Five Watford Sunday League triumph in Herts Junior Cup first round

Five Watford Sunday League teams made it through to the next round with some impressive results in the first round of the Herts Junior Cup.

The saying goes that week a long is a long time in politics and Southern Cross and Rio Rovers proved that it is equally case in football as well.

Southern Cross came into the tie with their fellow Third Division side on the back of a 13-0 victory in the Challenge Cup, whilst Rio Rovers suffered a defeat a week previously, but it was Rio who turned in an excellent performance to win 3-0.

A poor clearance allowed Rio to take the lead through Aron Emmanuel and they doubled their advantage before half-time when a goalkeeping error allowed Danny Mensah to net.

Rio confirmed the win with a breakaway goal midway through the second half through Lewis Phillips.

Southern Cross went close to pulling one back with this attempt

Both St Marys Harefield and Watford Youth Sports enjoyed good away wins as well.

St Mary’s beat FC Boca Seniors 5-1, Craig Mathieson netting a brace with Luke Bentley, Matt Swain and Harvey Brown also on target.

Zak McNicolas, Taylor Kemp and Kyle Davis all found the net for Watford Youth Sports as they defeated Bengo Blinders 3-0.

The other two sides to progress through were Inter who beat fellow Third Division side Bricket Wood Acorns 2-1 - Chris Stead and Barna Ulicska scoring for the victors with Taylor Pope replying - while Forza Watford notched a 5-2 home win over Bullsmoor United.

Dominic Leacock and Giuseppe Delgaudio both scored twice with Bladen Trigg netting the other.

Watford Youth Sports Old Boys lost out 5-4 on penalties to Almond Tree following a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes, Zain Chaudry with the goal.

Sparta Phoenix suffered a 3-2 home defeat to the wonderfully named Unpredictable FC. Floyd Thompson and Dan Clark scored the Sparta goals.

Anthony Maylor’s double was not enough for West Herts as they went down 5-2 at home to Goffs Oak Comrades, whilst BB suffered a 6-0 away defeat to Sandon.

Terry Devereux President’s Cup Group A

FC Unicorn got off to a fine start in the group stages with a 4-0 win over Evergreen.

The hosts took the lead through Jack Bishop, who capitalised on a short back pass to the keeper and tucked the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Joe Turberfield made it two with his first goal for the club after good work from Callum O’Connor saw his shot saved and his teammate fired the loose ball into the bottom corner.

Turberfield turned provider shortly after, whipping a ball into the box and O’Connor arrived at the back post to catch it on the half-volley, giving the keeper no chance.

O’Connor doubled his tally following good work from Charlie Benning and Jamie Calvin. The latter’s ball was met by O’Connor and his touch took him round the defender and allowed him to volley home.

Oakview enjoyed a 3-1 away win over Old Fullerians.

The victors went ahead when Tom Kennedy lobbed the keeper from around 40 yards out before Fullerians equalised when Harry Tamplin latched onto a through ball and was brought down by the on-rushing keeper. Charlie Hailey stepped up to level from the spot, low to the keeper’s right.

Both sides missed chances in the second half before Oakview introduced Lee Armitt from the bench and he had an immediate impact, scoring twice. The first was a volley from around 20 yards out and he then sealed the victory with a close-range finish.

More goalmouth action from Rio Rangers' Herts Junior Cup win

Terry Devereux Presidents Cup Group B

Everett Rovers Reed beat North Watford in a seven-goal thriller after they came from behind three times.

Marcus Wyllie opened the scoring for North Watford before Everett equalised through Matt Morris.

Ashley Harewood put North Watford back in front, showing perseverance to run down a loose ball and finish into an empty net, but their opponents again pulled level before the break thanks to a Josh Squires-Adams penalty.

In the second half, Karl Penny again put North Watford ahead after great work from Marcus Wyllie, but Everett equalised for a third time through Matt Driden-Taylor.

It fell to Meshach Williams to snatch the winner for Everett in the dying seconds of the game.

It was a far more straightforward affair as St Josephs’ great start to the season continued with an 8-0 demolition of Chorleywood Club.

Lee Banning opened the scoring after just four minutes, heading home a corner and his team never looked back after that.

Hugo Figuerido then helped himself to a quick-fire brace to put the game out of reach within the opening 20 minutes, this was followed by a goal from Jake Tabor just before the break.

With the game won by half-time, St Josephs made five substitutions, but the goals continued to flow as Tabor netted his second of the contest before the impressive work rate of Ellis Douglas earned him a goal that he thoroughly deserved.

With ten minutes left, Finley O’Reilly went past two defenders and netted the seventh and Dom David then got on the scoresheet with another clinical finish to complete the rout.

A Southern Cross player on the ball

Division One

Abbots Langley Club went top of the table after a 5-1 win over Langleybury CC.

They took the lead in the first half through Lucas Halligan after some good work from Callum Galvin.

Langleybury equalised early in the second half through Oliver Ilott, but Eli Kefas scored a brace in response to make the game more comfortable for Abbots.

Galvin added another before Halligan rounded off the scoring.

Both Ricky AFC and Cassiobury Rangers gained a first league win of the season.

Ricky beat SOCA 5-0, who are at the foot of the table after three straight defeats.

It was a fine performance from Ricky who had been struggling themselves. Catalin Pirtache was the star man, netting a hat-trick, with Ebenezer Essiam and George Blanks also on target.

Cassiobury Rangers inflicted on WD FC their first league defeat with a 4-2 victory.

Rangers were even able to afford to miss an early penalty when Joe Mortimer fired his effort over the bar.

They eventually got the lead they deserved though, when a Jamie McDougall corner was met by the head of Rob Ladmore who headed down and into the net.

WD levelled thanks to a penalty from Ben Dunton after Daniel Flanagan had been brought down in the area.

Cassiobury regained the lead when Aidan Lesslie worked the ball out to Charlie Bradford, whose cross from the right fell in between the two centre backs to Nathan Page. He killed the ball with his first touch and smashed home past the keeper with his second.

They extended their lead further when another Jamie McDougall cross fell to the feet of Jon Burch, who was able to bundle the ball home from six yards.

WD kept themselves in touching distance though, when they pulled one back with a Dion Belle header from a corner, but Rangers killed the game off when a ball out to the left found Page and he crossed to the on-rushing Taylor Osunsedo to head in from close range.

Division Two

Woodside had the perfect morning when they won the ‘Woodside derby’, beating Watford Town 6-1.

It was Town who took an early lead through Joe Smith, but Jack Robertson equalised on his Woodside debut, and his new team never looked back after that.

Joe Fox put them ahead after a through ball from Nathan Gullin and Henry Hardman scored the first of his three goals just before the break with a lob from just inside the box.

The scoring continued in the second half, with Robertson notching his second of the game, followed by two quick-fire goals from Hardman to complete his hat-trick.

Chalfont Saints went one goal better as they beat Dome Bar 7-1.

Tom Mack netted a brace with Will Jones, Aidan Brennan, Niall O’Shea, Calum Donovan and Jack Flanagan also scoring. The Dome Bar consolation came from Scott Kilbane.

Goals from Flynn Duncan and Ryan Mangan were enough for Dunnings Bar to register a first win of the season over Abbots Wanderers.

Division Three

Frances George moved up into third place in the table with a 7-3 victory over Wishing Well Watford.

The league’s bottom side can at least draw strength from the fact that they scored three times through Charlie Reeves, Martin Connor and Jamie Wheeler.

The problem continues to be at the other end of the pitch though, as Tom Minton struck a hat-trick for George, Elliot Kay-Jessop a brace, and there was a goal each for Adam Willden and Luke Furlong.