Watford Sunday League: SOCA well beaten in Herts cup final

The two sides seemed evenly matched on paper with very similar results to reach the final and both sitting third in their respective divisions, but it was Brewster who proved to be the better team at Letchworth.

The pattern of the game was set as early as the sixth minute when the dangerous Curtis Donaldson raced through the SOCA defence, rounded keeper Bradley Bridges, but could only fire inches wide with the goal gaping.

Three minutes later Jordan Austin, who was SOCA’s best performer, had a chance to give his side the lead, but he fired narrowly wide from close range.

The strong wind was making good football difficult, but Brewster seemed to adapt better to the conditions and SOCA were being pushed back, as impressive left-sided midfielder Lewis Collins saw his shot well saved by Bridges.

Finally the mounting pressure told, and after 22 minutes Donaldson raced onto a ball over the top and finished well to give his team the lead.

SOCA thought they had levelled soon after but Austin’s goal was ruled out for offside.

Six minutes before the break, Donaldson doubled his side’s lead with his second, when his corner from the right, helped by the wind, curled all the way into the opposite side of the goal without anyone touching it.

Despite making a substitution at half-time, and two further changes in the opening 11 minutes of the half, the game was effectively over 12 minutes into the second period when Donaldson completed his hat-trick, slotting home a rebound after Bridges could only block Collins’ first effort with his legs into the scorer's path.

Collins was at times unplayable, scoring the best goal of the afternoon when, after switching wings, he turned up on the right side and raced through, beat two defenders and slotted home into the bottom corner.

A minute later Austin struck the crossbar for SOCA with a long-range effort, and two minutes later Brewster had Lewis Swindells sent off for a second yellow card.

In the first minute of the five added on at the end, the victory was completed when substitute Ianis Coira scored a penalty after being brought down by Calvin Monaghan, again for a second yellow, after he had been booked in the earlier confrontation in which Swindells had been dismissed.

Brewster Plumbing: Gilbery, Green, B. Swindells (Paulin 65), L. Swindells, North (Thomas 63), Brewster, Collins, Carter (Dimmock 85), Donaldson, Samuels (Coira 81), Tyson Not used: Udofia.

SOCA: Bridges, Sutton, S. Monaghan, Chapman, Kuster (Mason 56), Chamberlain, Clifford (C. Monaghan 38), Owens (C. Coffey 30), M. Coffey (King 45), Burton (Howell 53), Austin.

Premier Division

St Joseph’s gained six points from their double header with FC Unicorn, winning 2-0 and 7-1, to move themselves into fourth place in the table.

Although Joes are 21 points behind leaders North Watford, they do have six games in hand.

Nick Kerley and Dan Griggs sealed the win in the first game with two goals in the opening half.

In the second match Joes took apart the Unicorn defence at will scoring seven times, with Kerley netting four times, along with Griggs, Jake Swaine and Liam Smyth, while Brett Parkins scored the Unicorn reply.

Evergreen are in third place after they beat local rivals Abbots Langley Club 4-0, with all the goals coming in the second half.

Tom Verbana led the way with two almost identical goals, he also missed a chance for a hat-trick after seeing his penalty saved but Jake Sahota turned in the rebound.

The final goal came when a corner was headed in by Max Sahota.

Watford Sports keep their eye on the ball (Image: Watford Sports FC)

Division One

For the second week running the top two, Chalfont Saints and Watford Sports, clashed and following a 2-2 draw seven days before it was Saints who ran out 3-0 winners to open up a five-point lead at the summit.

The opening goal came after 15 minutes from Sean Haugh following persistence and he finished neatly.

Saints keeper Kennedy Newbert made one superb double save shortly after to keep his team ahead before Andre Ford doubled the lead just before half-time with a strike from the edge of the box.

Ford then sealed the win in the second half after an error from the keeper.

Watford United beat Langleybury 8-0, meaning they will finish the season in bottom place.

The goals started flowing early with Adam Anwar making the breakthrough before adding a second, slotting in the far corner. The third goal came before the break from Nitharshan Sellathurai.

The second half saw the goals continue to flow as Anwar completed his hat-trick, followed by a well-worked move finished off by Sellathurai.

Ellis Constantinuo added the sixth from an inswinging corner, Daanyaal Anwar made it seven with a fine solo effort and Sanjef Vigneswaran rounded off the scoring as he scored the eighth from long distance.

Old Fullerians took four points from their double header with Chess United, 4-0 and 1-1, but the point gained by Chess means they will not finish in the bottom two.

The first game saw all the goals scored in the second half.

Jake Entwistle got down the right and cut back for Craig Totton to sweep home the opener.

Totton added another soon after when Ryan Woosley squared for him to drill home from the edge of the box.

Totton then turned provider, finding Entwistle to the left of the box and he rolled a finish inside the far post past the advancing keeper.

Chris Colman completed the scoring, picking the ball up on the right and finding the top right corner.

The return match was a far closer affair, with Fullerians taking the lead when a ball forward from Mark Needham was latched onto by Entwistle who beat the keeper as he came out.

Chess then saw a penalty saved, but in the second half they scored the vital equaliser to ensure First Division safety when a Alfie Hewetson cross was met at the back post by Cameron Murray.

Division Two

It has been a good week for Everett Rovers as they defeated their two closest title contenders.

On Wednesday evening they beat Sparta Phoenix 5-1, before overcoming St Joseph’s Reserves 2-1.

Mitchell Tearle gave Joes Reserves the lead in the first half, and they looked like inflicting on Everett a first league defeat of the season until two very late goals.

First, Charlie McNally equalised and there was still time for a winner when Jordan Standley ran on to a through ball to calmly lob the goalkeeper.

Sparta bounced back from that mid-week defeat to Everett as they took maximum points from their double header with Watford Youth Sports, 2-1 and 4-2, to move into second place.

Ralph and Floyd Thompson scoring the goals in the first game, with Jack Moore replying for Sports.

Luke Smith and Gabriel Wright netted for Sports in the second fixture, but it was enough for them as Phoenix replied with strikes from George Pascoulis, who netted a double, supported by goals from Fergus Jimminson and Joey Pascoulis.

There was a win each for Inter and West Herts in their double header.

Inter won the first game 2-0 thanks to a Sam Conway double.

Dylan Caton also scored a double for West Herts in the return game, supported by a Brandon Whitman goal as they edged through 3-2. Dan Kenna and Jamie Exley replied for Inter.

Frances George beat Dunnings Bar 3-1, Tom Minton netting twice along with a goal from Dexter Franklin-Beck. Callum O'Grady replied for Dunnings.

A double from Steve Noonan for Dome Bar was their only bright spot of a torrid morning as the division’s bottom side suffered a 9-2 defeat to mid-table Hertfordshire Athletic.

Henry Gibbor scored four, Jack McLaughlin and Dan Kingsley struck twice each, with James Hicks also on the scoresheet.

Division Three

Leaders Woodside Reserves suffered only a second defeat of the season as they went 2-1 at home to third-placed Chorleywood Club AFC.

Lui Potiuk scored for the home side but it was not enough to cancel out the two goals from Eli Russell.

Bottom of the table PTH United finally achieved a first win of the campaign at the 17th attempt with a 3-2 victory over the team directly above them, Abbots Athletic.

Chris Melsome scored twice alongside a goal from Alex Deighan. Luke Woolford and Kian O'Reilly replied with the Abbots goals.

Carpenders Park Royals and Bricket Wood Acorns took a win each from their double header.

Carpenders won the first game 4-1, Tedi Prushi with a double alongside efforts from Liam Cole and Joe Brown, with Harrison Fisher replying.

The return game was better for Acorns who ran out 2-1 winners, Rowan O'Connor and Alex Michael scoring with Robert Da Silva replying.

A goal from Kyle Barnett was enough for Surely Wood to beat Everett Rovers Reserves 1-0.