Team: Aaron Carter, Jason Kingston, Rob East, Lee Peters (c), Jack Coventry, Luke Fewtrell, Nick Kingston, Simon Higgs, Josh Hollands, Simon Annetts, Tom Stapleton

Subs: Aaron Jessavala (Josh Hollands - 55), Alex Pickering (Simon Higgs - 60), Stuart Alexander (Luke Fewtrell - 70)

Unused Subs: Liam Kenning, Craig Fraser

Goalscorer: Nick Kingston

We went into this local derby, sticking with the starting XI that performed impressively in the away victory at Berkhamsted on Saturday.

Although Hartley created a bag full of chances, probably enough to win three games, they couldn't quite find the finishing touch to take 3 points away from Cove.

The opening exchanges were scrappy, on a surface that resembled an end of season fixture, this could possibly be why Hartley struggled to get into any passing rhythm. Cove were certainly more industrious & looked the likeliest to break the deadlock with the lively home forward line causing some anxious moments in the Hartley defence.

Following what looked like a clear foul on Simon Higgs & to most peoples surprise the referee awarded a free kick to Cove just inside their own half of the pitch. The ball was lofted to the far post & then headed back across the goal for the onrushing striker to prod the ball home into an empty net to give the home side the lead. 1-0 nearly became 2-0 shortly after, again a deep cross, this time from the other side of the pitch enabled the striker to escape his marker & drive the ball onto the outside of the post.

This close scare seemed to spark the visitors into action. So much so Cove barely had any form of posession outside of their own half for the remainder of the opening period. Hartley adopted a more direct approach, utilising the pace of Simon Annetts in behind the home defence, although not the picture perfect way to play the game it did turn out to be effective. Numerous chances came Hartley's way, falling to Annetts & Stapleton in particular, if it wasn't for last ditch defending, solid goalkeeping, the woodwork & some in-different finishing Hartley could have comfortable gone into the break 3 or 4 goals to the good. Although we somehow ended the half 1-0 down.

The 2nd period started as the 1st half ended, with Hartley attacking & applying pressure on the home defence. Hartley equalised only minutes after the restart, with an inswinging corner being whipped into the near post area for Nick Kingston to open his account for the season forcing the ball home.

Other than some brief moments/scares with the rare posession that Cove had in the Hartley defensive 3rd, the visitors had control of the game & with chance after chance going begging it just seemed that it wasn't going to be Hartley's evening & this turned out to be the case with the game ending 1-1.

Before the game, with an away fixture you would probably take a point. Looking back with the chances that we missed it does feel like 2 points dropped, but saying that it's another point on the board & another game under the belts of the many youngsters involved in their 1st season in adult football. It shows with this group, we have come away & dominated a game without playing as well as we know we can, this surely bodes well for the season ahead.