Herts Sunday Senior Cup Round Three

Holders Reed Rangers beat Percival 4-1 to reach the quarter-finals for a third season running.

In a repeat of last season’s quarter-final which they won 2-1, the Watford Sunday League side enjoyed a far more comfortable victory this time.

After a tight first half with not much between the sides Reed broke the deadlock just before the break thanks to a Ashley Lewis penalty.

That goal swung the tie in Rangers’ favour, and eight minutes into the second half they doubled their lead when Louis Bircham fired home from 25 yards.

Bircham then turned provider for Karl Penny to make it 3-0 12 minutes later.

Percival never gave up, pulled one back 10 minutes from time and then piled on the pressure. But it was from one of the away side’s attacks that Reed netted their fourth in the final minute.

Veteran David Baxter won the ball from an opponent, preventing what looked like a certain second goal, then fed the ball wide to Nick Kerley who in turn sent Penny away and he beat two defenders before rifling home to complete the victory.

The two other WSL sides in action both went out.

FC Unicorn lost out 5-3 on penalties after a 5-5 draw with Grange United.

They found themselves one down after 20 minutes, but levelled soon after Charlie Benning’s corner came off the leg of a Grange defender. However, parity was shortlived as United went back in front before the break.

Unicorn struck back early in the second half when Jamie Calvin cut back for Jack Bishop to fire home at the near post.

Grange once again look the lead to make it 3-2 only for their opponents to level for a third time, again through Bishop when he converted a Luke Peerless cross.

Grange made it 4-3 after they caught Unicorn on the break with five minutes to go, but the game wasn’t over as Callum O’Connor somehow managed to scramble in another equaliser with just seconds remaining.

The pattern of the game continued in extra-time as United again went in front, but O’Connor ensured penalties would be needed after levelling with 10 minutes to go following another Calvin cut back.

However, Unicorn’s hopes were to end in the shootout as the home side prevailed.

Chorleywood Club went out 4-2 at home to Skew Bridge, who prior to last season had won this competition for the previous five seasons.

Chorleywood fell behind early on but equalised through Jack Read five minutes before the break, only for a 30-yard thunderbolt to restore the visitors’ advantage in the second half.

Two more quick goals put Skew 4-1 up before Chorleywood pulled one back five minutes from time through Adam Murphy to set up a frantic last five minutes, but the home side were unable to score again.

Herts Sunday Intermediate Cup Round Three

A brace from Sam Williams was not enough for FC Woodside as they were knocked out 6-2 at home by a strong Bradmore Rovers side.

Eric Hand Challenge Cup Round Two

Second Division Dome Bar caused an upset as they defeated First Division Maple Cross 7-4.

Cross were only able to field 10 men, but that should not detract from a strong performance by their opponents.

Maple Cross went ahead in the first half thanks to an own goal before Dome Bar scored two quick fire goals, only for their opponents to equalise with a second own goal.

Two more Bar goals followed before the break and they netted their fifth early in the second half before Nathan Dais added two more for Cross either side of the home side’s sixth and seventh strikes.

Matt Byrne was the star man for the home side, scoring a hat-trick, David Smith added a brace and Scott Kilbane and Ben Kelly were also on target.

Premier Division

The bottom two sides in the top flight, Old Fullerians and St Josephs, have a first point of the season after they drew 3-3 against each other.

Fullerians took the lead in the first half when a corner from Craig Totton was flicked on by Lewis Grant and Phil Seidler turned home at the back post.

The home side then doubled their lead after a Daniel Woosley cross was misjudged by the Joes’ keeper, hit the post and came back into play and Charlie Hailey was on hand to smash home the loose ball.

St Josephs looked a different side after the interval, with Roy Byron halving the deficit soon after the restart.

Callum Tobin scored a solo effort to level the scores shortly after, and with 15 minutes left Joes went ahead when a short corner routine found Byron on the edge of the area and he planted his shot firmly beyond the keeper.

The game was to have a final twist in the last minute when St Josephs conceded a sloppy free-kick. Charlie Munroe took the set piece and the ball found its way through for Hailey to slot home from 12 yards.

Division One

With Maple Cross in cup action, Everett Rovers and Fox & Stone moved above them on goal difference at the top of the table after both enjoyed home wins.

Everett beat AFC Bedmond 7-2, although it was a close first half before the home side ran away with it.

Jake Knight gave Rovers the led before Mauro Urgo finished off a great move to equalise.

After falling behind again to a second Knight goal, David O’Connor levelled but on the stroke of half-time Knight completed his hat-trick.

Rovers piled on the pressure in the second half and were rewarded with four unanswered goals.

Ross O'Flynn and Harry Panayiotou got on the score sheet, along with a Bedmond own goal and Knight claimed his fourth of the game.

Fox & Stone proved too strong for Langleybury CC as they ran out 4-1 winners.

The first half was goalless before Fox imposed themselves on the contest in the second 45 minutes.

Alex Witham's cross was bundled home by Matt Elgey to make it 1-0 after the keeper failed to gather.

Langleybury pulled level when a cross from the left was brought down and volleyed into the far corner by Jamie Madden.

With time beginning to run out, a Witham corner was headed on target by Lee Culverhouse and the deflection took it pass the keeper.

Elgey made it three, rounding the keeper after Witham's third assist of the day put him through, and Witham himself finished the scoring with an unstoppable shot from 25 yards.

Division Two

Bennetts End Rovers look almost uncatchable as they made it nine wins from nine with a 5-2 home victory over Woodlands United 1984.

They spread the goals around with five different scorers, Lee Puddephatt, Josh Burtt, Danny Roberts, Kye Allport and Taylor Austin all on target. Dave Marcyniuk and Klevis Dervishi netted the Woodlands replies.

Oxhey Spartans are in second place, nine points behind Bennetts End, after they made it six out of six with a 5-0 home victory over Ricky AFC.

Jordan Aston Woods scored a hat-trick with Roberto Da Silva and Michael Orsmand also on target.

In third place are ERFC who continued their good run of form with a 4-1 away win over ACS Milan.

Matt Gibsone netted the ACS goal, but it was outshone by four ER strikes from Andre Federico, Kevin Fiskin, Josh Sampson and Lui Potiuk.

The two sides directly below the top three also won as The Victoria beat Chess United 5-0 - Dan Bourne with a double and a goal each for Matt Mason, Ben Stallard and Charlie Wharton - while Bushey Sports Club edged past Croxley 4-3 thanks to a Tom McGuiness brace and singles from Rob Gradwell and Joe Da Silva. Samba struck a hat-trick for Croxley.

Division Three

Sun Sports are the new leaders of the division after they came from two goals down to beat the table toppers at the start of the day, SOCA, 4-2.

After a cagey, goalless first half, SOCA started the second period the stronger and looked on course to consolidate their position at the summit after two goals from Ellis Brown and Jake Howell. But with 12 minutes left Sun staged a remarkable comeback.

First Michael Adriano headed Ben Dunton’s cross in from close range to make it 2-1. That goal changed the entire game and Sun scored the equaliser within three minutes after Adriano was fouled in the penalty area and Dunton slotted in the rebound after his spot-kick had been saved.

The game had swung in Sun’s favour and they took the lead after a long Dunton throw into the box was hooked in by Jordan Sterling with five minutes left.

SOCA poured forward looking for an equaliser but left themselves open at the back, and Daniel Moss pressured the defence into a mistake which he capitalised on to score his side’s fourth.

SOCA’s first defeat of the season means they have dropped to third after Skyline moved above them following a 4-3 win over Hertfordshire Eagles.

Skyline looked to be heading towards an easy victory after they went in 4-0 ahead at the interval after goals from Aamer Khan (2) and one each for Jordan Austin and Adam Lincoln.

Eagles were a different side in the second half though, and scored three times through Connor Hewitt’s brace and one from Jordan Osbourne.

Woodside Wanderers are in fourth place after a 4-2 victory over Batchworth who are still looking for a first win of the season.

Wanderers’ strong start to the game won them the points after two early goals, although Batchworth did keep fighting to give them some hope for the rest of the campaign.

Raf Junior Martins, Aarron Crawford, Gary Wicks and David Flannery scored for Woodside, with Jack McLaughlin and Mikel Walsh replying.

RBL Croxley beat Inter 3-2 through goals from Reece Gould, Callum Hearn and Jamie Livy. Chris Stead and an own goal registered for Inter.

Goals from Nelson Gomes (2), Charlie Vos and an own goal fired White Horse to a 4-0 win over bottom-of-the-table Watford Athletic.