Watford Sunday League: St Josephs retain President's Cup

St Josephs retained the President’s Cup with a 6-2 win over FC Unicorn at Oxhey Jets on Sunday morning.

It could well be the first part of a possible quadruple as they are still chasing the Premier Division title, and also have semi-finals to play in both the Hertfordshire Senior Cup and the Eric Hand Challenge Cup.

Joes had a dream start as they scored twice in the opening 12 minutes.

Jake Tabor, who scored one of the goals in last season’s 2-0 win over Old Fullerians in the final, was back in the scoring habit after just three minutes. The goal came from a long free-kick which Unicorn failed to deal with, allowing Tabor to shoot low into the net.

St Josephs celebrate one of their six goals. (Image: Len Kerswill)

The second goal followed just nine minutes later when Taylor Cobb scored with a floated effort into the top left-hand corner from around 30 yards out.

It looked like being a runaway win at this point, but despite the shock of conceding the two early goals Unicorn slowly battled their way back into the contest.

Nick Kerley had their best effort with a solo run and shot which struck the outside of the post on the angle just before the half-an-hour mark.

Five minutes before the break, Unicorn scored when a long free-kick from Jamie Calvin caused havoc in the Joes defence, and as Danny Warwick put Paulo Deritis under pressure, he could only deflect the ball past his own keeper Charlie Patmore with his head.

Aerial action from the final. (Image: Len Kerswill)

This was Unicorn’s best spell of the game, and they almost equalised when Warwick and Kerley combined well, but the latter bent the ball narrowly wide of the far post.

Unicorn’s hopes of building on the positive end to the first half were blown away by Joes as they scored three times in the opening seven minutes of the second period.

Two minutes in, full-back Dean Brinton’s cross into the area clearly deceived keeper Jack Bridges and ended up in the far-left hand corner of the goal.

Then two minutes later, it was 4-1, with Tabor scoring with a penalty after Ronnie Blagden had been brought down inside the area.

It got even worse for Unicorn three minutes after that when Liam Smyth raced through the defence and lobbed the ball home from around 25 yards out.

The goals continued to flow as Unicorn once again brought themselves back into the match when Sam Hutchings headed home a long Kerley free-kick from the left-hand side, but any hopes of a dramatic comeback were ended midway through the half when Tabor completed his hat-trick with his second penalty of the game.

Cobb could have a added a seventh late on when he saw his effort strike the crossbar.

After the final whistle and trophy presentation, Unicorn’s player-manager Calvin was sent off after a verbal confrontation with the referee.

St Josephs: Patmore, Brinton (Peerless 72), Yallop, Stead (Sonner 72), Deritis, Hailey (Smith 60), Tabor (Hopkin 69), Blagden, Griggs (Byron 45), Cobb, Smyth.

FC Unicorn: Bridges, Soper (Owens 76), Calvin, Welling (J. Hutchings 60), J. Halcomb, M. Halcomb, S. Hutchings, Berkeley, Kerley, McNamara (E. Hutchings 44), Warwick. Subs not used: Perkins, Makaveev.

St Josephs could be celebrating much more this season. (Image: Len Kerswill)

Premier Division

North Watford hit league leaders WD Bushey for eight unanswered goals as they moved to within two points of their opponents with two games in hand.

Corum Chase scored four times, with two goals each for Ashley Lewis and Marcus Wyllie.

Old Fullerians’ relegation from the top flight after seven seasons was confirmed as they suffered a 3-2 home defeat to Evergreen.

Fullerians pulled themselves back into the game from 2-0 down thanks to two goals in the second half from Charlie Hailey, but they were caught out again in the final minute.

Jake Sahota netted twice for Evergreen along with Tommee Seaton.

Division One

Woodside all but clinched the First Division title with a 4-3 win over Langleybury CC who were relegated by this defeat.

One game has been awarded to Woodside but that could still be subject to an appeal to Herts FA, although that does seem unlikely.

It was an end-to-end encounter, with Woodside racing into a two-goal lead with two more strikes from the prolific Ollie Lawford, before Langleybury pulled one back through Oliver Ilott.

Luke Dolan and Lawford again looked to have made the game safe, before Langleybury scored two back late on through Ilott and Matt Honey.

Two of the sides hoping to join Woodside in the Premier Division next season, Forza Watford and Watford Sports, drew 1-1.

Taylor Kemp’s goal for Sports looked to have gained them a vital three points, but Forza equalised with the last kick of the game through Adam Kemp.

Division Two

The big double header at the top of the division between The Cross and Glenn SSC, saw Glenn win both very close games 2-1.

Chris Blunden and Lewis Putman scored in the first fixture for Glenn with Raphael Wiredu replying.

In the return match, Putman was again on target alongside a goal from Frankie Henley as Curtis Seward replied.

Those six points plus being awarded four games due to the opposition not being able to field teams and the folding of BBFC, now leave Glenn within a win of the title, although The Cross have deservedly secured promotion for a second season running.

St Josephs Reserves’ late run to avoid relegation continued with a thumping 6-1 win over Sparta Phoenix.

Mitchell Tearle scored a double, supported by goals from Jude Brasenell, Robbie Tocher, Max Mercer and Dillon Hemmington. Fergus Jimminson got the reply for Phoenix.

The double header between CF Fajeczka and West Herts ended in four points for Fajeczka.

The first game ended in a 1-1 draw, with Tomas Brenan and Jak Larman netting.

Fajeczka ran out 3-0 winners in the second encounter, thanks to two goals from Joseph Belloni and one from Artem Karapatkan.

Division Three

There was yet another twist in the three-way title race as leaders Inter beat in-form second-placed Everett Rovers 2-1.

That victory leaves Inter four points clear of Everett with a game to play against Rio Rovers. But the team that could still catch them are Batchworth whose two final games are against Everett, although these will be played as two separate matches, not as a double header.

Gabriel Casagrande and James Oldham scored for Inter with David Spencer getting the Everett reply.

Chorleywood Club AFC beat Woodside Reserves 3-2, George Blanks with a double, supported by a goal from Simon Lee. Andre Federico and Valtencir Poyer replied for Woodside.

Rio Rovers beat AFC Watford 6-1, who are confirmed as finishing bottom of the table.

Jack Wilson scored a hat-trick, with Richard McCrossan hitting a brace and Alex Lubin getting the other goal. Dermot O'Sullivan replied for AFC.