Ben Herd has been player/manager of Hertford Town since May 2019 and the former Watford, Shrewsbury Town and Aldershot Town Defender has done a great job building a squad full of exciting young players which plays very impressive possession based football. If I was going to be ultra critical of their play in the game I saw against Waltham Abbey is that I thought they could get the ball in the box a bit quicker sometimes instead of holding onto it on the wings and the edge of the box.
In the two pandemic affected seasons they finished in 16th and 9th of the Isthmian South-Central Division before a move to the Southern League Division One (Central) which has seen them finish 16th and 14th. Following the 2-1 victory over The Abbotts they are currently in 9th place just four points below the play-off zone where Waltham Abbey are currently placed.
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| THE RIVER LEA FLOWS PAST THE SMILE IT STADIUM (AKA HERTINGFORDBURY PARK) AND WITH ALL THE RAIN WHICH HAS BEEN FALLING THE WATER LEVEL WAS VERY HIGH JUST PRIOR TO KICK OFF |
There was a decent crowd of 320 people present to see this Lea Valley Derby which Hertford Town had the better play and much of the possession in the first half but never really created any clear cut chances. The visitors didn't trouble Luke Mewitt in the Hertford Town goal either.
After half time it was Abbey who had the first chance when Prince Domafriyie unleashed a shot from outside of the box which rattled the cross bar.
Sonny Coughlin-Brown opened the scoring on 58 minutes to the delight of the home supporters who had gathered underneath The Stable End to shelter from the rain falling. He touched home a low cross following an error from Waltham Abbey who had passed back towards their keeper.
The visitors then went down to 10 men when Jesse Akubuine got a second yellow card for a trip on an attacking Hertford player. He had previously been booked for a trip in the first half.
It was 1-1 when Sam Shaban shot home from just inside the box on 79 minutes.
Hertford Town got the win their play deserved on 85 minutes when after a swift passing move Wilson Bernal found himself in space on the edge of the box to pass the ball into the net.
Just prior to the end of the game Abbey were reduced to 10 men when Usman Temitope received a straight red for a tackle from behind which has been debated on social media - Some say it was a clear red, others say yellow and others say no foul! Who'd be a referee?
An indication of the young players Hertford Town are recruiting from lower down the pyramid is that Sonny Coughlin-Brown (Aged 18) was signed from Step Six Letchworth GC Eagles in summer with Wilson Bernal (Age 21) playing for Barnes FC in the Surrey South East Combination League Intermediate Division Two last season.
Just ten points separate current table topper's Bedford Town and Biggleswade FC currently in 11th place so the race for the title and play-offs in the Southern League Division One (Central) really looks like it's going to a very exciting one.
Bedford Town lost their first league game on New Years Day when Biggleswade Town won 2-3 at The Eyrie which had pushed The Waders closer to the top of the table.
The Christmas and New Year period wasn't a great one for Waltham Abbey on the pitch as they also lost 1-4 at home to Welwyn GC on Wednesday 27th December but they did record a 2-1 away win at Kings Langley on Saturday 23rd December. They host Leighton Town on Saturday (weather permitting!!) in what is one of the games of the day as it's 5th v 7th in the table. Kings Langley's long trip to Gloucestershire to face Cirencester Town is also a great game in prospect which is 4th v 6th!
Hertford had a great 2-2 draw at home to Biggleswade Town followed a very close 0-1 defeat at local rival's Ware as well as this win during the festive period. They trave to AFC Dunstable tomorrow afternoon.
RED CARD INCIDENT AT END OF THE GAME
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