Hertfordshire FA Senior Centenary Trophy - 2023/24

[Rhodes]

What a shame for Royston Town Under 23's last night, losing a dramatic penalty shoot out 11-10 to Hoddesdon Town following a 1-1 draw, see a match report, photographs, some highlights of the action and, in addition, groundhopper Charlie Bradford was present at the Hertfordshire County Ground in Letchworth:

Match Report: Hoddesdon Town Football Club 1 - 1 Royston Town Under 23's : Hoddesdon Town 1st XI (hoddesdontownfc.co.uk)

Herts Senior Centenary Trophy Final 2023/24 (hoddesdontownfc.co.uk)

Royston Town U23s 1-1 Hoddesdon Town (pens 10-11)

Hertfordshire Senior Centenary Trophy Final

Wednesday 27th March 2024, 7:45 PM @ The Hertfordshire F.A. County Ground

Admission - £10 including a programme

New ground number 496

Attendance - 407

Game number 181 of the 2023/2024 season

Tonight saw me attend a game at a ground not used too often for senior men’s football, hence its default choice tonight, especially given it was hosting a cup final.

Don’t be fooled by the name “Royston Town U23s” as being in a youth league as they are in fact a Step 6 Club in the Spartan South Midlands League Division One and they are a good Step 6 Club at that as they currently are sixth in the table and two points off the play-offs. Opponents Hoddesdon Town are of the same Step of Step 6 but of the Eastern Counties League Division One South where they lie 14th of the 22 Club's.

It therefore looked an even cup final on paper and so it was off to the headquarters of the Hertfordshire F.A. to see who would lift the silverware, located in Letchworth and with a 3G pitch (which, after last night’s deluge, put the mind at ease!)

And talk about security conscious - no less than three stewards were on the gate and asked to search my bag and said I wasn’t allowed to take my food in. My reply, minus a swear word, of “all this for a Step 6 game” fell on deaf ears as I ate my sandwich outside and then got patted down on entry - completely over the top if you ask me - it’s the Hertfordshire F.A. and Non-League, not the F.A./Wembley itself. Oh and to top it off it’s a cashless venue - what is English football coming to.

Once I eventually got the nod to get in I took my place in a Dulwich Hamlet style main stand (with standing behind both goals and on the far side) and witnessed both sides have a chance a piece in the opening eight minutes when firstly Royston’s Danny Baulk showed some neat skills but shot straight at Hoddesdon goalkeeper Liam Nugent one on one before Hoddesdon’s Harrison Cage had an effort deflect narrowly past the left post.

A minute later however Hoddesdon took the lead when Connor Bolton delivered a free kick into the box from the right and it was headed home by Jack Riddle.

Hoddesdon continued to create chances in the first half which included Jack Gibbs having a free header from a corner well saved by Royston goalkeeper Josh Thake before Kyle Roberts dragged a shot wide of the left post to mean Hoddesdon went into the sheds only the one goal up.

HT: 0-1.

The second half didn’t seem to create as many chances with both sides having a chance a piece when firstly an edge of the box shot by Hoddesdon’s Dion Loughton was saved for a corner before Royston’s Louie Pullen shot fractionally wide himself.

Royston got an equaliser in the 82nd minute when Jack Davis unleashed a rocket from the left of the box into the bottom right corner to cue pandemonium on the Royston bench.

The best chance either side had of a winner was when a cross from the right was headed past the post by the unmarked George Rankin for Hoddesdon meaning, as their was no extra time, the game would be decided on spot kicks.

FT: 1-1.

I am not sure if you are aware of Hoddesdon Town’s John Adams but he certainly makes himself heard at their games and the shootout was no exception as the penalties dragged on and on.

Indeed, after a miss each in regulation, neither side looked like missing and it was a shootout that deserved to go to the goalkeepers, both of whom scored.

So it was round two so to speak and eventually the twelfth round of penalties decided things when Liam Nugent saved for Hoddesdon to give them the cup.

Penalties:

Royston Town U23s (10):

Hoddesdon Town (11):

MOTM: Liam Nugent (Hoddesdon Town) for the all important save on a night it was otherwise difficult to pick a standout.

Edited April 3 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Belatedly, see the on-line match programme from the Hertfordshire FA Senior Centenary Trophy Final on Wednesday 27 March between Royston Town Under 23's and Hoddesdon Town:

senior-centenary-trophy-2024.pdf