Bostik Blog: Boro get the Blues

I have to hold my hands up and admit to the welcoming locals at Hertingfordbury Park, that I was originally planning to visit their neighbours, Ware. The rain, however, saw off Ware’s fixture with Potters Bar. I kept my social media feeds on refresh, rather than give in to an evening of pancakes and the Champions League, came off the A10 a junction earlier and followed the country lanes to the home of Hertford Town.

The Blues are currently enjoying their first season back in step 4 after promotion from the Spartan South Midlands League. Hertford finished second, behind London Colney, but their Hertfordshire rivals turned down a place in the Bostik North Division. The club have performed admirably in their first season in the Isthmian league structure since 2006. They’ve occupied a reasonably safe mid-table position, keeping the relegation battle below them at arm’s length.

Hertford have been model of stability since their inception at the beginning of the 20th Century. Most of their divisional moves have been the result of league restructures. The club was established in 1901 as Port Vale Rovers. The name comes from Port Vale road in Hertford rather than any connection to the Football League club from the Potteries. Rovers were soon renamed Hertford FC to better represent the town and, after merging with Hertford United, became Hertford Town. Two more local clubs, Blue Cross and Horns, were absorbed into mix and the Blues joined the local senior league in 1908.

The aforementioned Blue Cross played at Hertingfordbury Park, which itself sounds like the amalgamation of several different names, and the Blues moved in as they began life as a senior club. Hertford joined the Spartan League in 1921 and by the mid-1950s were competing for honours in the Premier Division. They finished as runners-up in 1955 and 1956. The Blues were then transferred into the Delphian League in 1959 and enjoyed considerable success. They won two of the final three championships before the league folded and they moved on to the Athenian League in 1963.

Hertford joined the Isthmian League 10 years later. A fourth place finish in Division One in 1983 was their highest placed finish as they enjoyed 33 uninterrupted years in the league. Their stay came to an end, however, in 2006 as the third tier of the league was disbanded and they joined the Spartan South Midlands League. They challenged for an immediate return to Isthmian football, but had to wait until 2017 to be reunited with local rivals Ware, Cheshunt and Potters Bar.

The Blues had been without a win in their last five games, despite feeling the relative comfort of a mid-table position. Romford, on the other hand, were one of only a handful of teams that could boast a poorer recent record, having lost their last six games. The Boro had already strapped up their hands and put on a fresh pair of gloves ready for a relegation scrap. This would be the first meeting between the sides this season with the second meeting at Ship Lane pencilled in for 10 March.

Online descriptions of The Blues’ historic home follow a similar pattern. ‘Leafy’, ‘rural’, ‘picturesque’. It may well be all of these things, but it was hard to tell on this particular Tuesday night. The Hertfordshire air was dense with winter drizzle. Hertingfordbury Park is set back from the centre of the town and can be reached by exiting the A10 for the A414. Follow the road into Hertford and take a left onto West Street. Hertford North and Hertford East are the local stations but both are over a mile’s walk from the ground.

Town have used the ground since 1908 and you can tell. Everything feels comfortable and settled, no searching is required to find the bar or the large Winnebago selling hot food and drinks. The Blues’ average attendance this season has been well above 200, but the rain and a Spurs Champions League tie with Juventus reduced the crowd to 83. It was their lowest of the season. Usually crowds would congregate on the large ‘paddock’ area with burgers, chips and beers in hand as the players come out for their warm ups. Today they were inside the porta cabin club bar or huddled in the covered Stable End. Hertingfordbury Park’s centrepiece is the large main stand that towers above the rest of the ground. It was built in 1959 when the Blues joined the Delphian League as the original version had burnt down in 13 years earlier.

Hertford started the game well and tried to test the confidence of the visitors. Osei and Ruff looked dangerous and both had chances to give the home side the lead. Budd was on hand for the visitors to thwart Hertford’s attackers. Romford began to grow into the game. Gjini on the right hand side had a few bright moments and a penalty appeal turned down. Beck and Sharman looked solid at the back for the Blues and dealt with Romford’s tall, imposing forwards. It was noted by one Romford social media account that Hertford had done well to get the game on, and as half time approached, the middle section of the pitch was beginning to resemble an army assault course.

Lush green grass was at a premium after the break. Step forward the full backs who had best use of what was left of it. A terrific battle ensued down one side as Toner was becoming increasingly influential for the hosts. He was matched, however, by Olukoga who was gleefully encouraged by the Romford bench. Hertford were just about edging the game, but both sides had opportunities to win it towards the end. It appeared as though Romford had hung on stubbornly to a point to arrest their losing run, but the home side had other ideas. O’Connor finally avaded Olukoga down the left and picked out Lowen who won the game for Hertford in the 93rd minute.

It was a useful, rather than vital, victory for Hertford. They’ve settled into life in the Bostik North division well and the win takes them to 12th in the table with a couple of games in hand over the teams immediately above them. A late season play-off push might be just out of reach, but the Blues will hope to take some momentum into next season at the very least. Town fans will now have 17 March circled on their calendars as they head to local rivals Ware to try and complete a league double over the other ‘Blues’. I’ll hopefully see them there seeing as my previous planned visit to Wodson Park fell victim to a day of drizzle.

You can read more from Louis at his own website, here.