Football: Roberts denies Abingdon

From the archive, first published Tuesday 2nd May 2000.

FORMER Spurs and England defender Graham Roberts, now the manager of Hertford Town, continued the goalkeeping role he has assumed in recent weeks to help send Abingdon Town spinning to their fourth successive defeat, by two goals to one, in Ryman League Division 3 on Saturday.

Hertford started brightly and had an early chance when Abingdon's Didcock fouled Hall and the Hertford Town midfielder clipped the free kick narrowly over the Abingdon bar.

Hertford's leading scorer, Raisborough, should have done better in the eighth minute when, following another free kick, he headed narrowly wide.

Gary Atkins then had a good chance for Abingdon, but the ball bounced awkwardly and Roberts was able to gather.

Shortly afterwards, Roger Charles went close as the visitors continued to push forward.

And it was no surprise when Abingdon took a deserved 38th-minute lead through an excellent opportunist goal by Atkins, who diverted Tristan Didcock's 25-yard drive past Roberts. After the interval, Liam Herbert sent a deft header from Jason Thomas's cross agonisingly wide.

But minutes later, Abingdon conceded a penalty when Nathan Woodley crashed into Raisborough and Rudi Hall smashed home the spot-kick.

Town suffered a setback when Woodley had to go off with a thigh injury.

And it was a cruel blow which led to Hertford's winner as former Enfield player Paul Moran's 25-yard drive defelected off a teammate's heel to wrong-foot Jason McLaughlin in the Abingdon goal.

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