Challenge Cup Round Two

Second division Evergreen provided the shock result of the round as they defeated Premier Division Green Dragon 3-1.

Despite the two-division gap between the sides, Evergreen dominated the first half and they finally broke the deadlock just before the break when Aleks Jokiel got in behind the Dragon defence to race through and round the keeper before scoring.

Green Dragon had the better of the play early in the second period but the home defence survived this heavy onslaught and doubled the lead when a swift break down the right allowed Kyle Rimmer to coolly finish from close range.

A third followed when Jokiel once again got the better of the Dragon defence and was brought down in the area for a penalty which was slotted home by Ant Benvenga.

But the tie was not yet over as Dragon pulled a goal back, also from the penalty spot, ten minutes from time through Dave O’Sullivan. And then with time running out the game had a third spot-kick, again for Dragon, but this was saved by Evergreen keeper Ryan Luke.

Another upset saw fourth division FC Woodside put out second division Cassiobury Rangers 2-1.

Joe Mortimer scored for the home side, but goals from Lewis Edwards and John Croft were enough to put the lower ranked side through.

Three Premier Division sides enjoyed nervous mornings as they were involved in close games with lower division opposition.

Rickmansworth Town just got the better of second division Bedmond 2-1.

Clement Asante netted for Bedmond but their opponents won the game thanks to goals from H. Wallace and H. Devall.

Bushey Rangers’ Derrin Wright must count himself as very unlucky as he scored a hat-trick for his fourth division side against Premier Division Chorleywood Club but still ended up on the losing side by the odd goal in seven in a tie which needed extra-time to determine the outcome.

Calum McCarroll scored a brace for Chorleywood, with an own goal and one from Harry Webb putting them through.

Reed Rangers were the other side that enjoyed a tricky morning against fifth division The Tree before running out 5-2 winners.

A big shock looked on the cards early on when Craig Horwood put The Tree ahead, but Reed responded with two goals in quick succession from Dom David, only for their opponents to pull level just before half-time through Alex Simmonds.

Reed started the second half strongly and it wasn't long before David completed his hat-trick. Jamie Speer and George Hobson scored a goal each to put paid to The Tree’s hopes of the upset.

Holders Oakview beat third division leaders Ripstone 3-0, Luke Beardsworth with two goals and one from Daryl Brown.

St Josephs had an easy 6-0 win over another third division side, Bell Rangers.

Lawrence Olorunfemi and Sam Clarke bagged braces, with supporting efforts from Lewis Cox and Robbie Carty.

The other Premier Division side to make light work of lower division opposition were Rifle Volunteer whose good run of form continues after a poor start to the season as they saw off Langleybury Cricket Club 7-1.

After an opening goal from Nick Kerley, a mistake at the back from Rifle allowed Jamie Madden to equalise, but from then on there was only one team in the contest.

Helped by Dale Sears, the Rifle provided Kerley with the service to allow him to finish with a double hat-trick, whilst at the other end keeper Tony Cornick kept up his own form record by saving another penalty to make it four in two games.

The biggest scorers in the cup were Compasses North as they beat Sun Postal Sports 9-0.

Maz Urgo and Gio Motta both struck twice, which followed goals from Mark McLaughlin, Jonathan Tesfay, Luke Benson, Vilson Culaj and an own goal.

North Watford beat Croxley Community Centre 7-1 in the all-first division tie.

It was goalless until Croxley had a player sent off late in the first half which changed the game.

Shoaib Ali and Aamer Khan both got doubles, with Kamran Arshad, Mansoor Ali and Liam Fowler netting the others. Martin Bartlett replied for Croxley in the second half.

Hertfordshire Lions won the all-fourth division tie against the Compasses 6-0.

Sam Crafts opened the scoring after ten minutes with a strike from inside the area. Louis McNamara doubled the lead five minutes later with a header. Greg Springall added a third before Jamie Balmer made it 4-0 on the stroke of half-time with his first touch after coming on as a substitute.

In the second half Lions added two more as Springall and Crafts each scored again.

Old Danes Athletic beat Bricketwood Social 3-2.

Anthony Yelland and Mark O'Connor were on target for Bricketwood but Old Danes progressed thanks to goals from Will Keddy, Jordan Woodcock and Ross Bennett.

Herts Junior Cup Round Three

Hertsmere suffered an 8-2 away defeat to Old Pond Athletic, with James Skipsey and Carl Davis getting the goals for the defeated WSL side.

Division One

Leaders West Herts extended their winning run in the league to four games with a narrow 2-1 home victory over Croxley.

Anthony Gilbert’s cross from the right was fired home by Tiago Campos from the edge of the box during the first half, and Gilbert himself got on the scoresheet early in the second period before Croxley got a goal back from Danny Imach.

Colne Valley left it late as they came back from 1-0 down to beat RD FC 2-1.

RD scored against the run of play midway through the first half when Al Hammouda was allowed a free header by the Valley defence.

It took Valley until the 83rd minute to break RD’s resistance to equalise from a corner through Richard Williams and in the last minute Joe Murphy clinched the points when he picked up a through ball to shoot home.

Connor Flanagan with a hat-trick and goals from Dale Freeman, Dave Wilson and Andy Carey gave AFC Oddfellows a 6-0 win over West Watford.

Division Two

There are new leaders in the division with Fox & Hounds taking over top spot after they beat Rifle Volunteer Reserves 3-1.

Michael Edwards scored twice and Josh Noyes once. Stewart Laschelles replied for the visitors.

Oxhey Rangers are still rooted firmly to the bottom of the table as they lost 2-1 to Rickmansworth Athletic, who are up to fourth place.

Conor Murphy scored the Rangers goal whilst Athletic had Shane Kitts to thank for the three points with his two goals winning the game.

Division Four

Inter edged out Railway Arms in a seven-goal thriller.

Dayo Akinlabie with two, Jordan Heggie and Nathan Khider scored the Inter goals, with Lee Shippey, Jordan Aston-Woods and Aaron Morley on target for Arms.

It was also a high-scoring affair between Woodlands Laurels and Roundbush which ended 3-3.

Sam Deptford, Adam Edmonds and Darren Reilly netted the Laurels goals, with David Flannery getting two for Bush while the other was an own goal.

Division Five

The battle between the bottom two teams in the division, Garston Rangers and Chess United, ended in a 5-5 draw.

Charlie Kimpton with two, George Duncan, Alex Nottage and Brandon Hill scored for Rangers, with the Chess goals coming from Joe Harris and Tom Noades with a brace apiece and one from George Adams.

Batchworth drew 1-1 with AC Little Silhouette of Milan.

Batchworth, who played most of the first half with just nine men, took the lead in the second half after AC failed to take an advantage of the extra two players when Hugh Phillips scored with a penalty.

But AC applied heavy pressure and equalised with five minutes left through Ben Davies.