Premier Division
St Margaretsbury 1 Hillingdon Borough 0
Saturday, 21 February 2004
Hillingdon travelled, yet again, to deepest Hertfordshire and played St. Margaretsbury for the 4th time this season. The previous 2 cup matches were very close affairs; both being settled by the odd goal and in disputed fashion.
This was no different. Borough gave as good as they got and showed that the gulf between the top few teams and mid-table is very small indeed.
Hillingdon started brightly and in spite of the poor surface created the first few chances. Blaise OBrien fired-off a couple of shots just wide and Dave Lawrence had a shot well saved. The home team started to get more into the game from the 10th minute and forced Boro backwards. Matt Ferguson in goal was, as always, in fine form and performed a couple of excellent stops to frustrate the home teams forwards.
Hillingdon though, always looked capable on the break. Their movement and flowing football always looked the most likely method that would open the scoring and in particular Tom Hedges looked increasingly dangerous with his penetrating midfield runs. It was quite surprising that neither team managed to break the deadlock in the first 45 minutes but 0-0 it remained at the half.
The second period was a pretty scrappy affair. The home team now playing with a stiff breeze at their backs, had the better of possession. However the first genuine goal chance fell to Boros Darren Raymond. After being fed-in by OBrien, Raymond scuffed his shot and from just 12 yard out then saw the ball bounce between the keepers legs only to be cleared off the line by a quick-thinking defender.
Minutes later the winning goal arrived. St. Margaretsburys midfield veteran warrior Lee Judges, found himself unmarked at the edge of Boros penalty area. His 60th minute shot looked to be going wide but a deflection off defender Ryan Fenton saw the ball veer goal-ward
Cruel as it was, the goal galvanised Boro into playing the best football of the match. Having seen every game this year, it never ceases to amaze me how Boro always spring to life when going a goal down.
Manager Steve Ringrose made a couple of personnel changes and together with a formation change - Boro tore into the home team. A succession of chances fell to Hillingdon; shots wide of the target; shots over the bar; shots blocked; shots saved. Hillingdon threw everything at the home team, but St. Margaretsbury stood firm.
In particular Home Defenders, brothers Steve and John Barker, staked a claim for man-of-thematch with their stalwart, resolute performances.
Bury forced one fine save from Ferguson but Hillingdon totally dominated the final stages until the final whistle ended their excellent but fruitless, final-furlong charge.
G/K M.FERGUSON, S.HAND, R.FENTON (M.Massing), L.NICHOLLS, T.HEDGES (D.Bennell), N.REED, D.MOAKES ©, S.OBRIEN, D.RAYMOND (S.Lawrence), B. OBRIEN, D.LAWRENCE
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