Hammer maintain excellent start to season (From Watford Observer)

Watford Sunday League round-up

10:41am Thursday 13th September 2012 in Sport

Premier Division

With only two matches played, only three sides maintain a 100 per cent record in the division and they are the top three in the table.

Hammer have gone off to a great start to the season and their fine form continued with a 10-1 mauling of last season’s Division One champions FC Crescent .

Mark Hansard struck four goals, Chris Blunden grabbed hat-trick and Ryan Denham, Mark Montgomery and Ashley Toomey were also on target. Liam Hanley scored a consolation for Crescent.

Oakview opened their campaign with an 11-3 thumping against the other promoted side from last season, Wellington Arms .

Top scorer on the day was Lee Armitt with seven goals. Tim O’Mara added two, while Spencer Bellotti and Ben Alexander also found the back of the net. Mark Coffey, Simeon Armstrong and Mark Richards replied for the shell-shocked Welly.

In arguably the best game of the day, Croxley Green Community Centre edged a seven-goal thriller against St Josephs 4-3.

Andy Avis grabbed a brace for Croxley, while Robbie Martin and Steve Barton also found the net to help their side to victory.

Bushey and Gadeside Rangers belatedly kicked off their season with an entertaining 1-1 draw.

Gadeside were without Matt Evans, Dave Nelmes and Daniel Bryon but were able to welcome back Danny Everritt and new signing Shaun Gibson into the squad.

Rangers started the game well and were quickly out the blocks, enjoying a couple of half chances, with Jay Evans seeing a shot blocked and Tom Mitchell firing over the bar.

Gradually though, Bushey found their passing game and began to push the visitors back. Most of their play came down the right-hand side and on several occasions Gadeside were thankful for the excellent covering job provided by Ben Higginson and Justyn Walcott in the heart of the defence.

Rangers were often guilty of trying to play on the counter-attack rather than trying to keep the ball but on the rare occasions they did get it down and wide, they caused Bushey problems.

Russ Popplewell’s pin-point cross saw Joe Pizans slash wildly over when well placed and Ian Freeman’s centre was scrambled behind by a defender, with Mitchell ready to pounce.

From the resulting corner, Jason Brownhill’s beautiful delivery was powerfully headed home by Mitchell at the far post.

Bushey continued to enjoy spells of pressure and a number of corners but Tom Oliver was untroubled in the visitors’ goal and they took their narrow lead into the break.

The second half was played in a similar vein to the first, with Bushey enjoying lots of the ball but rarely troubling the Gadeside rearguard. Evans again fired over from distance and Popplewell saw his effort blocked by a superb diving challenge.

Bushey’s equaliser arrived on 71 minutes when neat interplay found Harewood at a tight angle. His effort wasn’t particularly fierce, but the usually impeccable handling of Oliver momentarily deserted him and allowed the shot to slip through his fingers and into the far corner.

Despite Bushey pushing forward late on looking for a winner, it was Gadeside who created the better chances to grab a winner.

First Popplewell found some space in the area but his half-volley was weak and straight at Osborne in the Bushey goal before Mitchell shot high and wide from a tight angle.

The visitors survived a final few minutes of pressure to pick up a useful point against a side who will again be challenging for the title.

Division One

Rifle Volunteer secured a good early season awayday victory at Mill End Sports after securing a 1-0 win.

Rifle dominated the early exchanges and had a great good opportunity to establish a lead through Myles Hall and Andy Lomas in the first half. However, the outstanding display from the opposition keeper meant that both teams went into the interval level.

The second period was a tighter affair and both teams struggled to play at any pace due to the hot weather.

The deadlock, however, was finally broken with ten minutes to go.

Volunteer substitute Stuart Ross was free on the left wing; he received the ball and whipped a cross into the Mill End box. Lomas managed to get free and was on hand to convert the chance and send Rifle to the top of the table with six points.

Langleybury Cricket Club opened up their league campaign by beating Green Dragon 5-0.

There was a brace apiece for Charlie Hayley and Denis Malollari and the rout was completed when Lewis McNamara netted.

Chorleywood Club got their first win of their first division campaign after securing a 3-1 victory away to Old Garston Juniors .

Kevin Ford, Andrew Chapman and Harry Webb all found the net for Chorleywood, while the single Old Garston goal was score by Danny Brennan.

A tight game saw Met Police (Bushey) beat CK Guild by the odd goal in five.

Joel Shanahan, Richard Taylor and Hassan Zelzale were on target the Police, with Karin El-Janfali netting for Guild.

A serious injury forced AFC Spartians’ contest against West Herts to be abandoned, with Spartians leading 3-2 with eight minutes remaining.

Poor defending from the Stags saw Spartians go three goals ahead as Tom Horton fired in a hat-trick.

West Herts pulled goals back through Sam Saleh and Roger Lake and they continued to push forward in search of an equaliser.

In the 82nd minute though, the Spartians keeper pushed a shot over the bar but in doing so fell awkwardly injuring his back. The referee abandoned the game due to the seriousness of the injury.

Division Two

Dome Bar Area moved to the top of the table following a 5-1 away win against Wellington Arms Reserves .

The Dome goals were shared, with Paul Wardle grabbing a brace and Pietro Rojo, Angelo Napolitano and Paul Savina also on target.

Oxhey Jets Vets returned to form with a 4-1 win against Sun Postal Sports .

The ever reliable Lewis Putnam scored twice for Oxhey, who also had Owen Deamer and Scott Pugsley on target. Steve Hakner replied for Sun.

Goals from Jake Rainsford and Gary Wickes meant that Old Fullerians’ clash against Hammer Reserves ended in a 1-1 draw.

Division Three

Woodlands United maintained their winning start to the season as they travelled to Sun Postal United and thrashed the hosts 6-1.

Mark Mullane and Tom Kelly both bagged braces for Woodlands, while Leigh Harrington and Jack Gilmartin also found the net.

Evergreen secured their first victory of the season as they recorded an 8-1 drubbing away to Shenley Wood .

There was a clinical performance from Andy Murphy as he ended with five goals, while Phil Waldock grabbed a brace. Sam Phillips was also on target for the victors, with Nicholas Martin netting the Shenley consolation.

League newcomers Hertsmere (Sunday) also made it six points from two matches with a 4-0 win against The Pavillion .

Tokie Oddibasine found the net twice and their victory was rounded off by goals form Louis McGregor and James Tate.

AFC Oddfellows had a close 3-2 win away to Ebury Guild . Ollie Edwards and Dan Pippin scored for Guild.

Division Four

West Herts Reserves had the biggest win in the division with a 7-1 hiding of Carpenders Park Rangers .

Daniel Strachinaru scored a hat-trick for West Herts, while Ian Geddes grabbed a brace. Ian Gurney and David McConnon also found the net and the Rangers consolation came from Matt Austin.

Newcomers Rickmansworth Rovers had their first success of the league campaign by winning 6-2 against Green Dragon Reserves .

Tom Gibson and Tom Wallace shared four goals, with Adam Seabrook and Paul Harris completing the victory for Rovers. Chris Smith and Mike Rowson replied.

Two new teams met when Oxhey Lions edged a five-goal thriller against Racing Santandome 3-2.

Joe Shepherd, Ollie Burton and Mark Graham all scored for Lions, while Chris Dunne netted twice for their opponents.

Rickmansworth Athletic beat Gadeside Rangers Reserves (Chris Laurent) 2-1.

West Watford got their first points of the season after securing a 3-2 away win against AFC Bushey Reserves .

Kuki Ahmed and Basit Hameed (2) both found the net for West Watford, who gained their first victory since they formed this summer.

The Hammer FC is celebrating its 50th anniversary on Saturday, October 13.

The club have always run two Sunday league sides and anyone who has played for either team are invited to attend the event at The Hammer.

For more information, contact Kevin Andrews on 07799 405587.