Weakened City dumped from cup (From Harrow Times)

Weakened City dumped from cup

10:44am Thursday 15th November 2001 in

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ST ALBANS CITY'S six-match unbeaten run came to an end at Hertingfordbury park on a bitterly cold Tuesday evening (November 13) as Ryman Division Three side Hertford Town turfed the Saints out of the Herts Charity Cup.

City gave debuts to keeper Matthew Cope, defenders Ian Jimmy and Dhergum Heider, and midfielders Denver Birmingham and former Peterborough United scholar John-Paul Duncliffe.

While Jimmy suffered the embarrassment of scoring an own goal, the most impressive City player was undoubtedly Duncliffe, who capped a promising performance with a spectacular goal.

On seven minutes, Gary Ansell was brought down in the penalty area by Dave Crate, but Ansell then became the third City player this season to miss from the spot as keeper Jason Henderson saved the striker's weak effort with his legs. The Hertford custodian, however, could do nothing as Ansell moved in to hit the rebound into the net with his left foot.

A minute later, former City youngster Mitchell Parratt, who made five first team appearances for the Saints, reached a Duane Gibson cross to head home his first goal for Hertford.

Hertford, beaten just once in 12 home matches this season prior to City's visit, moved closer to extending that record in the 31st minute when Gary Bennett looped a header over Cope from a Gibson cross to put the Blues ahead, and six minutes from the break Gibson was again the provider as Kevin Cooper, at the second attempt after Cope had saved his first effort, gave the home side a 3-1 advantage.

The Duncliffe and Ansell combination gave Hertford more problems on 44 minutes as, from the youngster's corner, Ansell headed the ball against the inside of Henderson's right-hand post, but any realistic hopes of a City comeback were shattered in the 54th minute when Jimmy turned a harmless cross back towards his keeper, then looked on in disbelief as Cope, unable to pick the ball up, lay sprawled on the ground as the ball trickled gently over the line for the fourth Hertford goal.

There was nothing lucky, however, with City's second goal in the 76th minute that saw Duncliffe cheekily lift the ball over one Hertford player before dispatching a fine 25-yard dipping volley into the back of the Town net to mark his debut in style.