Forget YMCA . . . the village people can start composing a brand new song to toast the success of soccer heroes Great Wakering Rovers.

That's my clear reading of the situation after seeing Eddie Nash's troops produce a barnstorming performance to leave former Spurs and England star Graham Roberts' Hertford stars trailing in their wake at Burroughs Park last night.

Roberts took charge of last night's visitors half-a-dozen games ago after managing at Nationwide Conference and Ryman Premier level and has quickly brought together a line-up of experienced players who, despite currently lying 14th, could yet launch a late charge for the third Division Three promotion spot.

Hertford included another ex-Spurs first teamer, Paul Moran, in last night's line-up, but were very much second best to a home outfit who produced exactly the right blend of skill and heart on a difficult surface pounded by hours of heavy rain which dramatically stopped ten minutes after the kick-off.

Had it continued, I doubt we'd have finished the action, but as it was the surface - mainly due to much hard work by the village club's officials - held up remarkably well as Hertford drew first blood through a 37th minute goal from Lee Fiori.

Brave Wakering took just six minutes to get back on terms when a remarkable goalmouth melee saw Paul Wheeler skilfully thread the ball through a crowd of home and visiting players into the net.

With Mark Hampshire still out injured, home boss Nash continued to partner Paul Flack with central defender Tommy Dalgarno as his main strike force and the latter's never-say die battling spirit summed up Rovers' approach to the game.

Micky Munro was also back to lend his considerable expertise to the rearguard after an injury-enforced absence and Wakering went in front in first-half injury time when Flack scored his first League goal since early January to join Hampshire at the top of the club's leading marksman chart with 23.

As the second-half began, one still fancied Hertford, kicking down the slope into the clubhouse end, to make a fight of it, but Wakering ensured moving into joint leadership within three minutes when Neville Hickton's long range effort caught an outrageous deflection and left Richard Hayward, in the visiting goal, stranded.

Hertford did their best to get back in the proceedings, but were foiled by a couple of super saves from home keeper Dave Hudson. With the points in the bag, Wakering came close to having the last word when Jimmy Ablitt hit the post in the dying minutes.

Another big game beckons on Saturday when third-placed Hornchurch visit Burroughs Park.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.