lineup

jason pearcey

gary moran

jamie williams

adam hart

craig herbert

gary redgate

rory squire

craig dutton

robbie beard

justin marsden

michael hegarty

subs used

dave pearson

jon douglas

steve evans

The result completely overshadowed an excellent performance by United striker Robbie Beard who lifted his season's tally to nine after grabbing a hat-trick. All the goals came during a hectic opening 45 minutes.
Hemel Hempstead should have taken the lead in the 14th minute from a Nick Jackson cross. But, Bryan Hammatt's weak effort was cleared off the line by covering defender Gary Redgate.

Valley replied with Jamie Williams heading just wide, before an 18th minute shot from Michael Hegarty struck the underside of the crossbar and Beard opened the scoring as he followed up to beat goalkeeper David Lovell to the rebound.

The visitors went further ahead nine minutes later as Beard curled a delightful shot round the despairing dive of Lovell. True to recent form, United then undid all their good work during a crazy ten-minute spell.
On the half hour, following a corner, the ball dropped straight to the feet of Mat Corbould who steered his effort through a forest of legs and into the net via the inside of the post.
Six minutes later, in almost a carbon copy of the first, Hammatt drilled home the equaliser.

With the United defence at 'sixes and sevens' a cross from the left ballooned to the other side of the penalty area where the unmarked Dean Harding had time to pick his spot before driving a low angled shot past goalkeeper Jason Pearcey.
And, on 40 minutes, Pearcey came off his line to half block an effort from Jackson.

However, Rugby's luck was out as the ball bobbled through to the far post for Hammatt to nod in Hemel's fourth. Beard gave Rugby hope straight after the restart when he spotted Lovell off his line to complete his hat-trick from 25 yards.

During the second half United hardly got going as Hemel worked hard to close down the space and put plenty of men behind the ball. As a result, Rugby were restricted to a series of half chances that came to nothing.
Beard ended a weaving run with a shot over the bar from a difficult angle, Marcelle Bruce then giving a lesson in dogged defending under pressure by blocking bravely from United's Gary Moran.

On 64 minutes Lovell intercepted a cross from Beard with visiting players queuing up at the far post, and Justin Marsden dragged wide after the ball broke favourably from a challenge involving Valley substitute Steve Evans and Bobby Highton.
With time running out United failed to take advantage as Lovell touched Beard's near post cross invitingly across the face of goal. And, just before the end Marsden, bursting through on to a knock down by substitute Jon Douglas, was held off by Corbould as Lovell came out to gather.

Having conceded only 12 goals in their opening 13 games, United boss Tony Dobson now finds himself with a defensive crisis on his hands after conceding ten in a week.
He said: " We failed to learn from our performances against Hitchin and Dunstable. We let in two very sloppy goals following corners. As a manager you want your goalkeeper to dominate in those situations, but in a crowded area he felt he got no protection from the referee.
"We gave away another when we stopped, looking for an offside flag, instead of playing to the whistle. Over the last week our mistakes have been heavily punished by poorer sides. If everybody is available for the next game there will be changes."