Watford Sunday League: St Josephs retain Hertfordshire Senior Cup

St Josephs retained the Herts Senior Cup after a hard-fought and entertaining 4-2 win over Borehamwood Rovers of the Herts Advertiser Sunday League to complete a superb season with a trophy treble.

It was the seventh time they have won the senior county crown, coming 30 years since their first victory back in 1993.

It also means that despite missing out on the Premier Division title, Joes completed a cup treble, winning two Watford Sunday League cups in addition to the County crown.

Harry Seabrook is presented with the trophy. (Image: Mike Kenna)

The tone of the contest was set from the kick-off when Joes’ Liam Smyth had a shot cleared off the line in the opening minute.

Jake Tabor put a low cross shot inches past the right-hand post after seven minutes, but Joes were not to denied and two minutes later Louis Babmgboye gave them the lead with a looping header from inside the area.

Borehamwood had started slowly but they worked their work into the game and almost equalised after 18 minutes when a first-time shot from Archie Oats was saved at point-blank range by Charlie Patmore.

Both sides enjoyed periods of attacking, as the game started to swing from end to end, with Rovers going close again two minutes into added-on time when Billy Lobjoit curled a free-kick just past the post from the edge of the box.

Borehamwood had a strong start to the second period and Charlie Oats, who was their stand out player, broke through the Joes defence only to see his lobbed effort fly just over. Lobjoit then saw his curled shot pushed away for a corner by Patmore.

Having survived this tricky period, Joes doubled their lead with a goal of real quality on the hour mark.

Breaking swiftly from the back, Harry Seabrook took the ball from Tabor and, racing across the pitch from the right-hand side, he superbly knocked the ball around two defenders to come into the box from the left and fire hard and low into the right-hand corner of the goal.

Despite that setback Rovers struck back almost straight from the kick-off after Patmore once again denied Charlie Oats with a superb save. But the keeper had no chance a minute later when Billy Lobjoit curled a free-kick into the top left-hand corner a minute later.

However, Joes responded in the best way possible by restoring their two-goal advantage once again, and making it three goals in eight minutes, when Tabor netted from close range.

It looked Joes were cruising to the win, but the game had one final twist in the tail.

With four minutes left, Rovers keeper Connor Freeman hit a long free-kick into the box from the half-way line out on the left, the ball went through all the defenders and attackers to drop for Charlie Frost to net from close range.

That goal gave Rovers hope of taking the tie to a penalty shoot-out, and two minutes into added-on time Archie Oats went over in the area, but the referee waved away heated appeals for a penalty.

With Rovers throwing players forward, they were caught on the break six minutes into stoppage time when Seabrook started to head towards the left-hand side corner flag, but suddenly got past his defender and cut the ball back for Tabor, who raced into the area to make no mistake and seal the victory.

St Josephs: Patmore, Brinton, Griggs, Byron, Deritis, Babmgboye (Hailey 78), Tabor, Blagden (Smith 83), Seabrook, Cobb (Benning 90+2), Smyth (Peerless 70). Not Used: Yallop.

Borehamwood Rovers: Freeman, Sopa (Defriend 45), Scott (English 58, Frost 67), Sansom, Brothwood, Martin, Duncan, Skinner (Blake 78), Oats, B. Lobjoit, L. Lobjoit. Not Used: McCarthy.

Everett Rovers have been confirmed as Division Three winners after their game against Bricket Wood Acorns on May 14 was abandoned in the 71st minute due to a serious player injury on 

The league committee attempted to organise a replay of the match, which Rovers were leading 2-0, but this has not been possible, so the scoreline at the time of the abandonment stands as the final result.