Match Report
26-04-08
Town's Reserves In Seventh Heaven
Bovingdon Reserves 1 -7 Hatfield Town Reserves
Herts Senior County League - Reserve Division 1
Hatfield Town Reserves visited Bovingdon on Saturday for their final game of the season arriving in two specially chartered mini buses. Prior to the game, the League champions were presented with the Reserve Division One shield by Brian Smith, the Herts Senior County League General Secretary.
Town went ahead after only 4 minutes with their first chance of the game when following a corner, Jason Caswell set up Ade Hammill who finished from close range. Two minutes later, though, Bovingdon were level when Mark Brazier followed up a shot saved by Town keeper Michael Vye to make it 1-1. A minute later, Hatfield restored their lead. Good approach play from Jason Caswell and Martyn Wood found Jason Beck on the edge of the area and he brilliantly drilled a low shot with his right foot past the keeper to make it 2-1 to Town after only 7 minutes. Hatfield were mounting the pressure on Bovingdon and forced a succession of corners. Jason Caswell had a shot tipped over the bar by the Bovingdon keeper and Jason Beck shot wide of the post. Two mazy runs by Beck and Caswell had the Bovingdon defence tied up in knots but Bovingdon were showing signs of coming back into it and had a shot which hit the bar on 28 minutes. However, five minutes before half-time, Town increased their lead when Darryn Stewart set up Jason Caswell who volleyed a superb goal from the edge of the area to make it 3-1. Two minutes later, Ade Hammill was upended in the box and Joe Brandon slotted home the penalty to make it 4-1 to Hatfield at the break.
The home side came out to attack in the second half but didn't manage to get the breakthrough they were looking for early on and gradually began to run out of steam. Hatfield made three substitutions in the second half. The injured Joe Brandon was replaced by Ryan Smith. Ade Hammill and Steve O'Boy were replaced by Daniel Staples and Rob Browell. Twenty minutes in and Town made it 5-1 when a good cross by Jason Beck was turned in smartly by Jason Caswell for his second goal of the game and Town made it six as Daniel Staples finished from close range after a good turn and pass from Caswell. In the 89th minute Daniel Staples scored his second and made it 7-1 to Town after some good work by Rob Browell. The champagne flowed after the game, as the Hatfield Town players and management celebrated their great success.
Hatfield Town's Reserve Team manager, Gary Doctor, said after the game: "It was a fitting end to the season. We played like champions today and over the season as a whole I think we thoroughly deserved the title. I'd like to thank all the players for their efforts this season. I'm already looking forward to next season and I believe that we can go on to achieve even bigger things".
