Tonight, The Recreation Ground in Stanstead Abbotts sets the stage for a compelling Thurlow Nunn Division One South encounter between local rivals St. Margaretsbury and Hoddesdon Town. This fixture, steeped in local rivalry, promises to deliver an evening of intense football as both teams vie for crucial points in their league campaigns.

YOU CAN READ THIS EVENING'S OFFICIAL MATCH PROGRAMME HERE.

Founded in 1894 as Stanstead Abbots, St. Margaretsbury Football Club has a rich history within Hertfordshire football. Based at The Recreation Ground, they have navigated various local leagues over the decades and currently compete in the Eastern Counties League Division One South.

This season has been challenging for St. Margaretsbury. Their current league position reflects a series of inconsistent performances, placing them in the lower half of the table. Despite these struggles, the team has shown resilience, particularly in home fixtures, where they have managed to secure vital points against mid-table opposition.

In recent weeks, St. Margaretsbury's form has seen a slight uptick. A hard-earned draw against Coggeshall has injected a dose of confidence into the squad. However, their inconsistency remains a concern, with defensive lapses often undermining their attacking endeavours. They reamin rock bottom of the table and prime candidates to finish in a relegation place. Troubles with their boiler system have not helped matters this season either.

Hoddesdon Town enters tonight's fixture on the back of a 1-1 draw at home to fellow playoff hopefuls Rayleigh Town. The team's ability to grind out results, even when not at their fluent best, underscores their resilience.

The "A1170 Derby," as it's locally known, carries significant weight for both clubs and their supporters. The previous encounter on November 16, 2024, ended in a 1-1 draw, with both teams displaying tenacity and a desire to claim local bragging rights . Expectations were high from both sides as a bumper crowd was in attendance with an excellent atmosphere around Lowfield.

St. Margaretsbury seized every opportunity to counter-attack quickly, requiring steady concentration from Jack Gibbs and man-of-the-match Reece Barnett, who both made crucial challenges to keep their team in the game. While Hoddesdon looked in control for long periods, St. Margaretsbury did not look like as a side languishing at the bottom of the table. With chances at a premium for both sides, the first half concluded goalless.

After the break, St. Margaretsbury punished Hoddesdon's lack of cutting edge with an emphatic finish from the in-form Elijah Grant on 53 minutes. Hoddesdon responded by bringing on Callum Bennison after 70 minutes to add a more direct approach, providing an excellent outlet for the side. The committed crowd at Lowfield grew louder as the anticipation of a home goal increased.

However, after 80 minutes, Hoddesdon goalkeeper Ethan Gannon picked up a knock and signalled that he could not continue. Luckily, Liam Nugent, who was himself recovering from injury, was fit enough to be on the bench and took to the field for the final part of the game. Bailey Collins, Ben Clarke, and Jack Riddle joined him as The Lilywhites went all out for an equaliser.

As the home side edged closer, winning corners and dangerous free kicks, St. Margaretsbury created three excellent chances to put the game beyond reach. However, they were thwarted by Nugent, who showed no rustiness from his time on the sidelines, pulling off three excellent saves to keep his side in the game. One particular highlight was when he stayed big to block a one-on-one chance that everyone in the crowd thought would seal the game.

In the dying moments, on 90+6 minutes, with time running out, the ball was sent in from the left and bounced on the edge of the area. Bailey Eden shook off his marker and met it with his right foot, sending a low finish into the bottom left corner, sparking wild celebrations among the home fans. The Hoddesdon pressure deserved something from the game, but this was a well-contested derby where both sides will feel they could have won it.

We move on to this evening and hope for an entertaining game.

Entry at The Recreation Ground is Adults £7 - Con £5 - U14's FREE.

Enjoy the game.

COYL