One chance gone. One to go.

Hertford were without influential quartet Nick Downer (honeymoon), Luke Kennedy (school trip), Mike Branford (keeping our nation safe) and Greg Page (fractured wrist), but had Ben van Rooyen back for his first game in a month, with Marcus Stirling stepping in to midfield for only his second appearance of the season.

The contest started evenly with both sides feeling each other out, with Hertford probably shading play in the first twenty minutes, using the pace offered by the surface, making good use of the overhead pass to probe Berkhamsted’s rearguard. Strong crosses into the circle somehow evaded the sticks of Darren Norman and Ciaran Begg on either post.

The hosts weathered the pressure well and came into the match more before half time. A clear tactic of feeding a high forward and trying to win set pieces in Hertford’s D paid dividends as Berkhamsted broke the deadlock. A series of penalty corners in quick succession allowed the home side to test Max Capaldi, who was equal to three attempted drag-flicks, but a the fourth effort, a strong strike down the net minder’s left foot, found the corner of the goal.

Hertford had an excellent breakaway chance just before half time, but van Rooyen couldn’t find the space at the top of the circle to either pass or get his shot away, keeping the half time score at 1-0.

The second period started poorly for the visitors, as Berkhamsted doubled their lead. Their danger-man was given far too much room on the left of the circle to cut in and fire a solid shot on his strong side which was initially smothered by Capaldi, only to spin agonisingly beyond him for a simple tap-in by a striker following in on the goal.

Hertford nearly responded immediately. Good work by Norman to drive the ball on the right-flank and work an excellent pass to the back-post, was inches away from reaching Begg’s outstretched stick, and then Begg had another glorious chance, set clear by an infield pass, and rounding the keeper, only to be denied a shot by a recovering defender tackling back.

It was a set piece which got Hertford back into the game. Ian Dunnett was unceremoniously halted after a weave into the D from the left, with a neat switched move involving Alec Short setting up van Rooyen to find the bottom-left corner for his fifteenth goal of the season in only twelve appearances.

Hertford continued to press for the leveller, but weren’t quite clicking in the final third. A flurry of penalty corners - without key personnel - came and went, before it was Berkhamsted who put the tie to bed with a penalty corner of their own. A straight strike with some venom to the right of Capaldi, who could only deflect the ball up into the net to make the score 3-1.

Despite shifting formation to three at the back and pressing Berkhamsted’s defence high up the pitch, Hertford were unable to reduce the deficit before the final whistle.
The loss means Hertford’s final fixture of the season is a crucial 2nd vs 3rd place encounter against Letchworth 2nd’s, where Hertford can secure promotion as long as they avoid defeat.

Hertford: Max Capaldi; Elliot Barling, Simon Halfacre, Ben Tootell, Jamie O’Sullivan; Ian Dunnett, Alec Short, James Rollins; Ben van Rooyen, Darren Norman, Ciaran Begg. Subs: Marcus Stirling, Archie Akers.