Tuesday night under the lights at The Recreation Ground saw Hoddesdon Town claim an emphatic 2-0 victory over local rivals St Margaretsbury, keeping their playoff hopes alive in front of a raucous travelling support.

It was a night where patience and persistence paid off for the Lilywhites, as second-half goals from Terrell Sterling and Reece Barnett secured a deserved three points in this fiery derby clash.

With the echoes of the Hoddesdon Ultras’ drum reverberating around the ground, the visitors wasted no time in stamping their authority on the game. Just two minutes in, the ever-lively Arnis Lala attempted a spectacular overhead kick from inside the box, narrowly missing the target. It was an audacious effort, and an early warning shot that Hoddesdon meant business.

Moments later, full-back Jonah Evans surged down the right flank, showing quick feet to evade his marker before threading a precise ball into the feet of Jason Brown. The forward, in space but at a tricky angle, opted for power over placement, sending his shot high over the bar. It was another promising attack from Hoddesdon, who were enjoying complete dominance in the opening exchanges.

Their pressure continued to mount in the 9th minute when Connor Casey was played through one-on-one with the St Margaretsbury goalkeeper, only to see the assistant referee’s flag raised for offside. A marginal call, much to the frustration of the travelling fans behind the goal, who were already in full voice.

Speaking of the travelling faithful, the Hoddesdon Ultras were out in force, around 40 strong, positioned directly behind the home goal. Decked in scarves, waving flags, and with a relentless drumbeat, they provided the kind of non-stop vocal support that could spur any team on. Their energy was palpable, and the Hoddesdon players responded in kind, pressing high and dictating the tempo.

Despite Hoddesdon’s early dominance, St Margaretsbury slowly grew into the game after the 20-minute mark. They began to exploit spaces down the left flank, testing Hoddesdon’s defensive resilience. Former Lilywhite Ben Clarke, who had only switched allegiances to St Margaretsbury just a week prior, looked particularly eager to make an impact against his old club. In the 25th minute, he tried an ambitious lob from nearly 40 yards, aiming to catch Liam Nugent off his line, but the Hoddesdon keeper was alert and gathered comfortably.

Clarke’s cheeky attempt was met with predictable jeers from the Hoddesdon Ultras, who wasted no time reminding their former man of his past allegiances. Every touch from Clarke was greeted with good-natured boos, and he certainly felt the weight of the occasion.

Despite regaining control of possession, Hoddesdon were guilty of wastefulness in attack. George Hamill’s clever layoff from an indirect free-kick saw Harry Carter curl a low effort agonisingly wide of the far post in the 27th minute. Moments later, Blue Gallagher found himself with space 25 yards from goal after a slick passing move, but his shot lacked conviction, sailing harmlessly over the bar.

It was becoming a recurring theme – Hoddesdon were superior in possession but lacked the precision in the final third to make their dominance count. As the half progressed, their passing became increasingly sloppy, with misplaced balls stalling promising attacks. The early spark had faded somewhat, and their cutting edge up front was missing. Things nearly got worse for the visitors just before the break when captain Jack Gibbs was controversially booked for simulation after going down in the box. The Hoddesdon players and fans protested, but the referee was unmoved, issuing a yellow card to Gibbs as the first half ended goalless.

Hoddesdon made an early change after the restart, with Terrell Sterling replacing Connor Casey, who had taken a knock. It was a substitution that would prove pivotal.

The game remained tense, and in the 55th minute, St Margaretsbury came within inches of opening the scoring through Ben Clarke. Spotting Nugent marginally off his line once more, Clarke attempted another audacious long-range chip that had the Hoddesdon keeper scrambling. Hearts were in mouths as the ball dipped late, but it dropped just over the crossbar, sparing Hoddesdon’s blushes.

Hoddesdon responded by bringing on Callum Bennison for Jason Brown, a move aimed at injecting fresh legs into the attack. That change nearly paid dividends immediately, as in the 60th minute, a pinpoint Gallagher corner found the head of Sterling, but the forward could only flick his header over the bar. A golden opportunity missed, and the tension among the travelling supporters was palpable.

Their nerves were settled just three minutes later. Jack Gibbs, eager to make amends for his earlier booking, whipped a dangerous ball into the box from the left. A slight deflection wrong-footed the defence, and there was Terrell Sterling, reacting quickest to stab the ball home from close range! The away end erupted into a frenzy of limbs, noise, and even a flare let off in celebration. It was a deserved lead, and the momentum was fully with Hoddesdon now.

Sterling’s joy was short-lived, however, as just two minutes later, he was dubiously booked for what appeared to be a perfectly timed challenge. The referee’s decision was met with disbelief from the Hoddesdon bench and fans alike, but Sterling, already on a high from his goal, didn’t let it dampen his spirits.

With the home side now chasing the game, space began to open up for Hoddesdon on the counter. In the 79th minute, they made sure of the points. A corner from Harry Carter on the left was met by the towering Reece Barnett, who outmuscled his marker and planted a bullet header into the net. Cue pandemonium among the away support. The Hoddesdon Ultras had been waiting all game to celebrate a moment like this, and they weren’t going to let the opportunity pass them by. The game was as good as done, and the chants of “Hoddy Army” echoed into the Hertfordshire night.

A flurry of late substitutions saw Harrison Cage, Jimmy Agnew, and Josh Smith introduced to see out the game, replacing Bailey Collins, Arnis Lala, and Harry Carter. The remaining minutes were played out with little threat to the Hoddesdon goal, and when the referee finally blew the full-time whistle, it was job done for the Lilywhites.

It was a performance of control, patience, and ultimately, quality in the key moments. Hoddesdon had been the better team from start to finish, and though they had to wait for their breakthrough, their perseverance paid off handsomely.

Man of the Match went to Arnis Lala, who for the second game in a row was a constant menace going forward, his flair and creativity proving invaluable.

This derby-day triumph keeps Hoddesdon firmly in the hunt for a playoff place, and with momentum in their favour, confidence will be sky-high heading into the final stretch of the season.

FINAL SCORE: St Margaretsbury 0-2 Hoddesdon Town