Herts Sunday Junior Cup Round One

The county junior cup has been a successful competition for the Watford Sunday League in the past two seasons and five of their seven teams in action at the weekend won through to the next round.

Watford Athletic made the long trip to Broxbourne to face Turnmill United on the back of three straight league defeats, but they progressed 3-1 on penalties following a 3-3 draw.

With a weakened side, Athletic certainly did it the hard way, coming from behind three times to force extra-time.

The Watford side had the worst possible start falling behind after just four minutes, but after missing several good chances they equalised just before the break when Justas Barciauskas put Alfie Dibble away to score with a half-volley.

The home side went back in front two minutes after the restart when keeper Liam Crain was beaten to a cross by a flick from the striker.

After having the better of the second half, Athletic equalised for a second time with 13 minutes left when Dibble cut the ball back for Joe Vane, who beat two defenders before firing home.

Within two minutes the visitors were behind again, but they levelled for a third time when Vane returned the favour, slipping Dibble through to take the tie into the additional 30 minutes.

Athletic again missed a host of chances in extra-time before being reduced to 10 men in the closing stages.

Athletic keeper Crain took the first penalty in the shoot-out and made no mistake before saving the first Turnmill kick.

Watford's Johnny Watson then sent his kick against the post before United scored with their second effort, leaving the scores level.

Barciauskas sent the home keeper the wrong way to put the visitors back ahead and Turnmill again failed to register with their third spot-kick which dribbled wide.

Cian Hallahan then powered his kick straight down the middle before Crain saved the next Turnmill penalty to put his team through.

RBL Croxley’s good start to the season continued with a 5-4 victory over Woodlands United 2014.

Woodlands took the lead after some poor defending allowed the striker to chest the ball in from the edge of the area.

Croxley replied impressively as Darren O’Brien produced two unselfish passes to lay two goals on a plate for Costaki Evangelides and Aaron Hirst. Shortly after O’Brien fired home to make it 3-1.

Karl Davidson added a chipped fourth, but just before the break Woodlands struck back with two quick goals.

In a far tighter second half, Davidson added his second and his team’s fifth before Woodlands pulled another one back with five minutes left.

Another side who are enjoying a far better season so far are White Horse who beat Letchworth United 2-1.

James Redfearn opened the scoring after five minutes, collecting Dan Clark’s pass outside the box before drilling a shot through the goalkeeper.

Craig Putman doubled the lead 10 minutes later after racing clear and beating the keeper, with Clark the provider again.

Goalkeeper Connor Russell could do nothing about Letchworth’s goal on the stroke of half-time, but he then produced a string of fine saves through the second half to preserve White Horse’s lead in a man-of-the-match performance.

Josh Bulley received his marching orders with 15 minutes left for a mistimed tackle as Letchworth pinned White Horse into their own half.

Letchworth then had the opportunity to equalise in the seventh minute of added time when they were awarded a penalty, but they missed the target to hand their opponents a third win on the bounce.

ER FC, who have had an awful start in Division Two, got a first win of the season with a 4-2 away victory over Hemel Raiders thanks to a double from Dan Burke and goal each for Andre Federico and Lui Potiuk.

SOCA also won away from home by the same scoreline against The Goat, with goals from Tyler Connor, Pearse White, Richard McCrossan and Michael Coffey.

The two league sides to be knocked out were Sun Sports who lost 7-2 to Harpenden Colts Old Boys Reserves, Daniel Moss and Ben Dunton with the goals, whilst Inter were beaten 2-1 by Kimpton after Jitu Jani had scored.

Premier Division

Reed Rangers and Oakview both made it four wins out of four with emphatic victories.

Leaders Reed put six unanswered goals past Chorleywood Club.

Louis Stead gave Reed the lead after five minutes with a well-hit shot from the edge of the box, but that was all they had to show for their first-half efforts.

Within two minutes of the restart though, Stead had scored his second and three minutes later Louis Bircham produced a pass for Nick Kerley to latch onto, control and finish.

Karl Penny then set up Kerley for his second 10 minutes into the half and he completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot midway through the second period.

The scoring was completed 10 minutes from time when Bircham assisted Kerley to score his fourth and his team’s sixth of the morning.

Oakview went one better than Reed as they put seven past Old Fullerians.

Lewis Putman led the way with a hat-trick, Simeon Armstrong and Tom Kennedy both scored headers, with Finlay O'Reilly and Luke Lloyd completing the win.

Tudor Athletic beat FC Unicorn 4-2 in the battle of the two promoted sides.

Spencer Bellotti opened the scoring with 25-yarder, but despite dominating Tudor couldn’t find a second and they paid the price as Jamie Calvin equalised on the stroke of half-time.

Early in the second half Unicorn went ahead after James Hocking lost the ball, allowing Joel Soper to score.

Veteran Wayne Gladdy come off the bench to equalise for Tudor, and it was another substitute who put them ahead when Jack Robertson headed in a Danny Reagan corner.

Tudor won a penalty when Gladdy was brought down after a trademark run split the defence and Karl Bull converted to seal the win.

Rifle Volunteer secured their first win of the season after beating Evergreen 3-1 thanks to a first-half hat-trick from Josh Helmore.

First Myrant Wilson picked up the ball in space and threaded it through to Helmore and he nipped round the keeper and tapped in.

That goal lifted the home side’s confidence and Helmore doubled the lead with an outrageous strike. A corner kick was headed clear to him on the edge of the box and he volleyed home through a sea of players.

Helmore bagged his third just before half-time when a perfectly weighted pass from Koch was brought down and fired home with his left foot.

The hoped-for clean sheet failed to materialise when Jamie Robertson headed home at the back post for the sole Evergreen goal.

Division One

Maple Cross made it five wins from five with a 5-2 victory over North Watford.

The visitors had the better of the play before they went behind through a long-range effort from Charlie Arnett.

Conor Flanagan equalised for North Watford, but Maple then restored their lead through Dean Brownsell, who scored again with a header.

Flanagan netted his second to pull another back, but it was Trent Skapetis who sealed the win with two goals.

Everett Rovers head the chasing pack after they thumped Langleybury CC 11-1.

Rovers took an early lead through Jake Knight and Barry Mitchell doubled it before Langleybury scored through Daniel Byron.

Danny Johnson made it 3-1 before half-time, but the floodgates opened after the break as Everett scored eight second-half goals.

Meshach Williams netted four, Knight and Johnson added a second apiece, a Bury player scored an own goal, but the standout finish was Ross O'Flynn beating the goalkeeper from near the halfway line.

Fox & Stone had a good morning as they beat Ardent 6-1.

The breakthrough was made when Jude Bell crossed from the left and Josh Noyes made no mistake with a header.

Bell was involved again as he set up Lee Culverhouse to make it two and a third soon followed when Alex Witham finished off a team move.

Another team goal was rounded off with a perfect cross from Witham to Culverhouse, who converted a header at the far post, and he was to complete a first-half hat-trick with a finish into the bottom corner.

Fox began the second half on the back foot and Ardent pulled a goal back when a cross was headed home by Charlie Salvage.

Despite a poor second-half showing, Fox did add a sixth when Leigh Stevens played Noyes through on goal and he made no mistake.

AFC Bedmond got their first win of the season on the board with a 7-0 victory over West Herts who already look to be facing a second successive relegation.

Mark O’Connor’s fine chip gave the hosts an early lead before strikes from Tyrone Brandy and Leo Kokaj secured a convincing 3-0 lead at the break.

The pressure was maintained in the second half as Bedmond added another four goals courtesy of Edison Mikoshi and a Sam Hakner hat-trick.

Another side with a first win of the campaign are FC Woodside who beat Bushey Rangers 2-1, with all the goals coming in the second half.

Woodside went in front through a penalty before George Davies pulled the home side level with 20 minutes left, but Woodside grabbed the winner 10 minutes from the end.

Jamie Dunlop and Drew Snailham were on target for the victors.

A goal midway through the second half from Lucas Halligan was enough for AFC Leavesden to beat Cassiobury Rangers.

Division Two

Bennetts End Rovers look like the side to beat as they overcame fellow early season pacesetters The Victoria 4-2.

Dan Bourne and Todd Armstrong scored the Victoria goals, but their opponents took the points through a Danny Roberts double and one each from Lee Puddephatt and Liam Flaherty.

Dome Bar beat Croxley 5-1 as Matt Byrne and Chris Dunn struck twice and Nathan Pooley once, with Samba replying.

Calvin Monaghan and Mitchell Estep scored for ACS Milan and Ricky AFC respectively as the points were shared in a 1-1 draw.

Division Three

Leaders Skyline lost for the first time after a 3-1 defeat by Woodside Wanderers, who moved into third place in the table.

Gary Wicks, Pedro Carvalho and Rafael Junior Martins scored for Woodside, with Shoaib Ali replying.