Hertford Town 3 Ampthill Town 0

[Horace]

A spirited performance from Div 1 Ampthill, who could only just muster 11 men to start the game, and lost two through injury early on. With only one sub, they played for a hour with only 10 men. Hertford only started 4 of the 11 who began the last league game, but gave debuts to new signings Carl Ashton (from Welwyn Garden City) and Kevin Cooper's brother Ian (from Bourne Town, or was it Stamford, or was it Spalding?). Ampthill's front two, Stuart Reynolds (6'4") and Christian Lester (even bigger) looked a threat, with Reynolds in particular looking Premier Division quality. Wader - you must have looked at him? Hat-trick from Kevin Cooper, takes him to 198 career goals for The Blues (chasing Dave Whitehead's record of 216). Ashton looks the business in centre midfield and Ian Cooper will terrify SSMFL defences!

[Jonno]

Has Redford scored in 08 yet?

[Wader]

Horace - Ian Cooper is from my local team, Stamford. The Daniels are going through a transition as Manager Graham Drury has just left to join Corby Town - and tried to drag one of our players with him who trained pre-season at Stamford. I guess a few players will be on the move from them.

 

Edit - Just heard a rumour that the Corby Town manager is going to Stamford! It's the new year silly season.

[Horace]

I know all about Ian Cooper - he joined Stamford on a contract and for a four figure fee at the beginning of 2006-7, but injured his knee badly in a pre-season game. He was released from his contract at the end of last season and has been playing for Bourne Town in the UCL. The Coopers hail from Borehamwood, and he has now moved back to civilisation from the Lincolnshire wilderness. Hence his link up for the first time since their early days at Elliott Star.

 

I was more interested in whether Bigg T had run the rule over Stuart Reynolds - looked too good for Div1 !

[Wader]

Haha. Not a question (or answer) for the forum really. Although I could ask you the same thing

[Horace]

Fair enough.

[Horace]

Originally Posted By: Jonno

Has Redford scored in 08 yet?

No - his 24 goals were all scored before Christmas!

[Newby67]

Trust me on this. Stuart Reynolds is not 6"4. He is just over 6ft. He turned down a move to Colney Heath because he likes to play with his mates. I can also tell you that Cranfield United, managed or coached by his former boss also wanted him earlier this season. I've watched him several times over the last few years. He has got better and better and really should be playing at a higher level. I was told by one of the Ampthill players who I have known for a while that all is not well at the club and that Reynolds was not at his happiest. It does appear that they have saved their better performances for their cup games, their league performances have been poor.

[southmidsfan]

http://www.hertfordtownfc.co.uk/ampthillhome22_1.htm

 

"Then Ampthill had their one clear cut chance of the night, when Craig (should be Stuart) Reynolds centred onto the head of skipper Matt Quinn, directly in front of goal. With Mark Virgo powerless to stop his, Quinn headed wide of the left upright."

 

After getting in past midnight I still struggled to sleep thinking about this miss!

 

Stuart is one of my best mates. He is only 22 and needs to make the step up. Last season was his first season of first team football having spent a lot of time on the bench for a couple of years before that. He scores goals with great composure, has great ability on the ball and good awareness of players around him. People criticise his pace but he is not the sort of player you knock the ball over the top to. Give it to his feet and let him do his thing.

 

I will push him next season to try his luck at some of the better clubs in Bucks / Beds area. If he can apply himself and decide that he actually wants to make the step up (rather than play locally with his mates) then he should do well in my opinion.

 

I notice that Ashton played at Wealdstone with one of our players Rob Tucker a few years ago.

[Horace]

I was going on the fact that when he stood nxt to our 6'4" centre half, there wasn't anything in it height wise! Also I spoke to the Ampthill players before the game , and at 6'0" myself, he was considerably taller than me. Good player.

[Horace]

Freudian slip - Craig Reynolds is a player from the past I think! Will alter.

 

How did you miss that header?

[southmidsfan]

Stuart is officially 6'3" - straight from the horses mouth. Although his spikey mullet hairstyle makes him look taller.

 

Horace are you the man I was speaking to before the game? Did you have the squeaky wheelbarrow?

 

I missed the header on purpose as I was getting too tired for a tense finish to the game. However I will also be popping along to the opticians this morning to see if my contact lens prescription is still valid!

[Horace]

Yes, it was I with the squeaky wheelbarrow! Assistant groundsman, website bod, tannoy man, etc, etc.! Had you scored, it would have been a very tense last few minutes indeed - an equaliser from Reynolds or Christian Lester, and we'd all have been there until 10.30!

 

p.s. If Reynolds is 6'3" how tall is Lester?

[ONE]

I reckon it was the keepers token dive that put you off ! ;-)

[southmidsfan]

Christian may be 6'3" - 6'4" but he is only young and still growing so difficult to tell really.

 

Our frontline is pretty tall - strange how we offer no aerial threat whatsoever.

[ONE]

Horace...is ressie game likely to go ahead tonight?

[x-man]

SouthMidsFan has already scored this season and by scoring again it would have broken his one goal a season record that has been in existance for his last 38 years!

 

 

[kentish_town]

Lee Scott for Kentish Town is a much better player than stuart reynolds.Has anyone seen Lee Scott play then you will know what im talking about.Lee spent all his teenage years playing for Arsenal and for England schoolboys and he can still make it now.Honest.

[Greg_Dyke]

good first post

[ONE]

kentish_town = Rhodes