Watford Sunday League round-up

Met Police (Bushey)will represent the league in the semi-finals after edging out WSFL rivals United 1-0 in an entertaining game.

The hosts dominated most of the possession and played some good football in the first half as Met had to defend well and were grateful to Paul Reading for clearing a goal-bound shot off the line early on.

United should have taken the lead just before the break but somehow put a chance wide when it seemed easier to score.

The Met improved as an attacking force in the second half after making some early substitutions but their opponents continued to see more of the ball, only for the final pass to let them down.

But with a few minutes remaining, Police broke down the right and Jamie Pickering cut the ball back for captain Ashley Shanahan to drill home first time and finally break the deadlock.

With time running out, United pushed forward and were almost rewarded with an equaliser but Dan Branch pulled off a fantastic fingertip save, touching a 25-yard strike onto the post and wide. The resulting corner led to a comical goalmouth scramble in a packed penalty area but Met held on for a hard-fought victory.

Herts Sunday Junior Cup Round Six

The league’s strength in depth was underlined with four teams in the last eight and three of these have progressed to the semi-finals after Railway Arms lost their all-WSFL affair against Evergreen 3-1.

Andy Murphy, Joe Murphy and Jack Smith fired the Division Four leaders into the final four, with Sledge Mubama replying.

The Bell had a magnificent away win, crushing Cheshunt Town 8-2.

Leading scorer Dom David hit a great hat-trick, with two each from Dan Campbell and Danny Fielding and Nathan Gullin completing the rout.

Oxhey Jets Vets completed a fine day for the league thanks to 4-2 win over fancied Skew Bridge Reserves.

The usual suspects were again on the scoresheet, with Lewis Putman adding another three goals to his ever-increasing tally and Spencer Bellotti also netted.

Turner Trophies WSFL Challenge Cup Quarter-Final

Langleybury CC are through to the last four after a 2-1 win at Division Two rivals Hammer OGB Reserves.

The hosts started the better and Andy Felton, who has been in outstanding form for Bury, pulled off two good early saves. However, Hammer’s pressure was rewarded in the 20th minute with a well-taken header from a corner.

Chris Eldridge spurned a good chance to equalise before Bury levelled shortly before half-time when Dexter Gaul headed home a fine Tommy Wright cross from close range.

The second half started in a smiliar vein to the first, with Hammer creating a few early chances and Felton making more fine saves.

But the decisive goal came from an inswinging Gaul corner and Olly Highfield converted to book his side’s place in the semi-finals.

WSFL Intermediate Cup Quarter-Finals

Division Two Europcar made it through to their first ever semi-final after a 2-1 extra-time victory over Division One West Herts.

It was a tight battle from the off as both sides cancelled each other out in a game of few chances.

Europcar thought they’d won it when Mark Lomas beat the offside trap to slot past the keeper in the 90th minute but in the seventh minute of added time, West Herts levelled with a free header from ten yards.

The hosts dominated the majority of the extra half-hour and captain Matt White had the opportunity to put his side back in front, but his weak penalty was easily saved by the keeper and Lomas missed the target from the rebound.

Europcar weren’t to be denied though, and it was White who made up for his spot-kick miss to strike home with just five minutes of extra-time remaining.

In the other quarter-final played, Division One leaders FC Crescent edged closer to a first cup success after a 5-2 victory over Wellington Arms.

Two Luke Beardsworth goals put the visitors in command before Mark Leslie pulled one back with a header. However, Beardsworth completed a first-half hat-trick with a fine lob.

In what proved to be a fiesty second half, Liam Hanley made it 4-1 but got injured as he scored and was soon replaced.

Wellington missed a couple of one-on-one chances to reduce the deficit but they did score a second through Leslie, only for Jamie Moran to net the goal of the match with a stunning strike into the top left-hand corner.

Premier Division

Leaders Bushey increased their points advantage over Oakview to seven with a 3-1 win over the bottom club Mill End Sports, although Oakview do have four games in hand.

St Josephs virtually secured third spot following a 2-0 win at Hammer OGB through Sean Sonner and Jack Brown.

Gadeside Rangers produced their best display of the season to overcome Carpenders Park Rangers 5-2.

The visitors broke the deadlock on 17 minutes when Jay Evans found space on the edge of the area and scored with a powerful drive for his tenth of the season.

That lead was doubled five minutes later when Bryon found Hills and he crossed for Tom Mitchell. The striker controlled well, holding off a challenge before superbly hooking the ball into the far corner of the net.

The hosts responded well and were rewarded for a spell of pressure when they reduced the deficit on the half-our mark. Darren Locke’s knockdown saw Spicer bring another good save from Tom Oliver but the rebound was stabbed home by Hugo Figuerido.

Gadeside restored their two goal-lead just before the break when Matt Evans forced the ball over the line after the keeper had spilled a corner to score his first goal since April 2010.

The second half’s key moment came on 55 minutes when Matt Evans superbly cleared Horton’s shot off the line and Gadeside broke down the left-hand side. Popplewell and Hills combined to find the onrushing Dave Nelmes, who drilled a low effort home from 18 yards.

After missing a golden chance, Mitchell made amends on 75 minutes when Bryon drove forward from midfield and fed the forward, who finished emphatically for his 14th of the campaign.

It was CPR who scored the game’s final goal when Horton’s cross was turned home by Kenroy Marshall.

Division Three

Leaders AFC Bushey had a battle to beat strugglers AFC Oddfellows by the odd goal in seven, with Chris Ladmore, Rob Ladmore, Ryan Legge and Dan Harris sparing their blushes. Shane Kitts, Gary Hennicke and Dale Freeman replied.

Division Four

Woodlands United moved closer to table-topping Evergreen with a 7-1 thrashing of Green Dragon Reserves.

Leigh Harrington, Danny Martin and Jack Gilmartin all scored twice, with Lee Bailey also netting.

Carpenders Park Rangers Reserves also had a big win, 6-1 at AFC Bushey Reserves.

Mark Graham struck four for the victors and Paul Page and Dave Morrish also netted, with Jason Gullin responding.

WSFL President's Cup Group A

The two Premier Division sides didn’t have too many problems in dealing with their opponents from lower down the ladder.

Croxley Green Community Centre enjoyed a 4-2 victory at Division Two leders AFC Spartians through two-goal Darren Lancaster, Harry Brock and Robbie Martin. Callum McCarroll scored twice for Spartians.

Luke Lloyd hit four as Oxhey Estates hammered Division Two basement club Watford Irish 8-0.

Sam Addinall weighed in with two and Paul Danslow and Johnny McGeachey completed the emphatic win.

WSFL Inviation Cup Group A

In the all-Division Four group, two-goal Craig Bartlett and Ashley Armstrong fired The Pavillion to a 3-1 win at Dome Bar Rangers Reserves.

There was no shortage of goals as Langleybury CC Reserves saw off West Herts Reserves 7-4.

Dennis Malollari scored four for the winners, with Jack Dodds, Alec Simmons and Charlie Hailey also scoring. But the Stags played their part thanks to Devan Desai (2), Matt Jones and Rob Boarder.

WSFL Invitation Cup Group B

Ebury Guild got their cup campaign off to a winning start with a 4-1 victory over Oxhey Estates Reserves.

Both teams started slugglishly after two weeks without a game, but Ebury took the lead on 25 minutes when Jamil Mirza’s cross was headed home by Tam Hughes.

That lead was doubled seven minutes later when a superb ball from Rishi Doshi was slotted into the far right corner by Alex Tomlinson from the edge of the 18-yard box.

This seemed to spark Oxhey into life. Their performance improved significantly after half-time and they were rewarded 20 minutes in when Dean Ayres converted a rebounded tackle.

Ebury had to wait until the 90th minute for their third when substitute Michael Gillman was taken down in the area and man-of-the-match Hughes scored the resultant penalty.

They added a slightly flattering fourth a minute later when fellow replacement Gino De Antonis smashed home from 15 yards out after good build-up play from Gillman.

WSFL Invitation Cup Group C

Gadeside Rangers Reserves were left to rue a host of missed chances as they surrendered the lead to lose 2-1 after a close game against Division Two outfit Sun Postal Sports.

James Bryon’s strike early into the second period looked to be sending Gadeside on their way to three points.

But Richard Reid and Mike Ashby both missed good chances to extend the lead and they were made to pay as Sun hit back with two goals midway through the second half to seal the victory.