Birkdale Trophies Challenge Cup Round One First Leg

The most dramatic of the eight first round first leg ties came as two of the league’s newcomers, Bedmond and Bushey Grove, fought out a 4-4 draw, leaving it all two play for in the second leg.

Bedmond have been placed in Division One whilst their opponents, based on their players, are in the Premier Division, but that didn’t seem to matter for much yesterday.

Jordan Davis put Bedmond ahead after just five minutes following a long ball over the Bushey defence. It looked like being a long morning for Bushey 15 minutes later when they had Kevin Kenwright sent off, but in fact it helped them. They equalised through Sean Shinkwin and then just before the break Paul Kenwright scored with a long-range shot to put the ten men ahead.

The game looked it to be going all Bushey’s way after the break when Shinkwin completed his hat-trick to put his team 4-1 ahead, but with the nine outfield players clearly tiring, Bedmond fought back to recover the deficit with 15 minutes remaining left.

Luke Horne started the comeback with two goals in a minute before Jordan Davies scored the equaliser with time running out for Bedmond to leave the tie finally balanced for the return leg.

The other game to end a draw after the first 90 minutes was the all-first division affair between Watford Labour Club and Dynamo Croxley which finished 2-2.

Ian Smithard put Labour ahead following a pull back from John Barker. Dynamo equalised through player-manager James Graham but he then saw his team miss a penalty through Dev Patel and Labour re-take the lead through Mark Bedford. However, Croxley took a draw from the first game thanks to a late goal from Ollie Edwards, who had started the game in goal.

First division Carpenders Park Rangers Reserves take a two-goal advantage into the second leg after a 3-1 win over Premier Division Cassiobury Revolution.

Juan Villar put Cassiobury ahead from the penalty spot but Carpenders Park gave them themselves a great chance of going through thanks to goals from Joe Barton, Harley Mead and Jacob O’Hanlon.

A Rob Cunningham hat-trick enabled Inter to edge out United 3-2, who replied through Will Keedy and Peter Challis.

Old Danes Athletic beat Hertfordshire Lions 4-2.

Louis McNamara scored a brace for the home side, but Old Danes, who enjoyed two cup final appearances last season, got their campaign this season off to a good start thanks to a Liam Janusz double and singles from Colin Spooner and Chris White.

Evans Salvo scored twice for WD Athletic but that was not enough to prevent Bovingdon taking a three-goal advantage thanks to doubles from Harry Woods and Tommy Gray, with Matt McMahon scoring the other goal.

Roundbush had a dream start under new manager Graham Jackson when he saw veteran striker Blaise Shervington put his team ahead early on but Meriden Ballers hit back and looked to have made the return leg a formality with six goals. Donovan Lewis scored twice, there were singles from Ben Smith, Aarron Crawford and Chris Melsome plus an own goal.

Prince George had a dream start with an 11-0 win over Woodlands Laurels.

Martin Sanseverino scored a hat-trick with the other goals coming from Rob Henney and Luke Everitt, with a brace apiece, and one each for Curtis Aaron, Tom Minton, Bradley Henwood and Nelson De Santos.