Cow Second String Give Old Grey A Mare

Dun Cow Reserves flew the CSSFL in the County Cup on Sunday, beating Old Grey Mare comfortably in a quality football match thanks to Peter Brewster, Mark Phillips, Danny Huggins and James Dillnutt. They were the only one of our sides of the six playing teams outside our league to win!

Fox are also through, goals from Gary Henniker (two), Lee Setterfield, Michael Oakes and Richard Veness beating White Horse (Lewis Piper).

Pig and Whistle also beat a fellow Stevenage side, a real one-way clash saw Peartree put to the sword. John Johnson was chief tormentor with a hat-trick, Alec Thomas, Matt Jackson, Declan McMahon and Scotty Durham also netted.

Morecambe Wanderers made the trip to face AC Hemel and struggled to get to grips with the conditions and a small pitch. A changed back four did well against the wind to go in goalless at half-time. Despite going behind, their hard work was rewarded when Simon Lewis ran onto a good through-ball to net a well deserved equaliser. However, they were caught napping when a good cross was put away ten minutes from time.

Emperors Head were four-down at the break as Wellington Arms used the wind to their advantage. Two of them came when goal-kicks were misjudged in the wind. Christian Goodyear had hit the post, whilst in the second-half, Danny Wardell’s free-kick led to an own goal. Arms netted again before Joe Chilton pulled two back, the second from the spot. They conceded another late on.

Hitchin side Kcinsatop Reserves beat Bottles Reserves with ease despite a Glen Day strike.

Adam Stevens’ brace wasn’t enough as Pin Green bowed out against East Herts.

Putterills were well beaten at St Margaretsbury as the home side went nap.

Ten-man Probuild are up to third in the Premier Division after winning a ten-goal thriller. With nothing to lose, they started strongly with every player giving his all. Ten minutes in, John Vooght was put through to open the scoring. He doubled the lead after good work from Rich Hall and Jamie Campany before J.A.P. Builders pulled one back. A counter-attack saw the nippy Vooght complete his hat-trick within twenty minutes with a superb lob from 25 yards. Lee Allinson added another from a superb free-kick in reply to another J.A.P. strike. A long throw-in by Dan Gregory was headed in by Steve Skinner before Negus Johnson completed his hat-trick for J.A.P. Allinson slotted home from the spot after Campany was brought down. A tense last ten minutes saw Probuild down to nine players as Michael Travis limped off, and another consolation came from Leon Davis.

Ray Downes smashed home from Alan Kenney’s corner to put DC Out Bar in front just before half-time. The lead was doubled soon after the break when Tom Younger hit a magnificent strike into the top corner from just inside the box after a bursting run. They game seemed all over when a rash tackle from Bedwell Athletic’s Jim Blythe on Lee Metselaar saw the referee point to the spot. However, Downes was denied by a superb save by Aaron Springham. They seized the opportunity and with just under ten minutes remaining, Paul Herring calmly slotted home after a good run. They continued to push DC back and with just 90 seconds left on the clock, a cross came in, ‘keeper Ian Mann made two reflex saves but, Bedwell legend Paul Coxall was on hand to head home the equaliser.

Despite being hit by double-figures in their earlier meeting, Broadhall performed well to grab a point this time around. Paul Gasson, David Delancy and Wayne Bell were on target. Bottles had twice led through Piers Le-Grand and Leeroy Odd before an own goal rescued a point.

Division One saw more one-sided games due to two sides out of their depth at the moment. Times Club accepted a spot which Royal Oak relinquished after the Constitution was set. Stevenage Colts Old Boys’ previous manager pulled the plug, before they re-formed the team in short time, promoting many of the youth players and bringing in stragglers. Both sides should be commended by the spirit in which they’ve played their games.

Times Club’s consolation came through Scott Cronin from a late corner. However, the job was done by then as Breachwood Lions took the lead when Danny Jefferies slipped the ball through to the feet of Wayne Gardner, who shot home. Jeffries also hit the crossbar before half-time. Jefferies chipped home before David Fleckney's cross went in off the defender. George Harrison struck the post before Jefferies added two more from close range. Robert Pearson capped a good personal performance with a diagonal shot over the ‘keeper.

Stevenage Colts Old Boys were put to the sword in a real mis-match against a quality Pied Piper side who never took their foot off the pedal. Steve Teale hit seven goals, whilst there were hat-tricks for Lee Kitching, Luke Mitchell and Kologo Richards. Dwayne Lee and Dean Waller hit two apiece and Tony Waters also netted.

More windy conditions saw two goals just after half-time bury Aston Athletic in Division Two. A rocket of a free-kick from Scott Taylor was followed by a fine strike from just inside the box by Dave Stroomer to seal the three points for the Old Social boys.

Steve Bush hit a hat-trick as Royal Oak eased to victory against SCS. Lee Dowsett, James Marshall and Trevor Hoyte were also on the mark.

After two poor performances in cup competition, Division Three leaders ProCladd maintained their 100 percent league start as Neil Henderson was main tormentor of Chequers with five goals. James Tyrer (two), Carl Fletcher and Barry Mullaney also netted. Big John Mikiel grabbed the consolation.

Rapidsource’s recent good form continued with another late winner. They were in front within half a minute when Ben Coles split the defence and applied a deft finish, before Leslie Chappell pulled second-place Twin Foxes level. Dan “The Nasher” Nash cut through the defence and finished with some aplomb to restore the lead. Again Foxes refused to lie down and Chapple’s second by way of a good header from a set piece drew them level again. Two minutes from time, Mark Coombes’ break from the half-way line culminated in a 25 yard finish to seal the win.

Louis Hare’s header put MBDA in front after four minutes before Sam Bickerstaff’s rasping 30 yard drive doubled the lead 20 minutes later. Stevenage Leisure grabbed a lifeline with a Jamie Drackford penalty before Kev Stafford headed home a Bickerstaff corner for his first goal for the Club. Drackford’s clever lob put the sides within a goal again on the stroke of half-time, there was no more scoring after the break.

After being fairly comfortable early on, A1 Trophies took the lead when Simon Longman headed in a corner by Paul Cooper. They soon doubled their lead when a well-worked short corner from Martin Metcalf and Garry Brown ended with Greg Bradbury heading home. A well hit free-kick by Sean Stewart pulled MC Racing back into the game and they restored parity through Richard O’Donovan with a fiercely hit strike. A1 stepped up a notch and soon found themselves ahead again after a good run by Cooper saw him cross for Bradbury to slide home before Cooper capped a fine performance when he made a solo run and finished superbly.

Division Four leaders Stevenage Fencing won again thanks largely to yet another hat-trick from Marvin Hall. Also on target were Neil Roskilly (two) and Keven Fehmi. Yorkshire Grey’s replies came from Lewis Sealy and Lewis Essam.

Athletico Timebridge’s nightmare week continued despite Alan Bellott's early header from an Alan Gifford throw put them in front. Roebuck Gate fought back when Daniel Swales equalised before half-time by taking advantage of some defensive misfortune. Swales hit two more in the second-half, the first a drilled effort from outside the box into the opposite bottom corner and the hat-trick completed by netting easily after captain Ian Levy had flicked on a long throw.

Broadhall Reserves (Gareth Dray (two) and Nick Cosky) shared six goals with Coach and Horses (Martin Miller (two) and Steve Buckley).

In the Invitation Cup, North Herts Celtic had a goal advantage, but won the game with ease without it against their struggling Division Three opponents. Michael Atha and Trevor Cunningham added ‘real’ goals in the first-half. A goalmouth scramble saw the ball handled and Hogshead were awarded a penalty, from which Calvert Garnes scored. Two minutes later, young striker Darren Curry tucked a ball neatly away before an own goal increased the lead. Finally, a quickly worked free-kick just over the half way line saw Adrian Cocks run into empty space from his central-defence position to toe-punt home a screamer from twelve yards.

King Pin United enjoyed a comfortable win as both James Wyatt and Dave Holmes scored hat-trick's, with new-signing Robbie Duckworth scoring the other two goals. Steve Parker scored Woolmer Green Foxes’ consolation on the day.

Disciplinary News: At last week’s Meeting, there were some crucial decisions made regarding points. The referee situation had caused concern to Bottles before their game with Dun Cow. However, rules state they must play the game and officiate it themselves, so their no-show in protest handed Cow an easy three points. Nirankari Sports Sabha Reserves had the points from their win over Athletico Timebridge reversed as they failed to produce their ID Cards at any stage. That was the only good news for Athletico as they were stripped of five wins in which an ineligible player had played which meant they sunk down the table. Broadhall Reserves, Coach and Horses, North Herts Celtic, Woolmer Green Foxes and Yorkshire Grey were the beneficiaries of three points apiece.

Nirankari Sports Sabha travel to Edgware Town FC this week to take on St Andrews in round three of the FA National Cup, sponsored by Carlsberg. We wish them all the best.