HERD LOVES HERTS AFTER SHOOT-OUT GLORY
HERTFORD Town won 4-3 on penalties against ten men Rugby Borough to win the U19 Alliance League Cup Final.
The game was a tale of two halves, with ups and downs seen for both teams.
However, Borough were the first to break the deadlock, scoring in the 20th minute, with a leaping header from Josh Yeboah.
The rest of the first half saw Hertford trying to work their way back into the game, with a few big chances which came to no avail.
Within less than a minute into the second half, Rugby Borough captain Daniel Coles got his second yellow of the game, leaving Borough down to ten men with the whole second half still to play.
Hertford started to put pressure on the backline of Rugby Borough, but it was not budging, until an incredible solo run from Jamal Obeng in the 58th minute saw the ball smashed into the net levelling the score.
The rest of the game saw Borough hunker but they did have a stoppage-time chance when Russell Gbidi was oneon-one with the goalkeeper and blasted it over the bar.
That was full-time, and the game went straight to penalties.
Both teams scored their first two spot kicks. Until two big saves from Rugby goalkeeper Max Harbin, saw Rugby take a 3-2 lead.
However, Hertford Town did not let it get to them scoring their next penalty, but the pressure was too much for Borough, seeing the ball hit the bar saw the shootout go to sudden death.
Hertford sent Matt Ford first, scoring first in sudden death.
All the pressure came down to keeper Jack Bull and, Rugby Borough’s Craig Muranganwa, but it was not meant to be, with Jack Bull diving the correct way to save the penalty and give Hertford the U19 Alliance League Cup glory.
Head coach Ben Herd was proud of his side.
He said: “We did not play well the first half; the red card was the turning point and allowed us to come back into this game. In the end, I’m proud of the lads, to go win the double especially having only 30 members in the squad. I am just extremely proud.”