Eric Hand Challenge Cup Round Three

Evergreen are the league’s in-form team and they continued their good run by dumping 10-time winners Oakview out of this season’s competition with a 1-0 win after extra-time.

There were not many chances at either end in a tight contest and when Oakview did create anything they were met by Evergreen keeper Luke Simpson who was in inspired form, making several excellent saves.

After neither side had been able to make the breakthrough in 90 minutes, Evergreen scored what proved to be the winner halfway through the first period of extra-time when a cross-field ball from Kyle Rimmer released Ryan O'Sullivan who advanced into the penalty area and fired low into the bottom corner.

Although Oakview tried to push for the equaliser, the home defence remained solid to seal a memorable victory.

First Division leaders Everett Rovers are also through to the last eight after they beat Second Division Bushey Sports Club 8-1.

Everett initially made hard work of a game against lower-ranked opponents and had to settle for a two-goal lead at the break through Jake Knight and Ross O'Flynn.

Rovers easily progressed though, as Reece Cameron netted a second-half brace, Knight completed his hat-trick and there were further goals from Luke Preedy and Mustafa Khatoun. Rob Gradwell scored the Bushey consolation.

Herts Sunday Intermediate Cup Round Four

The league’s domination of this competition over the last two seasons came to an end, with all three remaining sides failing to reach the quarter-finals.

Fox and Stone suffered a 4-2 defeat at The Herts Prodigies.

After Ciaran Walsh had missed a gilt-edged chance inside the opening 10 seconds, Fox had the better of the first half and took the lead when Matt Elgey was fouled in the box and Josh Noyes slotted away the penalty.

That was about as good as it got for the visitors though, as individual and team errors led to the home side equalising before half-time and adding a further three goals after the break.

Fox scored a last-minute consolation when Tim Wilson netted after Alex Witham's initial shot was well saved.

Cassiobury Rangers also went down to an away defeat, 6-2 at Bishops Stortford Wanderers.

Rangers were the better team in the opening exchanges, but their opponents took the lead when Cassiobury goalkeeper Brad Finch was sent off for fouling the opposition striker when he had an open goal. It also resulted in the first of Stortford's three penalties, which was dispatched.

A second penalty for Stortford following a push by Jon Burch was put into the bottom left corner, and soon after Rangers gave away another goal by leaving themselves open from their own corner and paying the price from a counter-attack.

Just before half-time though, Cassiobury pulled one back when Aidan Lesslie's through ball was met by Corum Chase to knock it past the on-rushing keeper.

Stortford’s three-goal advantage was restored early in the second period when their opponents gave away a cheap free-kick on the edge of their box and it was passed into the net.

Rangers replied soon after when a Burch cross was headed home by Rob Ladmore, only for their hopes of building up further momentum to be halted by a second red card.

A third penalty for Wanderers followed and then the home side scored a sixth goal when a cross from the right was not dealt with.

Ardent were also knocked out, 4-1 at home to Buffs, Ross Parsons with the consolation.

Herts Sunday Junior Cup Round Three

RBL Croxley failed to join Watford Athletic in the quarter-finals as they went down to a single goal defeat away to Excel.

Premier Division

FC Unicorn have suddenly found some form and a second straight league win with a 2-0 victory over local rivals Tudor Athletic has sent them hurrying up the table from bottom place at the start of last month to fifth.

Tudor, who could have gone top, started brightly and moved the ball around, but Unicorn rarely lost their shape and absorbed the pressure.

Athletic did go close when a shot ricocheted off Luke Peerless and bounced around in front of the goal, with both Mike Varcoe and Spencer Bellotti having shots blocked by Unicorn keeper Jack Bridges.

The game looked to be heading towards a goalless draw in the second half before a late dramatic twist.

With just a minute left, Matt Owens’ perfectly executed ball into the box over the top of the defence was met by Jack Bishop who plucked it from the air and tucked his shot into the bottom corner.

Then two minutes into time added-on the victory was secured when, following a Tudor corner, Bishop found Callum O’Connor who skipped past a challenge and raced through with only the keeper to beat before squaring for Danny Warwick to finish into an empty net.

The other two games saw the bottom four in the division face off against each other.

Bottom-placed St Josephs went down to a 3-1 defeat to Rifle Volunteer, who gained only a second league win of the campaign.

Josh Towel gave St Josephs the lead on the half-hour mark with a strike from outside the area before Rifle equalised soon after through player-manager Gary Froy.

Josh Helmore netted twice after the break to seal the win.

Old Fullerians and Chorleywood Club shared the points following a 2-2 draw.

After a goalless first half, Chorleywood looked to have won all three points with two goals in a 20-minute spell at the start of the second period through Scott Bonner and Prince Nimoh.

However, Fullerians pulled themselves back into the game with two goals in the final 10 minutes.

First a back heel from Stephen Pich found Craig Totton in the box and he crossed for Charlie Hailey to finish at the back post. Then a Pich cross from the right was met by Totton who headed home at the back post.

Division One

Langleybury CC won the big game at the bottom of the table with a 3-1 victory over AFC Bedmond.

Matt Honey put the visitors ahead just before the break, Oliver Ilott added a second before Bedmond pulled a goal back after a period of pressure through Gavin Rajendren. But the away side sealed the win with a lob from just inside in his own half from Colin Wilson.

West Herts remain without a win at the foot of the table, but they gave an improved performance in going down narrowly 2-1 to FC Woodside.

Woodside took the lead in the first half when Jamie Dunlop’s free-kick was met with a looping header on the edge of the box by Joe Fox.

They had a golden chance to double their lead on the stroke of half-time, but Jamie Dunlop’s penalty was saved by Stags keeper Jamie Glenn.

Rajan Sanghera equalised for West Herts midway through the second half, but they were hit on the counter-attack and Drew Snailham netted what proved to be the winner.

North Watford beat AFC Leavesden 3-1 after the away side had taken the lead in the first half when Jack Carter bundled the ball home from a Callum Galvin cross.

Watford equalised just before half-time through Connor Flanagan and goals from Chris Chase and Karl Brown sealed the win.

Division Two

Chess United held leaders Bennetts End Rovers to a 1-1 draw in a game the home side were disappointed not to win.

Cameron Murray got the Chess goal and Callum Jones was on target for their opponents.

The two dropped points mean The Victoria have cut the lead the top of the table to 10 points and with four games in hand after a 7-1 win over ACS Milan.

Dean Brinton struck four times with Dan Bourne, George Brockwitz and Ben Stallard also on target. Matt Gibsone got the ACS goal.

Ricky AFC are up to fourth place after a 5-1 victory over ER FC.

Alex Ungureanu was the Ricky star man with a hat-trick and Steve Quarrington and Shane Kitts also netted. Dan Burke got the ER consolation.

Dome Bar enjoyed a 4-2 win over Croxley for whom Luke Dolan’s brace was not enough for a team who are facing a second successive relegation.

A double from Matt Byrne and singles from Steve Noonan and Ben Kelly secured the points for Bar.

Division Three

Sun Sports have an 11-point lead at the summit of the division after a 8-0 win over mid-table White Horse.

They missed several good chances to go ahead before the deadlock was broken when a Dion Belle strike deflected in off a defender.

A curling Ben Dunton free-kick made it 2-0 at the interval, but Horse collapsed in the second half after Belle got his second when he headed in from a corner.

Dunton scored another two goals after he was the quickest to react from two crosses into the box, one from Daniel Flanagan and the other from Aamir Ishaq.

Shakeb Ali made it six from the penalty spot and then bagged a second after scoring directly from a corner.

Bilal Akram completed the rout when he was put through on goal via an unlikely assist from keeper Tom Mullins.

SOCA kept up the chase in third place after a 2-0 win over Watford Athletic, Connor Chapman and Pearce White with the goals, whilst Inter gave themselves some breathing space at the wrong of the table after a 2-1 win over Hertfordshire Eagles.

James Oldham and Owen Harvey secured the win, with Jordan Osbourne replying for Eagles.