Eric Hand Challenge Cup Third Round
Like fellow top-flight side North Watford two weeks ago, WD Bushey needed penalties to see off Third Division opponents. This time it was Chorleywood Club AFC who gave the Herts Senior Cup finalists a run for their money, holding them to a 2-2 draw in normal time before WD won through 4-2 on spot kicks.
The game started with WD on the back foot and midway through the first half Chorleywood's Eli Russell missing a golden opportunity from the penalty spot, denied by an outstanding save from keeper Modou Faye.
Shortly after, Daniel Moss gave WD the lead but only after his effort took a huge deflection. They then extended their advantage when Moss netted his second, capitalising on a rebound off the post from Daniel Flanagan's shot.
In the second half Chorleywood never gave up and forced the tie to the shoot-out thanks to two goals in the last ten minutes from Joe Berzins and Russell, who made up for his earlier penalty miss.
WD won the shoot-out after converting all four of their kicks, with Chorleywood missing two of their four.
Premier Division
It looks almost certain that North Watford will be crowned champions for a third successive season after they defeated St Joseph’s 3-2, the only team that could realistically catch them because of their games in hand.
Dean Brinton gave Joes the lead with a strike from the edge of the box but Youssef Enajar levelled with an almost identical goal soon after.
Marvin Sordell then gave North Watford the lead after good work by Ashley Lewis, slotting into the bottom corner.
Joes piled on the pressure early in the second half and levelled when a mix up between the North Watford keeper and defender allowed Keane Fullwood to tap in to level the scores, but the game - and probably the destiny of the title - was decided by a bizarre own goal when two mishit clearances saw the ball loop into the net.
Glenn SSC surprisingly didn’t take maximum points from their double header with bottom of the table Forza Watford.
The first game was a straightforward 3-0 win for Glenn.
Lewis Putman opened the scoring, rounding the keeper, and doubled the lead before the break.
Spirited Forza made a game of it in the second half but Grant Avis’ backheel flicked it over the defence for Putman to complete his hat-trick.
The second game was a far different affair, despite Putman scoring his fourth goal of the morning.
Forza responded with two goals from Giuseppe Delgaudio and Evans Owusu but Mitchell Wheatley popped up to head home a Will Bishop header to deny them all three points.
Division One
The game between the top two, Watford Sports and Chalfont Saints, ended in a 2-2 draw, a result that will suit leaders Saints as they have a five-point advantage at the summit.
Andre Ford gave Saints an early lead from the penalty spot but Joe Blagden levelled from a free-kick. Soon after, he whipped the ball in from another free-kick for Zak Mcnicholas to steer home.
It was a lead Sports held until the eighth minute of added-on time when Conor Leahy levelled following a corner.
SOCA remain six points behind Saints, but with three games in hand after they all but ended Watford United’s hopes of the title with a 5-1 win.
SOCA missed an early penalty but they went on to dominate the game, Micah Burton giving them the lead when he slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
But it was in the second half when SOCA sealed the win with two further goals from Burton to complete his hat-trick, and one each for Jordan Austin and Reece Sutton.
Umayr Anwar netted the United consolation goal.
Batchworth gained a third win of the season, 4-3 over CF Watford Continentals, which has lifted them off the bottom for the first time this campaign with a game left.
Batchworth raced into a two-goal lead, Alex Hollis netting the first with a composed finish and this was soon followed by a second when Dylan Rose scored directly from a free-kick.
CF got themselves level by half-time thanks to two goals from Joseph Belloni.
Midway through the second half, Batchworth went ahead again, Harry Lord heading in a corner.
It was level again soon after when Shkemb Nishevci netted but Lloyd Milliken struck a composed left-footed finish first time into the bottom corner for a well-timed first goal of the season to give Batchworth the vital three points.
The win moved them above Langleybury who went down to a 5-1 defeat to Old Fullerians.
Fullerians went ahead when a cross from Ryan Woosley found Charlie Hailey who laid the ball off for Dan Woosley to place his effort into the top corner.
In the second half, a ball down the right found Jake Entwistle, who set up Dan Woosley to again find the top corner.
Langleybury pulled a goal back when Robbie Edgar found the bottom corner, only for the home side to immediately hit back, Hailey scoring at the back post.
It was soon 4-1 thanks to Entwistle who tucked the ball past the keeper.
Dan Woosley finished the scoring and completed his hat-trick, finishing off a cross from Hailey at the back post.
Division Two
Leaders Everett Rovers defeated Inter 4-3.
Everett had to play 70 minutes with just ten men due to a red card, having been cruising in a 4-1 lead at the time of the dismissal with all four goals coming from Jordan Standley.
Sam Conway scored the Inter goal in the first half, adding his second after the break before another from Sorin Craciun.
It looks like being a two-way fight for runners-up spot between St Joseph’s Reserves and Sparta Phoenix after both enjoyed big wins on Sunday.
Joes Reserves swept aside fourth-placed West Herts 6-1, Robbie Tocher netting a hat-trick, supported by goals from Ben Castello, Mitchell Tearle and Johnny Hopkins.
Chesney Jacob replied for the Stags.
Phoenix went a goal better than Joes with a 7-1 victory over Abbots Wanderers.
George Pascoulis and Fergus Jimminson both scored doubles, while the other men on target were Josh Bulley, Ralph Thompson and Floyd Thompson.
Francis George and bottom-placed Dome Bar shared the points after a 2-2 draw.
Andy Bartram scored twice for George and James Heard did the same in reply for Dome Bar.
The double header between Dunnings Bar and Watford Youth Sports saw Dunnings take four points from the possible six with a 2-2 draw and 1-0 win.
Flynn Duncan and Harley Wilson scored for Dunnings in the first game with Oliver Frost netting both for Watford in reply, whilst in the return match a single goal from Harley Wilson was enough to seal the win.
Division Three
Runaway leaders Woodside Reserves beat AFC Watford 4-2, Josh Towle with a double supported by goals from Lui Potiuk and Tyrone Brandy.
Peter Rock and Tommy Edwards replied for AFC.
The game between Surely Wood and Bricket Wood Acorns ended in a 2-2 draw.
Keith McAspurn and Brett Fincham netted for Surely, with Charlie Micklewright and Harrison Fisher replying for the Acorns.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here