FOR the second successive weekend, a WGC substitute chipped in with a late goal to win a decisive match.
Last weekend, Reece Mosanya netted a stoppage time winner to clinch the win at a Waltham Abbey side, managed by ex-WGC boss Marc Weatherstone.
This time, it was Nick Ralfe, brought on by manager Gavin Kelsey with 20 minutes remaining of this closely fought local derby, who snatched the points.
It took 88 minutes for the Citizens to fashion one of the most creative openings of the afternoon, watched by a near 350 crowd.
Eddie Corbit and Luis Cantello switched passes before Cantello played in another substitute Junior Moses, who cut a short pass into the area for Ralfe to run onto and place into the far corner to send the home contingent in Herns Way’s biggest attendance so far this season, into raptures.
The victory sees WGC fifth in the table, but only three points behind leaders Winslow in a closely packed top eight in the division, all of whom won this weekend.
Manager Kelsey lost central defender Frankie Impey with illness just before the game, so switched Corbit to right-back, seeing Keiran Gauthier go back into central defence.
Kendall Gyamfi had the game’s first effort in two minutes, but it was straight at Hertford keeper Josh Bowler.
WGC were thankful to their own keeper Connor Sansom, as he dived at Hertford forward Junior Morais’ feet, when Brad Dixon-Smith played a woeful back pass without looking, that almost let the visitors in.
Generally, goalmouth action was at a minimum until just past the half-hour, when WGC took the lead from a right-wing Corbit corner.
The ball was hooked back across goal and home skipper Jay Lovell took off with a spectacular bicycle kick that landed in the far corner to give the Citizens the lead, in 34 minutes.
The lead didn’t last long. Just four minutes before the dangerous Lawrence Ajong got around Corbit and played a cross field ball in the WGC area that opposite winger Abi Mohammed only had to tap home for the equaliser.
Hertford began the second-half the livelier and the Citizens were glad of crucial interventions from both Corbit and Gauthier in the early minutes of the half.
WGC didn’t have a direct shot on goal until just past the hour, Ethan Rookard supplying a weak finish to sub Moses’ set-up.
The deadlock didn’t look as if it was going to be broken throughout the second-half and a potential draw looked the right result, until Ralfe struck to secure the points and take the derby honours.
WGC: Sansom, Corbit, Gauthier, Lovell, Dixon-Smith, Cantello, Nosike, Barrett (Moses 59), Gyamfi (Ralfe 70), Rookard (Mendes 70), Mosanya (Robertson 68).
