking-third, exhibiting some excellent build-up play to retake the lead. Interplay down the right hand side saw the ball reach Dunnett on the right hand side of the D. With a congested area, the ball was squared to the onrushing Rollins from left-back who’s first touch and shot could only be parried by the Luton net-minder, spinning kindly to Akers who managed to force the ball over the line past a brave defender.
Once again the slender margin didn’t last long. Rollins was adjudged to have obstructed his man in the left corner of the pitch, conceding another penalty corner. A similar – although slightly cleaner –routine to Luton’s first goal provided the same outcome, with the shot on target finding its way under Capaldi’s left foot.
Gaps were opening up as both sides became stretched and the intensity of the match took its toll. De Roeck had a chance to be a hero, as a another square ball across the top of the D found his run in from right-back, but his shot, despite a deflection from Luke Kennedy on the penalty spot, went wide of the far post.
Hertford were down to ten men for the fourth time in the match as de Roeck then cynically held up his player high up the pitch, but for once more this didn’t prove a disadvantage to Hertford. Dunnett seized on a slow ball down the right-flank, playing a well-timed one-two with Begg at inside-right to eliminate one defender, driving to the baseline and pulling the ball back to Begg on the angle who had time to control and apply a firm-finish past two scrambling Luton players.
The Stags held-out for the final few minutes with some unashamed and uncultured clearances.
The win keeps Hertford in second place in division 3SW, three points off leaders Berkhamsted. This weekend Hertford travel to fifth placed Winchmore Hill & Enfield who always provide a tough test.

Hertford: Max Capaldi; Elliot Barling, Jamie O’Sullivan, Simon Halfacre, Oliver de Roeck; Ian Dunnett, Nick Downer, Michael Branford; Ciaran Begg, Archie Akers, Luke Kennedy. Subs: Stan Power, James Rollins.