Herts Senior County League
Premier Division
Tuesday 14th May 2024
Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.34
Hinton 5 Lemsford 0, attendance 43
6’ 1-0
13’ 2-0
40’ 3-0
71’ 4-0
78’ 5-0
@ Ashmole Academy
Cecil Road
Southgate
London
N14 5RJ
No Admission
£3 Programme, 4 pages, didn’t bother buying.
With Hinton’s normal home venue at Holtwhites Sports & Social Club (visited January 2011) giving over to cricket at this stage of the season, they have to find an alternative venue to stage these late season games. Last May I saw them lose 0-1 to Chipperfield Corinthians, in a game played at Hadley Wood Sports Trust, so was pleased to see them use another temporary ground tonight and even better, somewhere I hadn’t seen a game at. There is a 3G pitch hidden behind the trees here at Ashmole Academy, but the game was played on the grass pitch at the front of the building, adjacent to the car park. No changing rooms in use though. The players and three match officials changed pitch side! The added attraction of a 4 page programme certainly added to the crowd, with around 20 ‘hoppers in attendance.
The match was 5th versus 13th in the league table. Hinton could finish one place higher, but only on goal difference, whilst Lemsford could drop a place, but are four points clear of the relegation zone and are safe from the drop. Despite the 5-0 scoreline, this was not as straightforward a win as it would appear. Two goals in the first quarter of an hour saw Hinton lead 2-0, but Lemsford had seen a shot hit the crossbar when it was still goalless. They hit the crossbar again, but within seconds Hinton broke away to make it 3-0 three minutes before halftime. Before the interval Lemsford hit the woodwork twice more, hitting the crossbar with the goal gaping, then hitting the post again. The second half had fewer chances than the first, with Hinton grabbing a fourth goal with twenty four minutes left, heading in a rebound after the ‘keeper had saved the initial shot, before a defensive mix up left an easy finish for goal number five with twelve minutes left.
