Watford Sunday League: Four clubs progress in Herts Senior Cup

Despite the winners for the last two seasons St Josephs being knocked out two weeks ago, both WD Bushey and North Watford reached the quarter-finals, whilst Cassiobury Rangers and Glenn SSC progressed into the third round where they will face each other. The winners of that tie will then meet WD Bushey, meaning the league will have a guaranteed place in the semi-finals in March.

Herts Senior Cup Third Round

It was a remarkable game as North Watford reached the quarter-finals by beating Southbury, the team that ended their county cup dream last season at the last-eight stage, 7-5 away from home.

North Watford were quickly out the blocks, playing some superb football and were 3-0 up within the opening 15 minutes.

Lee Armitt opened the scoring, tapping in at the back post before Gurkan Gokman netted with a low drive into the bottom corner to make it 2-0. Armitt then doubled his tally for his side's third.

Southbury pulled one goal back before Armitt completed a first-half half-trick to make it 4-1 just before the interval.

The second half was end to end as Armitt struck his fourth, but the game was not over with Southbury scoring two quick-fire goals before Ashley Lewis netted from the penalty spot to make it 6-3.

However, he then missed from the spot just minutes later from a second penalty, and Southbury netted two more goals to cut the deficit to 6-5.

But Ben Hiney then calmed the nerves with a back post header to seal the win and set up a last-eight tie against Herts Advertiser league side Stafford Arms.

WD Bushey also progressed with an equally impressive win, 2-0 away over Northaw.

They took the lead on the stroke of half-time after Hamze Ali found the bottom corner with a strike from outside the box.

They had a golden opportunity to make it 2-0 after Hamze Ali was fouled in the box but Gbohun Palmer-Inyang failed to convert the penalty, but he didn’t let the miss faze him as he found the net shortly after when Ali played him in to book his team’s place in the quarter-finals.

Herts Senior Cup Second Round

WD Bushey’s opponents in the quarter-final will be either Cassiobury Rangers or Glenn SSC as they both came through their delayed second round ties with high-scoring wins.

Glenn SSC, who lost in the final of the Junior Cup last season, enjoyed a 6-3 away victory over Forever Young People.

Lewis Putman put them ahead in the opening minutes, he soon doubled the lead before Luke Lloyd seemingly put the game out of reach by making it 3-0, but the home side converted a penalty just before the break.

That seemed to give Young People a boost as they pulled a second goal back early in the second half, only for Lloyd to net his second and make it 4-2.

The home side refused to give in and struck again before Glenn scored twice more through Putman and Lloyd as they both completed their hat-tricks.

Cassiobury Rangers easily won the all-WSL tie against FC Unicorn 5-0.

The opening goal came from the right wing, with Corey Botten releasing Nathan Page through on goal and he rounded the Unicorn keeper after his initial shot was saved, converting from an acute angle into the left corner.

The second was scored in a similar fashion as Jayden Chamberlain played in Rob Ladmore, who chipped the ball through for Taylor Osunsedo to round the keeper on the same side and coolly slot into an empty net.

The second half wasn't even ten seconds old when Rangers killed the game off with a third. Elliot Burr kicked off, laying back to Conor Callanan, whose ball over the backline out to the right wing was picked up by Sam Mortimer and he slid the ball through the legs of the Unicorn keeper.

Cassiobury's fourth came after a Burr free-kick was blocked, but the rebound came back to him and he smartly moved the ball on quickly to Botten on the edge of the box and with time to look up he whipped a powerful low effort into the bottom right corner.

The final goal of the game came after Callanan was brought down inside the penalty area and this gave Conor Walsh the opportunity to take the penalty to score his first goal in senior football, sending the Unicorn keeper the wrong way.

Denis Jackson Intermediate Cup First Round

Mill Hill Village edged past Abbots Athletic with a 3-2 win.

Harley Fonti scored twice with Harry Pollycutt also netting, while Max Lacey and Charlie Young replied for the home side.

Premier Division

The only game in the top flight saw Evergreen move into fourth place, even though they were held to a 1-1 draw by second bottom Forza Watford.

Evergreen dominated the first half but could only find the net once when Jake Sahota turned home a cross.

They were left to rue those missed chances when Forza equalised in the second half when Harley Sells saw his effort finish in the back of the net after a bad error by the keeper.

Aerial action from Watford Sports' draw with Watford United (Image: Watford Sports FC)

Division One

This division is proving really tight so far this season. With the top three sides all drawing on Sunday, it means just five points separate the four teams setting the pace.

Leaders Watford Sports were held for a second successive week, this time to a 1-1 draw, and again by a team at the wrong end of the table, Watford United.

After a goalless first half, it was United who went ahead in the second period when debutant Vethurshan Sellathurai started off the move for Nolian Agimi to calmly slot the ball into the net.

Sports equalised ten minutes later thanks to an indirect free-kick which was well finished by Jake Millman.

The game between the two sides directly below Watford Sports, The Cross and Chalfont Saints, ended in a goalless draw.

The Cross missed a first-half penalty through Raphael Wiredu when he put the ball high over the bar.

Both sides were unable to make the most of their opportunities after the break, and the chance to close the gap on Watford Sports.

Langleybury gained a second win of the season, moving up a place in the process to third from bottom, with a 2-1 home win over Chess United.

Langleybury went ahead early on when a long throw from Jack Babbington was headed in by Luke Hewitt.

Chess levelled 20 minutes into the second half after a Matt Feast cross found Conrad Thorpe in the box and he tapped in from close range, but with time running out Tom Hedger scored from a Matt Honey corner to ensure a second three points of the season for Langleybury.

Division Two

If it was tight in the division above, it was almost raining goals in the Second Division, with the five games producing a bumper 27 goals as all of the top five sides won.

Everett Rovers are still unbeaten, as they made it six wins from eight games with a 5-0 home victory over Hertfordshire Athletic.

Bernard Ankamah netted a brace with Archie Potton, Jordan Standley and Reneekay Jones also getting in on the goal action.

Sparta Phoenix lead the chasing pack, two points behind the leaders, after they came through an eight-goal thriller against West Herts 5-3.

Roscoe Tebbs found the net twice for the home side along with a goal from Angus Englert, but Phoenix achieved the win thanks to goals from five different players - Philippe Clarke, Florjan Belegu, James Redfearn, Fergus Jimminson and Floyd Thompson.

Third-placed Watford Youth Sports beat bottom-placed Abbots Wanderers 3-2.

Watford get off to a flying start when a great pass from Ruben Gomes down the left flank found Oliver Frost who crossed for Louie Muncie to net with a low drive from 12 yards out.

They then added a second after 20 minutes when a lovely through ball from Jack Moore led to a one-two inside the box between Muncie and Frost for Muncie to score from six yards.

Abbots pulled a goal back ten minutes into the second half from Tommy Ash, and he then scored a second when he slotted past the oncoming keeper.

Watford finally gained the win when Muncie won a tackle and passed the ball to Ollie Brown on the left, he jinked past the first defender, nutmegged a second before calming passing into the box for Dylan Hershon to net the winner.

Dunnings Bar, in fourth, just edged past Inter 2-1 thanks to goals from Barry O'Grady and Sean Gowen. Alex Nottage scored for Inter.

St Josephs Reserves beat Dome Bar 6-0.

Early goals from Mitchell Koch and Jude Brasenell set the tone for the game. Mitchell Tearle then added two either side of the break.

Joe’s stalwart Ben Cowen added a fifth with a goal that rolled back the years as he fired into the top left corner before Paolo Deritis nodded home from a corner to complete the scoring.

Division Three

Leaders Woodside Reserves’ winning run finally came to an end as they suffered a first defeat of the season, 1-0 to Carpenders Park Royals, Robert Da Silva with the decisive goal.

Chorleywood Club AFC are in third place as they beat Everett Rovers Reserves 3-0, with George Blanks, Joe Berzins and Rob Barron getting on the scoresheet.

Surely Wood and AFC Watford battled out a 2-2 draw, with the AFC goals scored by Dan Williams and Sam Abington.