Watford Sunday League: Abbots Langley cause Challenge Cup upset

First Division Abbots Langley Club caused a major upset by knocking out Premier Division opposition, FC Unicorn, 5-3.

The lower ranked side had a dream start when they raced into an early two-goal lead, first Kyle Clifford headed home and then Eli Kefas scored with a neat finish.

Unicorn pulled a goal back, but Abbots then scored twice either side of half-time through Sam Hay, the first a well-struck finish from the edge of the box.

Alieu Gibril scrambled the ball over the line for a fifth, before Unicorn mounted a late comeback with two late goals.

Jack Bishop scored a brace for the home side, supported by a goal from Jamie Calvin.

Terry Devereux President’s Cup Group B

St Josephs showed their intention to succeed in all competitions with a convincing win 5-1 against North Watford, the current Premier Division leaders.

They went ahead after nine minutes when Jake Tabor beat his man out wide and crossed low for Anton Collins to slot home.

The rest of the first half was very even, but just before the break North Watford drew level thanks to a goal from Corum Chase after St Joes were guilty of giving the ball away.

The home side didn’t let that goal bother them though, as they scored twice in the opening three minutes of the second half. First Dan Griggs raced down the wing and crossed low for Jake Tabor to finish, then Ronnie Blagden scored from around 25 yards out, curling into the top corner after taking the ball around two players.

They put the game beyond North Watford’s reach on the hour mark when after complete confusion in the defence, Blagden sprung the offside trap and powered home, giving the keeper no chance.

Ellis Douglas came off the bench late on to score, again beating the keeper from outside the box.

Denis Jackson Intermediate Cup Round One

Two Third Division sides, Southern Cross and King George, put out Second Division sides.

Cross beat Abbots Wanderers 4-2, Gary Wicks scoring a double, supported by gaols from Chike Dale and Renzelle Lewis with his first for the club. Will Bell and Andy Denyer replied for Wanderers.

King George needed penalties to get past Watford Youth Sports after the game ended 3-3 after 90 minutes.

Ashley Yelland scored twice and Callum Flanagan once for George, with Michael Doran, Callum Bedwell and Alex Bond-Clarke replying for the home side. George won the spot-kicks 5-4.

Chris Blunden scored half of his team’s goals as Watford Town crushed Wishing Well Watford 14-0.

Alex Nottage struck a hat-trick as well, Michael East a double, with James Henney and Joe Smith also getting in on act.

BBFC won the Bricket Wood derby, beating Bricket Wood Acorns 4-0.

Tom Coleman scored twice with a goal each for James Barnett and Alfie Dibble.

Frances George enjoyed a 5-0 win over Inter, Gary Wallace netting twice along with single strikes from Gary Hennicke, Tom Minton and Luke Furlong.

Watford Town Youth Sports Old Boys were involved in a ten-goal thriller with Rio Rovers, winning through 7-3.

Lewis Nicholls was the star man for the home side, scoring four times, with Louie Muncie, Kyle Brooks and Lewis Mead also on target. Richard McCrossan, Aarron Crawford and George Ray replied for Rio.

Woodside clear their lines in their Division Two victory over West Herts

Premier Division

Old Fullerians moved into second place in the table with a second win of the season after a 6-0 victory over Everett Rovers Reed, whose inconsistent campaign continues.

Fullerians went ahead midway through the first half and never looked back after that.

Jake Entwistle crossed from the left where Ryan Moody’s initial shot was blocked but he followed up on the rebound to open the scoring.

The advantage was doubled just before half-time when Entwistle again got in down the left and crossed, the shot from Moody was saved but Charlie Hailey followed up to make no mistake from close range.

Fullerians scored four more times after the break, the first coming when James Rose found Moody who laid in Hailey to find the bottom right corner.

It was four when Harry Tamplin played the ball forward, the defender misjudged his header back which went past the keeper, allowing Moody an easy tap in.

After a neat one-two with Dan Woosley, Hailey found the bottom left corner to make it five.

Hailey then netted his fourth goal and his team’s sixth after Rose beat a man on the edge of the box, his shot was blocked on the line. allowing for an easy tap in.

Division One

Leaders Bushey Rangers made it five wins from five with a 3-1 victory over SOCA.

SOCA took an early lead thanks to a goal from Jordan Austin and had the better of the first half, but found themselves 2-1 down by the break through goals from Jordan Toomey and Mark Hansard.

Both teams had chances in the second half, but Toomey secured the win with his second of the game, curling the ball into the top right corner from outside the area.

Rangers’ local rivals Bushey Eagles moved into second place in the table, although they had to settle for a point after a 2-2 draw with Cassiobury Rangers.

Dan Bourne gave Eagles the lead after 20 minutes, slotting home under the keeper before Rangers levelled when Eagles keeper Johnny Lappert spilled a free-kick from Darrel Hennessy, allowing Aidan Lesslie to tap into an empty net.

Rangers went ahead in the second half, Corey Botten coming inside from the right, playing a one-two with Matt Ladmore before hitting a curling shot from more than 25 yards yards into the top corner.

However, Eagles kept on the pressure and a corner from Matt Mason found Charlie Wharton to head home to leave the points shared.

Chess United gained a second win of the season with a 3-1 victory over Langleybury CC.

After a goalless first half, it was Langleybury who broke the deadlock early in the second period thanks to a Colin Wilson free-kick which somehow missed everyone and flew into the goal.

However, this sparked a fine fightback for the home side with Ali Shale the star man as he struck a quick-fire hat-trick.

The first came when he bent the ball into the corner of the net, before quickly adding a second with his head following a Ben Bugeja corner.

Shale completed his hat-trick after Conor Graham played a through ball to him, where he finished his one on one to seal the win.

WD and Ricky AFC shared the points after a 4-4 draw.

Dion Belle gave WD the lead before they were reduced down to ten men, but that didn’t seem to worry them as Belle turned provider for Daniel Flanagan to double the advantage.

The game was not over as Ricky then scored three times to take the lead, but two goals in the final five minutes from Hamze Ali looked to have won the game, only for Ricky to equalise with the last kick of the contest.

Jordan Allen, Steven Quarrington and a Catalin Pirtaiche double scored the Ricky goals.

Woodside missed the target with this header

Division Two

It was a high-scoring morning in the four games played in this division.

Leaders Woodside made it seven wins on the bounce, but they had to come through a tough game against West Herts 3-2.

Jack Robertson, Jamie Seabrook and Joe Fox scored for Woodside, with Khodi Cain netting twice for West Herts.

Hertfordshire Eagles are five points behind Woodside from the same number of games played after they hit St Mary’s Harefield for six in a 6-1 win.

Glenn O'Malley scored a hat-trick, with Charlie Kimpton, Jack McLaughlin and Ed Rogers also netting. Craig Mathieson scored the St Mary’s consolation.

Chalfont Saints and Forza Watford fought out a 4-4 draw.

Aidan Brennan, with a hat-trick, and one from Liam Hennessy registered for the home side, with Forza having four different goal scorers in Giuseppe Delgaudio, Peter Rock, Simon Fatimehin and Jordan Colgan.

Dome Bar won the “bar” derby as they defeated Dunnings Bar 4-2 for a second win of the season.

Nathan Pooley scored twice for Dome Bar, with Steve Noonan and Chris Dunn also on target. James Fitzgerald and Ryan Mangan netted the Dunnings goals.