For the second time this season Old Herts faced a Barmond XI that was more suited to the top of the table rather than one seemingly rooted to bottom spot! In a classic “game of two halves” Old Herts eventually ran out clear winners, but they were made to struggle at times against a spirited Barmond team.
Konnor Smith was doing all the early running for Old Herts, his strength and determination caused Barmond problems all game, but his first shot on goal was comfortably saved by the Barmond keeper.
There was some defensive tidying up required by Stebbings and Green although at this stage it was really one way traffic towards the Barmond goal and a good move evolved when Want laid the ball back to Stebbings, whose long pass to Smith allowed him to run on and shoot again. Chris Burman took note of this tactic and his long ball to Cutbush now brought the other Old Herts striker into the game.
Rob Djemal’s ball out of defence was well controlled by Cutbush who in turn passed the ball onto his strike partner Smith, but he couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity.
A rare early Barmond attack was thwarted by a strong Rob Burman tackle, before the best move of the exchanges so far involving Matt Reeves, Stebbings and Smith and finally Chris Burman resulted in his shot going wide.
A strong Chris Burman header from a goal kick was knocked down to Reeves then moved forward to Smith, who this time elected to lay the ball off to Want, but his shot also went wide.
A well worked corner from Old Herts nearly broke the deadlock, but instead allowed Barmond a breakaway attack. Normal service was immediately restored and a Want header down to Cutbush produced a screaming shot from him that smacked against the Barmond bar and away!
Finally though after 17 minutes Barmonds’ desperate effort’s to stay in the game came to nought as yet another accurate long ball through to Want was pushed onto Smith, who held off a Barmond defender and struck a right foot shot into the corner of the net!
Old Herts Athletic 1 Barmond 0
The assault on Barmond’s goal refused to abate though as immediately there was another near miss and a good pass from the back from Rob Burman sent Cutbush onto a strong run that forced a corner. Rob Christian’s corner kick was headed over though.
Lee Stebbings playing with the honour of wearing the captains’s armband was called into action with some quality covering and he swiftly moved the ball on to Reeves, who put Smith through. His pass found Cutbush who quickly controlled the ball and shot forcing a good save from the keeper.
Regular readers of this correspondent will note that I always give everyone who plays a mention in my report and observant ones will note that so far I haven’t mentioned the Old Herts goalkeeper Dan Bolton. That’s because it wasn’t until the 30th minute that he first touched the ball, which was to take a goal kick!
Want was involved in some good juggling in midfield and Chris Burman made a determined run, which resulted in Reeves shooting wide. In general though, although Old Herts were clearly bossing the game they were finding that killer final pass elusive. There was some good football being played, Smith had a header go just wide and then had a shot that hit the post and Chris Burman had a shot saved, before the first half came to a close with Barmond’s first shot on goal!
At half-time, if this had been a boxing match the referee would have stopped it to avoid Barmond taking any more punishment, however Old Herts had failed to deliver the KO blow!
Whatever Barmond had in their half time tea it certainly worked as they came out a more determined outfit.
This didn’t prevent however Wayne Scott (on as substitute at half time) from forcing a corner and then from having a shot saved. Want tried to chip the Barmond keeper and there followed a general melee in the penalty area to no effect.
Barmond broke away and Bolton was made to make a save. Green was required to head the ball away before only some aggressive tackling by Rob Matthews and a good run turned defence into attack. Chris Burman (the Frank Lampard of the Hertford and District league) was struggling to get his shots away from midfield, typified when he turned in onto his left foot on the edge of the Barmond box only to see his shot deflected away!
Barmond were now off the ropes and Green was penalised when caught under pressure on the ball. The free kick was headed away by Djemal, but came back into the Old Herts six yard box before being scrambled away. Want relieved the pressure instigating a good right wing move involving Christian and Cutbush.
A dangerous cross from Barmond went just wide before Old Herts countered attacked with Luke Matthew’s forcing a corner. As the game stretched out Green’s good defensive jockeying led him to knocking a long ball up to Smith. Luke Matthew’s ran onto his through ball setting up Chris Burman, whose shot was palmed wide.
Luke Matthews was then penalised when he fairly challenged for a long cross into the Barmond penalty area and collided with their keeper.
A dangerous Barmond attack was only stopped by a Rob Burman challenge before a good Old Herts move involving Smith, Scott and Luke Matthews was only stopped when the Barmond keeper brought Matthews down for a stone wall, nailed on penalty kick, but unexplainably the referee ruled play on!
The pace of the game was becoming fast and furious as Chris Burman sent Christian away before Barmond came back into the game forcing Bolton to gather an awkward bouncing ball. Barmond were now applying the pressure and Bolton needed to make a good save, pushing the ball around the post.
Finally the end of the game came to an end with Want sensibly keeping possession of the ball and the win had been achieved.
So it was closer than what it seemed it would be a one point, but at all levels of football once it comes to the business end of the season it’s the result rather than the performance that counts and with 4 games left to play Old Herts still have their destiny in their own hands.
