Eric Hand Challenge Cup Round Two

Premier Division strugglers Chorleywood Club and St Josephs produced an eight-goal thriller which was finally settled by a dramatic penalty shootout which Josephs, the winners of this competition a record 13 times, won 5-4.

Josephs went ahead on the half-an-hour mark when Darren Keaten finished off a passing move by scoring from 15 yards.

Chris May equalised for Chorleywood early in the second half, then with 10 minutes left Haruna Abongo looked to have won the tie for the home side, but in the last minute Robbie Tocher got on the end of a free-kick to send the game into extra-time.

With St Josephs down to just nine men, Chorleywood took charge of the game with two goals either side of half-time in the extra period from Ryan McMahon and Clement Asante.

Those efforts looked to have won the tie before St Josephs produced a remarkable comeback with two goals in the last two minutes.

First, Hugo Figerido slotted home a penalty, then with the game into its final seconds he raced through to score with a superb solo effort to seal the comeback and take the game into a shootout.

St Josephs goalkeeper Craig Garratt was the star man for his side, saving two Chorleywood penalties which were enough to ensure his side won through.

The only lower ranked side to beat higher opposition where Second Division Oxhey Spartans who defeated First Division Ardent 3-2.

Goals from George Dalling, Joe Brown and Bernado Silva saw Spartans through, with Charlie Salvage getting both the Ardent replies.

Four Premier and First Division sides all came through close ties against lower division opposition.

Tudor Athletic beat Third Division Skyline 4-2, but only after going behind early on.

Gbohun Palmer-Inyang giving the underdogs a shock lead before James Fisher equalised via a free-kick, but Tudor took a 3-1 advantage into the break thanks to goals from Jack Robertson and George Hobson.

Skyline pulled one back in the second half through Shoaib Ali, but Gary Coyle sealed the win late on following a swift counter-attack.

The other top-flight side given a big fright were Evergreen who needed extra-time to overcome First Division FC Woodside.

The second tier side went ahead from a long throw that was headed on at the near post and slammed home at the far post by Scott Seamons.

Evergreen missed a string of chances in the second half, and Woodside looked like causing a major upset until three minutes from time when a neat one-two between Arlind Krasniqi and Matt Goodchild released the latter to equalise.

Woodside defended well in extra-time until two minutes from a penalty shootout when Goodchild laid the ball to Aleks Jokiel who made for two earlier open goal misses to book his side’s place in the third round.

First Division Fox & Stone edged past Second Division Victoria 3-2.

Victoria went ahead early on thanks to a long range free-kick from Dean Brinton, the home side equalised when Josh Noyes hammered home from just inside the area and then Dan Saunders struck with a volley from a Noyes corner.

Victoria pulled themselves level before the break when Matt Mason scored after a passing move, but the tie was won in the second half thanks to a fine run and shot from Tom Courtney.

First Division Cassiobury Rangers were the other higher ranked side to come from behind to beat lower opponents, with a 5-2 win over Third Division Sun Sports.

Jordan Sterling and Callum Wilson both scored either side of a Joe Mortimer equaliser to put the underdogs ahead before Mortimer equalised for a second time just before the break.

Rangers finally saw off their determined opponents after the break when Mortimer turned provider for Corum Chase to put his side ahead for the first time, before Mortimer score twice more to take his tally to four.

Two other Premier Division sides, Rifle Volunteer and Old Fullerians, had far easier mornings with comfortable wins over the two Bushey clubs, Bushey Sports Club and Bushey Rangers, respectively.

Rifle won 4-1, but they did have to come back from going behind to an early penalty slotted home by Rob Gradwell.

However, Ishi Ehui equalised with a lob before Volunteer took the lead with a goal from new signing Patrick Lung.

Elliot Wilson and Ron Blagden sealed the win with goals in the second half.

Fullerians, who have had a torrid start to the season in the league, seem to be enjoying cup football far more as their 7-3 win over Rangers followed a Herts County Cup victory a fortnight ago.

The breakthrough came when Ryan Woosley crossed for Craig Totton to score.

Fullerians doubled the lead with a role reversal, Totton passing the ball out to the right of the box where Woosley shot first time back across the goal.

Bushey pulled one back when a ball into the box was spilled by the keeper for Tyrone Tomlin to finish.

Fullerians extended the lead through Charlie Hailey before a Daniel Woosley free-kick evaded everyone and nestled in the bottom corner.

Fullers kept up the pressure after the break and Ryan Woosley scored his second to make it 5-1 with a simple tap in into an empty net.

Rangers netted their second when a cross from their right was tucked home by Stevie Dowling, but the four-goal advantage was restored when Charlie Hailey squeezed in a cross.

Bushey grabbed another through James Henney before Stephen Pich finished the scoring with his team’s seventh near the end.

The all-First Division tie between North Watford and AFC Leavesden saw the home side prevail 3-2 after Lucas Halligan had given Leavesden an early lead.

Watford then scored three times through Connor Flanagan, Carlos Alberto and Anton Robinson before Alieu Gibril pulled a goal back late on.

The all-Second Division affair between Croxley and ACS Milan saw the home side win 4-1.

Luke Dolan netted a double and there was a goal each for Carl Pettit and Junior Kofi. Calvin Monaghan got the Milan reply.

Third Division Batchworth could not repeat their form from the first round as they went down to fellow Third Division side Woodside Wanderers 4-0.

Jaones Vale, Nelson Santos, Aaron Crawford and Rob Henney saw the home side comfortably through.

FA National Sunday Cup Round One

Reed Rangers’ trip to Hounslow to play Thames Valley Sunday League side Shire United at Hanworth Villa ended in a 3-0 defeat to the current Middlesex Intermediate Cup holders.

The first half was goalless after being played in heavy rain and sunshine, with Reed having marginally more of the ball, but Shire had the better chances with Ryan Blake and the impressive Michal Gough both going close.

Reed had a good shout for a penalty waved away 15 minutes into the second half when Louis Bircham seemed to be tripped in the area.

Within a minute Jack Mills should have scored for Shire, but he was not to be denied 10 minutes later from the penalty spot after Andrew Juett was brought down just inside in the area by Tom Gibson.

Mills then ended the game as a contest four minutes later when he fired home low into the bottom right corner after a passing move opened up the Reed defence.

Mills completed his hat-trick eight minutes from time from a second penalty after Mark Bitmead was brought down by Reed substitute Larry Akin.

Division One

It’s six wins out of six for Maple Cross who beat AFC Bedmond 4-0 thanks to a Nathan Davis brace and one each for Marc Brownsell and Jack Hodgkins.

Division Two

There was a goal-fest in the Second Division with the three games producing 25 goals.

Bennetts End Rovers made it five straight wins after an 8-1 victory over Ricky AFC.

Lee Puddephatt scored half his team’s goals with four, Josh Burtt added a brace and Liam Flaherty and Callum Jones got the other two. Ludberg Moriera netted the Ricky reply.

Dome Bar also enjoyed an emphatic win, beating Chess United 7-1.

Chris Dunn struck a hat-trick with Niall McCalyn, Matt Byrne, Nathan Pooley and Martin Preston also scoring. Alfie Hewetson got the Chess consolation.

There were eight different scorers as Woodlands United 1984 and ER FC shared the points after a 4-4 draw.

Matt Bower, Dave Marcyniuk, Ash Yelland and Liam Laverick scored for the home side, with Alex Ward, Jamie Seabrook, Lui Potiuk and Tom Lane on target for ER.

Division Three

SOCA are the new leaders following a 4-2 away win over RBL Croxley thanks to goals from Tyler Connor, Connor Chapman, James Hardwick and Harry Chamberlin.

Aaron Hirst and Darren O'Brien replied for the home side.

Hertfordshire Eagles enjoyed a first league win with a 4-0 success over Watford Athletic.

Ed Price led the way with a double and there was a goal each for Charlie Kimpton and Connor Hewitt-Coleman