Hertford Hold On

Mike Branford moved to left-back with Luke Kennedy dropping into midfield and Archie Akers slotting in up front, given a rib injury to Darren Norman.

Having only played one league game since Christmas, and not being able to train due to frozen conditions over the last few weeks, Hertford are yet to find the free-flowing hockey and rhythm of the first half of the season.

The visitors maintained a high press and forced Hertford into a number of mistakes, with the hosts often resorting to the aerial route to relieve the pressure and get the ball in behind the Harpenden’s defensive line.

One such overhead from Nick Downer set Ciaran Begg free, but the Harpenden goal keeper intercepted well with his stick, with Ian Dunnett not able to create a chance from the second phase.

With vice captain Jamie O’Sullivan on a course of warm weather training, the defensive pairing of Simon Halfacre and Ben Tootell was once again proving effective as the former continually won the ball and cleared, with the latter ably distributed.

Hertford were forced into halting Harpenden’s progress at times throughout the match, with Halfacre, Akers and Ben van Rooyen seeing green throughout the match, and Greg Page picking up his first yellow card of the season shortly before half time.

The first few minutes of the second period set the tone for the remainder of the fixture with Harpenden pressing, and beginning to win set pieces, reducing Hertford to playing on the break, trying to stretch Harpenden by leaving a man high up the pitch.

With three successive short corners Harpenden attempted the drag-flick, with the second effort agonisingly striking the angle of post and bar to Max Capaldi’s left hand side, and the pressure continued, with Nick Downer clearing from the goalmouth with a sweetly struck upright reverse stick.

Hertford were starting to find their high man. Dunnett found van Rooyen, who was only denied a shot on target by a last ditch recovery tackle and then Dunnett bundled his way though midfield to create a one-on-one chance for Akers who was closed down by the goalkeeper to prevent any opportunity.

The game’s only goal came with ten minutes to go. Page - eager to make up for time spent on the sideline, was terrier-like in hounding a defender on the ball, turning over possession. Taking a quick free hit and playing a one-two with Alec Short, Page then sent slide-rule pass from one side of the D to the other, where van Rooyen was waiting. The South African received the ball with the goal-keeper quick off his line, but making no mistake van Rooyen finished clinically with a thunderbolt of a strike high over the sliding net minder, glancing satisfyingly off the right hand post and into the net.

Hertford held on in the final minutes through some unashamedly territorial play to secure the three points.

The win keeps Hertford in second place in Division 3SW, albeit having played a game more than Letchworth 2nds below them.

Hertford: Max Capaldi; Elliot Barling, Simon Halfacre, Ben Tootell, Mike Branford; Ian Dunnett, Nick Downer, Luke Kennedy; Ben van Rooyen, Ciaran Begg, Greg Page. Subs: Alec Short, Archie Akers.