Bushey Rangers, St Josephs and North Watford win in Herts Senior Cup

The Watford Sunday League had a reasonable morning of success in the Herts Senior Cup with three sides winning directly through to the second round where they will be joined by another six teams who progressed due to walkovers.

The all-WSL affair between SOCA and Bushey Rangers saw Rangers continue their strong start to the season with a 4-0 victory.

SOCA could only start the game with ten players, although they did manage to get up to a full complement after the contest had begun.

Bushey took the lead in the first half when Tom Perman converted a Jordan Toomey cross before Mark O’Connor made it 2-0 before half time. Connor Carney and Daniel Purkiss completed the scoring in the second period.

St Josephs are also in good form and they enjoyed an impressive 5-1 win over Berkhamsted Sunday side Flaunden.

Joes went ahead when Roy Byron connected with a clearance, this was quickly followed by a move down the right which enabled Jake Tabor to spin a shot beyond the keeper’s dive.

St Josephs had to weather a storm for the first part of the second half as Flaunden threatened to get back into the game, but the experience of Lee Benning and Harry Seabrook in defence helped protect stand-in keeper Danny Sonner.

Midway through the second half Dom David was put through and beat the keeper to extend the lead, and just two minutes later Tabor ran through to notch again. Ollie Salami then completed the scoring in style with a 25-yard rocket.

All Flaunden could manage in reply was a late consolation goal and St Josephs now face another away tie, this time against Borehamwood Rovers, in the next round.

The other side directly through on the day were North Watford who had a 7-1 home victory over AFC Cheshunt Town.

Karl Penny scored a hat-trick with Daryl Brown, John Fitzpatrick, Ashley Harewood and Winston Taylor also on target.

There was heartbreak for both Oakview and FC Unicorn who both lost penalty shoot-outs after drawing 2-2 at full-time.

Oakview, who reached the final of the 2019/20 competition only to see the game cancelled because of Covid, had hoped for another fine run, having reached the semi-final in 2019 as well, but on Sunday they suffered more disappointment after losing a 2-0 lead late on to Broxelona.

Oakview looked to be easing through to the next round after two well-taken goals from George Baker either side of half-time, but they were pegged back with two goals from the home side in the final four minutes, the first a penalty, with the equaliser coming with what was the final kick of the game. The tie went straight to penalties which the home side won 5-4.

FC Unicorn, like Oakview, suffered a shoot-out defeat.

Callum O'Connor scored both goals against Real Hadham, but they went down 8-7 in the shoot-out.

Langleybury CC were knocked out 5-4 by Strafford Arms.

The visitors produced a dramatic comeback to pull level at 4-4, after trailing 4-1 at the break, but with just five minutes left Strafford scored the winner.

Oliver Ilott scored twice for Langleybury supported by goals from Finlay Reid and Mark Edgar.

Chess United were the other side to lose after 90 minutes as they suffered a 3-1 away defeat to Fairfield Park.

The home side went ahead five minutes before half-time and added two further goals in the second period before Chess scored a deserved consolation through Andrew Peddie after a corner.

Evergreen, Chorleywood Club, Everett Rovers Reed, WD, Old Fullerians and Cassiobury Rangers all progressed thanks to walkovers.

The Dome Bar goal comes under heavy pressure in their Division Two loss

Herts Junior Cup Round One

The only WSL side in action on Sunday were Woodside and they went through after a 5-3 away victory over Cheshunt Rovers.

Charlie Fisher and Henry Hardman both netted braces with Drew Snailham scoring the other.

Eric Hand Challenge Cup Round One

It looks like being a long, hard first season for Wishing Well after they suffered yet another high-scoring defeat, this time 13-0 against fellow Division Two side Southern Cross.

Gary Wicks scored five times, with Stribey Wiltshire, Beno Napata and Chike Dale all netting braces. James Hamill and Stephani Grimes-Forde also got in on the scoring act.

Inter achieved a first win of the season with a 4-0 away victory over Frances George, James Oldham scoring a double supported by a goal each from Chris Stead and Gabriel Casagrande.

The tie between the Third Division’s two in-form sides, Watford Youth Sports Old Boys and King George, ended in a narrow 3-2 win for King George.

In what was an open game between two attack-minded sides, King George took an early lead before Old Boys scored twice through Louie Muncie, rounding the keeper after a defensive mistake before he scored his second with a curling effort.

However, King George levelled following a set piece and then snatched the victory with a late scrambled winner.

Darren Obrien scored twice for King George and Phil Molloy netted the other.

The other Watford Youth Sports side did win through 3-1 against Batchworth, Zak McNicholas with a double and one from Josh Pritchard. John Robertson replied for the home side.

Watford Town scored seven as they beat Bricket Wood Acorns 7-3.

Chris Blunden netted four times, backed up by goals from Joe Smith, Louis Smith and Matthew Watt.

Harrison Fisher scored a brace for the home side along with a goal from Alex Michael.

Chalfont Saints won the all-Second Division tie against Abbots Wanderers 3-0, Aidan Brennan with two and Sam Hills also finding the net.

There was a narrow 2-1 win for BB as they defeated Rio Rovers, James Barnett and Alfie Dibble scoring for the home side with Richard McCrossan getting the Rio goal.

A St Mary's player looks to go around the keeper

Division One

Abbots Langley Club beat Ricky 4-2 to move into second place in the table.

After going 1-0 down following a George Blanks goal, the home side turned the game around through Ben Knights with a quick-fire brace.

Alex Diaz added a third from close range before Ricky pulled a goal back right on the half-time whistle through Alexander Phillips to reduce the deficit.

Ozzie Ogbebor’s finish early in the second half secured the three points.

Division Two

Hertfordshire Eagles went back to the top of the table with a 4-1 away win over Dunnings Bar.

Glenn O'Malley scored twice with Evan King and Jack McLaughlin also on target. Dan Cresswell replied for the home side.

Eagles were helped to the summit by West Herts, who beat previous leaders Forza Watford 3-1.

Khodi Cain, Paul Colman and Jacob Culshaw struck for West Herts with Giuseppe Delgaudio replying for Forza.

St Mary’s Harefield made it two wins from two games following a 5-2 away win over Dome Bar.

Craig Mathieson struck a hat-trick with Harry Fullbrook and Matt Swain also on target. Sean McDonagh and Jay Haynes got the home side’s goals.

Dome Bar in possession during their defeat