Eric Hand Challenge Cup Quarter-Final

The tie between the leaders of the First and Second Divisions saw the lower ranked side, Tudor Athletic, inflict a first defeat of the season on Evergreen as they reached the last four with an impressive 4-0 victory.

Everything that could go wrong for Evergreen did, with an injury in a game the previous day ruling out their first choice keeper. And within minutes of the start of the match they conceded an own goal when a Danny Regan cross was turned in by a defender.

It quickly got worse, again from an own goal when Evergreen failed to clear during a goalmouth scramble.

Tudor added two more goals in the second half, with Sam Clarke netting with a 30-yard lob and Gary Warn completed the scoring in similar fashion with another long-range effort.

Tudor now await the winners of Sunday’s tie between Oakview and Rifle Volunteer.

Terry Devereux President’s Cup Semi-Final

Holders Oakview were given a big fright by First Division Colne Valley, coming back from 2-1 down with 12 minutes left to win 4-2.

After a goalless first half, Tom Kennedy headed Oakview ahead early in the second period, but Valley hit back with two goals in two minutes. The first came from an Adam Pisano near-post header from a corner and then Dave Rooney finished from an acute angle.

Not for the first time this season, Oakview got themselves out of a tight spot, equalising with 12 minutes left through Lewis Putman, and the same player gave his side the lead two minutes later.

With Valley pushing forward for an equaliser, Adam Lowton completed the comeback with a goal with the last kick of the tie.

Intermediate Cup Semi-Final

Tom Dettmer’s hat-trick was enough for FC Woodside to defeat The Tree 3-1 and book a place in the final. Marc Brownsell netted the reply.

Premier Division

With it looking increasingly certain that champions Oakview will retain their crown, the battle is on for the runners-spot and three of the contenders were in action on Sunday.

Old Fullerians remain in second place despite going down 2-0 to in-form Chorleywood Club, with goals from Roshan Patel 10 minutes before the break and Michael East sealing the win at the end of the second half.

The runners-up for the last two seasons, Reed Rangers, are in third place, two points behind Old Fullerians with three games in hand after a 5-2 win over a West Herts side who remain anchored to the foot of the table.

It has been the story of West Herts’ season that they fail to take chances when on top in games. But despite missing several good opportunities, they did go in front thanks to Jeremy Audic’s left-footed shot from just inside the area. However, Reed levelled five minutes before the break when Andrew Brennan headed home a Stephen Lawrence corner.

The game was won by Bradley Sweeney, who scored a second-half hat-trick after being introduced at the interval. Nathan Singh then added a fifth before Mark Montgomerie pulled one back for the home side with five minutes remaining.

Rifle Volunteer moved up a place to fifth in the table after a 4-2 home win over Rickmansworth Town.

The victory leaves Rifle four points behind second place but with four games in hand.

Ronnie Blagden scored the only goal of the first half with a volley from 20 yards.

Town hit back at the start of the second period, replying with two goals from J. Budden and B. Adams, only for Blagden to equalise with a curling effort from the edge of the area.

Rickmansworth were then reduced down to 10 men and set about trying to hold on for a point. They looked like doing so until two goals in the final two minutes, with Harry Blagden nodding the ball home with the help of his nose.

Not wanting to be outdone, his brother Ronnie completed his hat-trick in the final minute to complete the win.

Division One

Such is the close nature of the division, FC Unicorn jumped four places from second bottom to fifth following a 2-1 away win over Langleybury CC.

Unicorn took the lead when Jamie Calvin read a loose bouncing back pass and volleyed into the back on the net from the edge of the area.

Calvin then proceeded to hit the post with a curling effort before it was cleared for a corner. From the resulting corner though, Luke Peerless whipped the ball in and Matt Owens fired home from 10 yards.

Calvin hit the post again after the break and Colin Wilson made an impressive save to keep out a Peerless effort.

Robbie Edgar pulled a goal back for Langleybury but it wasn’t enough to deny Unicorn the win.

Division Two

AFC Green Machine took advantage of FC Woodside’s cup match to move into second place in the table after a 3-2 win over Ardent.

Chay Lewis and Charlie Salvage were on target with the Ardent goals, but their opponents took the points through Josh Burtt’s brace and a Brandon Graves strike.

Division Four

AFC Batchworth moved into second place in the table after a 6-2 win over Railway Arms, the team they also face in the semi-finals of the Ken Simmons Cup.

Alan Palmer-Halligan netted four times, with Shaun Wheeler and Korby Bryan completing the scoring for the home side. Paul Craig struck a goal in each half for Railway.

The battle between the bottom two teams ended in a point apiece for Batchworth and Garston Athletic following a 2-2 draw.

Batchworth had the better of the early exchanges, but it was their opponents who went ahead when Nelson Santos scored with a well-taken effort from almost on the penalty spot.

Batchworth hit back after the break, with Jack Davey responding with a well-taken lobbed effort after being pushed up front.

Garston then retook the lead following a mistake from Dean Alexander which allowed Tom Minton to race through and score, but with five minutes left Batchworth equalised when Michael Bright curled the ball home from the right following a quick throw-in.

Invitation Cup Group A

Ripstone may be struggling at the wrong of Division Two but they enjoyed an emphatic victory over First Division North Watford, winning 8-1.

The victors dominated the game from start to finish, with Lee Culverhouse scoring a hat-trick and Matt Elgey and Ollie Brill both netting a brace. Tom Courtney got their other goal.

The only bright moment for North Watford was when Salim Ahbab headed in from a cross in the second half.

Bushey Sports were the other winner in this group, beating fellow First Division side Cassiobury Rangers 3-0. Rob Gradwell scored two and Dale Jenkins was also on the scoresheet.

Invitation Cup Group B

First Division Croxley enjoyed a 4-0 home win over Second Division Rickmansworth Athletic as Carl Pettitt, Jack Wilson, Leroy Odle and Leigh Parr got the goals.

The other game in the group ended 3-3 between Woodlands United and RD FC.

Adam Rawlings netted a hat-trick for the home side, with two-goal James Cross and Sean Donelly replying for RD.

Invitation Cup Group C

This group could easily be labelled the ‘Oxhey Group of Death’ with three Oxhey and South Oxhey clubs making up the five teams involved.

Two of these, Oxhey Athletic and Oxhey Rangers, fought out a 1-1 draw.

Jay Jarvis gave Fourth Division Athletic the lead five minutes before half-time when he turned the ball home following a long-free kick into the box.

Rangers equalised 15 minutes into the second half when Connor Murphy scored following a goalmouth scramble.

South Oxhey lost 1-0 to AC Little Silhouette of Milan, with Scott Monaghan’s goal the difference between the teams.

Invitation Cup Group D

Hertsmere, who have still yet to win a game in Division Three this season, enjoyed a 5-2 victory over NW FC.

James Ward scored a hat-trick and John James got Hertsmere’s other two, with NW replying through Daniel Flanagan and Nathan Jeffs.

Chess United beat Sun Postal Sports 3-1 thanks to goals from Dana Anderson, Matt Hargreaves and Craig Putman. Stuart Melsome replied for Sun.