Herts Sunday Senior Cup Final

St Josephs won their sixth senior county cup in their eighth final appearance after a superb 6-1 win over Potters Bar-based Strafford Arms of the Herts Advertiser League.

Appearing in their first final since their last win back in 2010, Joes simply blew away their opponents, who had beaten three Watford Sunday League sides to reach the conclusion of the competition.

The final was over as a contest by half-time as St Josephs hit four unanswered goals in the opening 36 minutes, including three in a devastating seven-minute spell inside the first 20 minutes.

It was all St Josephs from the first whistle, led by the pace of Dom David on the right wing who gave Strafford Arms left-back Adam Waters a torrid opening half.

David was a member of the Reed Rangers team who were the last Watford Sunday League to win the cup when it was last completed in 2019 and was almost unplayable during the opening exchanges.

In just the third minute, his run and cross flew across the face of the goal, with no one able to turn the ball home.

The early pressure was relentless, with Arms keeper Andrew Donohue taking a long-range free-kick at the second attempt, while a goalmouth scramble led to the ball being hacked clear.

But the pressure finally did tell after 13 minutes when Jake Tabor’s effort was ruled to have crossed the line after Donohue had spilled David’s powerful shot following yet another run down the right.

Watford Observer:

Dom David curls in the second goal

Two minutes later David added the second when he curled a beautiful shot into the top right-hand corner of the goal, giving the keeper no chance.

The match was effectively won five minutes after that when Ronnie Blagden added a third with a neatly taken shot after he waited for what seemed an age for the ball to drop.

Watford Observer:

Ronnie Blagden makes it 3-0

Strafford looked shell-shocked after such an explosive start from their opponents as they struggled to get hold of the ball. They did not trouble the Joes defence until half an hour had been played, but an attack down the left was easily dealt with.

Nine minutes before the break, Harry Seabrook headed home the fourth goal with a looping header following a long Blagden free-kick.

Watford Observer:

Harry Seabrook heads in the fourth

Arms made three substitutions at the break to try and change things, and attempt to limit the score line, but nine minutes into the second half Dan Griggs swept a finish into the top corner from an angle after David had knocked the ball on with what was to be his last contribution of the contest.

Watford Observer:

Dan Griggs gets his name on the scoresheet

Strafford never gave up and pulled a goal back 14 minutes from time with a well-taken goal from substitute Kiri Louca.

For the first time in the entire game they started to look threatening, but any hopes of an unlikely comeback were all but ended when Stephen Dodd was sent off eight minutes from time.

Four minutes later Seabrook scored his second of the game, once again with his head, to put the seal on a superb performance.

Watford Observer:

The St Josephs celebrations get underway

The victory completed an excellent season for St Josephs, who were also runners-up in the Premier Division, won the President’s Cup and had a run to the last 16 of the FA Sunday Cup as well.

The result is even more remarkable considering the club, which was formed in 1964, came within days of folding in May 2018, but have manager Scott Patmore to thank for this impressive turnaround in fortunes, having rebuilt the club and the team from the bottom up.

St Josephs: Everett, Hailey, Banyboye, Byron (D. Seabrook 66), Benning, H. Seabrook, Tabor, Peerless (Yallop 90), Griggs (Deritis 83), Blagden (Ward 60), David (Hemington 55).

Strafford Arms: Dononhue, Golding, Waters (Dodd 45), Flack, Buddington (Loucca 60), O’Callaghan, Swaile, Davis (Buddington 80), Weldon (Griffin 45), Redman, Stevens (Langlais 45). Sub not Used: Natling.

Division Three

In the final game of the season, champions BB suffered a 4-2 home defeat to Watford Youth Sports Old Boys to suffer their third loss of the campaign.

The result means the Old Boys moved above Southern Cross to take third place in the final table.

Jonny Watson and James Barnet netted for the champions, with Lewis Carter, Zain Chaudry, Lewis Watling and Tony Garvey scoring the goals for Old Boys as they ended their season on a high.