United are back on the road this weekend, when they travel to Hertfordshire to face Hemel Hempstead Town.
Gary Johnson’s side will be looking for a fourth successive league and cup win, as they face the Tudors at Vauxhall Road.
Who’s the boss?
Bradley Quinton took over the reigns of the Tudors at the end of December 2022, and led the club to a 15th placed finish in the National League South. Prior to his appointment at Vauxhall Road, Quinton was in charge of Braintree Town, where in his first season he led the Essex club back to the National League.
Brad has also managed Welling United and Enfield Town, where he led the Towners to three Play-Off campaigns as well as taking the club on their best ever run in the FA Cup.
Player to watch
Joe Iaciofano is Hemel Hempstead’s current top goalscorer with four goals to his name so far in eleven League & Cup appearances. Joe came through the youth ranks at Northampton Town, before signing on as a professional at the Cobblers in 2016, though he only managed to play one game for the club. During his time at Sixfields the striker found himself loaned out to Corby Town, Chesham United, where he scored 15 goals in 17 games, Brackley Town, AFC Mansfield & Banbury United.
Upon his release from Northampton the 25 year old joined St Albans City, but in his one season at the club he could only help them to a 19th place finish in the National League South during the curtailed season due to the Covid pandemic, though he did finish as the division’s joint top scorer.
Havant & Waterlooville, who had finished second the National League South in 2019/20 but missed out on promotion through the Play-Offs, were the next team to aquire the services of Iaciofano, before after his time in Hampshire was finished he joined Oxford City on a two year deal. 28 goals in 61 games for the the Hoops, and a second loan spell at Banbury towards the end of his Oxford contract all came before his arrival at Vauxhall Road in the summer of 2023.
Played for both
United’s Aaron Jarvis started his career at hometown club Basingstoke Town in the 2016/17 season, and in 47 games that campaign scored 14 goals prompting the then League Two Luton Town to sign him on a two year deal, though he only made five appearances for the Hatters, while also being loaned out to Boreham Wood and then Falkirk in the Scottish Championship.
Upon his release from Kenilworth Road Jarvis then joined Sutton United, and it was while at the Surrey club that the striker spent time on loan at Hemel Hempstead scoring one goal in six league games. Scunthorpe United were next team to sign the striker, this time on a two year deal which came to an end following the Iron’s relegation from the EFL into the National League at the conclusion of the 2021/22 season. His contract end at Glanford Park saw the 25 year old come to the attention of Gary Johnson, with the striker signing a deal at Plainmoor, and despite relegation for the Gulls, Jarvis became the first player since Robin Stubbs in the 1965/66 campaign to score two hat-tricks in one season.
How have they been doing?
Hemel Hempstead Town began the 2023/24 season with a 1-0 home victory against one of the relegated sides Yeovil Town, and followed that result up with a 2-1 win away at Welling United. The Tudors then went five games without a win, with those results being a 2-1 away defeat at Farnborough, a 2-1 home loss to Weymouth and then three consecutive draws, 1-1 at home to Maidstone United, 1-1 at Weston-Super-Mare and 0-0 at home to Truro City.
This winless run was ended at Chelmsford City, where two Joe Iaciofano goals, one being a 94th minute penalty winner, saw the Vauxhall Road side come from a goal behind to win 2-1. A 1-1 away draw at Worthing was the last league result for Hemel, with last weeks 3-1 win at Royston Town in the Emirates FA Cup seeing the side into the Third Qualifying Round where they will face a trip to Gorleston next weekend. Hemel Hempstead come into this match sitting in 10th place with three wins, four draws and two defeats, with 13 points from their opening nine games.
Previous Encounter
Hemel Hempstead Town 1 – 4 Torquay United | National League South | Tuesday 12th February 2019
Torquay United extended their lead at the top of National League South with a comprehensive performance win over Hemel Hempstead Town at Vauxhall Road.
On an evening when they provided equal measures of style and substance, United fought for every ball and eventually wore down their opponents, with goals from Saikou Janneh, Jake Andrews, Asa Hall and Jamie Reid nullifying Frankie Musonda’s sole effort for Town.
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