Herts Charity Shield Quarter Final

Oxhey Jets 4-1 Hoddesdon Town: A Night to Forget for Hoddesdon as Mosca Stars in Charity Shield Clash

Under the cool twilight on a firm, dry pitch, in a match befitting late summer’s warmth, Oxhey Jets hosted Hoddesdon Town in the Herts Charity Shield, with the game kicking off promptly at 7:30 pm. The evening promised much, but it was Oxhey who would ultimately deliver with a resounding victory, leaving Hoddesdon Town ruing their missed chances and a calamitous second-half collapse.

The match began with an unfortunate twist for Hoddesdon, as Connor Casey withdrew from the squad during the warm-up due to a groin issue, prompting late changes to the bench and debut opportunities for newcomers Timothy Mpolesha and Will Gale. Casey felt a twinge and wanted to take part but gaffer Simon Riddle, wanting to protect his player and ensure his availability for the rigours of a long league season, wisely decided to rest the creative attacker. There were other notable absentee's too in the shape of Blue Gallagher, new signing Reece Barnett, midfielder Mason Oakley and striker and leading goalscorer, Callum Bennison.

Oxhey began brightly, but their early forays lacked precision. In the 8th minute, they sent a shot skyward from outside the box, a harbinger of things to come. Moments later, Hoddesdon's own response saw Bolton, lurking at the back post, slice a volley wide from a tight angle after a promising cross from Lala on the right.

The game's rhythm was tentative, both sides probing for openings. Oxhey’s George Rice, with a dash of pace, beat Jonah Evans down the left but could only fire his shot high and wide in the 23rd minute. Soon, Ben Clarke, finding space just inside the box, had a chance to set up teammates to his left, but chose a speculative shot easily gathered by the Oxhey keeper, when perhaps the smarter option would have been to lay the ball off.

As the half wore on, Oxhey began to piece together some cohesive moves, but Hoddesdon's defence stood resolute. Then, in the 36th minute, the deadlock was broken. Eden Bailey, Hoddesdon’s midfield maestro, split the Oxhey defence with a sublime through ball that found Ben Clarke racing clear. Clarke, with composure, slotted it past the advancing keeper to give Hoddesdon a deserved lead on the balance of play. You can watch the goal HERE.

0-1

Yet, Hoddesdon's joy was short-lived. Oxhey responded immediately, with Elliot Harris shooting just wide after a flowing move in the 37th minute. A minute later, Dominic Mosca showed a sign of what was to come from him, as he unleashed a fierce, dipping effort from distance, which was expertly tipped wide by Liam Nugent in the Hoddesdon goal. From the resulting corner, Oxhey went agonisingly close again, nodding just wide at the back post.

The pressure mounted, and in the dying moments of the half, Oxhey finally found their breakthrough in the 45th minute. A swift counter saw George Rice sent free down the right, beating his man and drilling a shot towards Nugent's near post. The ball beat the 'Viking', struck the inside of the post, rebounding across the goal line, where Dominic Mosca was on hand to tap home into an empty net. It was a killer blow for Hoddesdon just before half time, and gave the hosts belief that they were more than in this game.

1-1

Half Time

All square at halftime, and both sides had shown glimpses of their attacking prowess. Some neat passing along the back line by Oxhey Jets was countered by some great pressing from the Hoddesdon attack, with Ben Clarke in particular showing bundles of energy, closing down his opponents. It did take around half an hour for both sides to get going in the first half but a goal apiece showed that both sides were more than capable.

The second half, however, belonged entirely to Oxhey. Just five minutes after the restart, Dominic Mosca was involved again, dinking a ball into the box that took a slight deflection past Nugent. It looked like an own goal off of a Hoddesdon defender, but Mosca was credited with the score by the tannoy announcer at The Boundary Stadium.

2-1

Oxhey had seized the momentum and didn’t look back.

Two minutes later, Mosca completed his brace (or hat trick, depending on what the referee submits), slotting home from close range after a quick interchange of passes inside the box. Hoddesdon were stunned, and their defence in disarray. It was a disaster opening ten minutes for the visitors, who now found themselves 3-1 down after looking decidedly assured just 20 minutes previously.

3-1

Hoddesdon continued to be frustrated, Connor Bolton drilling a shot well wide from a short corner routine, and Jonah Evans going into the referee's notebook for kicking the ball away after Jack Gibbs had brought down a player to thwart a quick Oxhey breakaway. Clearly rattled and losing their heads, changes were needed.

As the hour mark approached, Hoddesdon sought to steady the ship with a double substitution, bringing on Jack Riddle and Fraser McCarthy for Jonah Evans and Jimmy Agnew. But they continued to look unsettled and unable to wrestle back control of the game. This was typified by a free kick routine that was taken short, and once again saw Bolton send a tame shot wide of goal, when perhaps, delivering the ball into the box might have seemed the better option.

Another round of Hoddesdon subs in the 70th minute saw new signings Timothy Mpolesha and Will Gale make their debuts, replacing Sid Barker and Arnis Lala. Oxhey, meanwhile, kept pressing forward, with the lively Elliot Harris narrowly missing the top corner in the 74th minute.

Just when Hoddesdon seemed to be clawing their way back, another costly error sealed their fate. In the 76th minute, they gave the ball away cheaply in midfield, allowing Oxhey's Owen Ayres to pounce. With a deft twist and turn past his marker, Ayres unleashed a curling shot beyond the despairing Nugent to make it 4-1. A superb finish that capped off a commanding second half display from the hosts.

4-1

Late substitutions by Oxhey to take the sting out of the game, and a booking for Clarke for pushing his opponent, punctuated the dying moments of the match, with Hoddesdon reduced to speculative efforts from distance, epitomised by Bailey Eden’s wayward strike in the 90th minute that sailed high and wide.

As the final whistle blew, Oxhey Jets celebrated a comprehensive 4-1 victory, with Dominic Mosca’s heroics and Ayres' sublime goal proving decisive. Hoddesdon, on the other hand, left the pitch with much to ponder – their early promise undone by a second-half implosion that will give them sleepless nights, with no fixture to put things right this coming weekend.

Forward Ben Clarke was adjudged Hoddesdon's Man of the Match for the way he continued to harass the Oxhey defence, even when the game was up for Lilywhites.

For the Jets, it was a night to remember; for the visitors, one to forget.