President’s Cup Semi-Final
St Josephs reached the President’s Cup final for a second straight season after a 2-1 win over Tudor Athletic as the last set of fixtures were played prior to the Watford Sunday League being suspended on Monday due to the coronavirus outbreak.
After an even opening spell in which Tudor struck the crossbar, it was St Josephs who went ahead when a through ball split the central defenders and after Ellis Douglas had seen his initial effort blocked, he squared the rebound for Dan Griggs to finish from six yards out.
Griggs then turned supplier on the stroke of half-time. Having been released by Alex Ward on the left, Griggs picked out as his team-mate as he arrived on the edge of the box and Ward allowed the ball to run across his body before controlling and slotting a fine finish into the corner of the net.
Tudor’s hopes of forcing a way back into the tie were frustrated by having players sin-binned in the second half, but they did finally break through the well-organised St Josephs defence two minutes from time when Tom Inch scrambled home from a corner but it was too little, too late.
Denis Jackson Intermediate Cup Semi-Finals
The Victoria defeated ACS Milan narrowly 2-1 to book their place in the final.
Dan Bourne and Charlie Wharton netted for Victoria, with Scott Monaghan replying.
The other tie was a far more straightforward affair as Dome Bar beat Bushey Sports Club 4-1.
Chris Dunn, Adam Finn, Joe Manfredini and Nathan Pooley were on target for Bar and Tom McGuiness netted Bushey’s consolation.
Premier Division
Oakview made it nine wins out nine with a 4-1 victory over FC Unicorn although the game was far closer, particularly in the first half, than the final scoreline suggests.
It was Unicorn who went ahead in the first half when Louis McNamara scored following a corner.
But their opponents equalised shortly before half-time when Lewis Putman raced through, wrong-footed the keeper and slotted home.
That goal changed the complexion of the game and early in the second half Putman put Oakview ahead with a powerful shot inside the near post that the keeper could only parry into the net.
A third followed soon after when a cross from Glenn O’Malley found Luke Lloyd at the far post and he rose the highest to head home.
Putman completed his hat-trick as he raced clear again and rounded the keeper to slot home.
Rifle Volunteer beat Old Fullerians 5-2, but only after coming back from 2-0 down in the first half.
A flick-on from Daniel Woosley found his brother Ryan, who beat the keeper as he came out to close the forward down.
The Rifle stopper was beaten again when he was caught out by a deep free-kick from Mark Needham, with the ball going in off the crossbar.
Fullers were unable to take the two-goal lead into the break though, as Rifle levelled with a quick-fire double.
First Elliot Wilson tapped home from close range and then Chris Colman saw his low shot slip under the body of the Fullerians keeper.
Early in the second half Rifle completed their comeback when Gary Froy set up Ben Goode, who had just come on at the break, to bring down the cross and fire home.
The victory was sealed with a brace from Isti Ehui, including a penalty.
Division One
Leaders Everett Rovers dropped points in their double header with Ardent.
The first game was won by Ardent thanks to a penalty from captain Glenn Rawlings in the second half.
The second game saw another close affair, but this ended in a 1-1 draw.
Reece Cameron gave Everett the lead in the second half with a half-volley from inside the box, but their opponents equalised when Ross Parsons got on the end of a long throw into the area.
Everett's dropped points allowed Fox & Stone to move level at the top of the table after they defeated fellow title contenders Maple Cross 4-0.
Stone dominated the game from the first whistle but all they had to show for their first-half supremacy was a goal from Matt Elgey with a strike from just inside the area.
Fox’s control on the game continued in the second period and it was rewarded when Michael Edwards headed home a corner. Josh Noyes and Leigh Stevens scored in the last 20 minutes to seal the win.
The other three games in the division produced 26 goals between them, with six coming in FC Woodside’s 3-3 draw with Langleybury.
Woodside went ahead through Sam Williams, but Langleybury equalised thanks to a Matt Honey goal.
In the second half Woodside were reduced to ten men, and their opponents took full advantage of their numerical advantage, scoring twice soon after through Robin Weller and Garry Cook.
Despite being a man down, Woodside staged a late rally, with Dane Weimar and Kieran Cahill scoring to give both teams a point each.
AFC Bedmond won the big game at the foot of the table, beating West Herts 7-3.
Bedmond built up a 4-0 lead by half-time thanks to two goals in the opening ten minutes from Mark O'Connor and David O’Connor, and then tap-ins from Sam Hakner and Jordan Toomey doubled the scoreline.
Hakner got his second of the game early in the second half after good work from David O’Connor.
Toomey then netted twice to complete his hat-trick before the Stags rallied late on with three goals in the final 15 minutes through Ryan Legge, Jason Topping and Tiago Campos.
North Watford climbed to fourth in the table after a 6-4 victory over Bushey Rangers.
Conner Flanagan and Chris Chase scored to put North Watford two ahead before Hayden Smith and Stephen King pulled Bushey level, but two goals from Patrick Lawrence and Flanagan in the final two minutes of the half restored their side’s two-goal advantage.
A fifth followed for North Watford five minutes into the second half from Winston Taylor.
Bushey kept themselves in the game, pulling two back in a 15-minute spell from George Davies and James Henney, but their opponents sealed the win with a goal in the last minute from Karl Brown.
Division Two
Ricky AFC went top of the table with a 6-1 home win over ERFC.
Alex Ungureanu and Jordan Allen both struck braces, with John Gyabaah and an own goal completing the victory. Dan Burke scored the sole ER reply.
Division Three
RBL Croxley and Batchworth fought out a 2-2 draw.
Goalless at the break, Jack McLaughlin curled into the far corner when sent through on the left-hand side by Dean Alexander to put Batchworth ahead before RBL hit back with goals from Callum Hearn and Harry Donohoe.
Two minutes from time though, McLaughlin scored his second of the game with a penalty to leave both teams with a point.
In the other game played in the division White Horse beat Hertfordshire Eagles 3-1 thanks to a Floyd Thompson double and one from Elliot Greig.
Charlie Kimpton scored the Eagles goal.
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