Pig ‘n’ Cow Do Us Proud!

Gary Chambers put Pig and Whistle on their way to the quarter-finals of the Herts Intermediate Cup. Ryan Chilcott’s brace saw them home by the odd goal in five against Cheshunt (Sunday). They now meet Cheshunt Corinthians at home on 24th February.

Also through are Dun Cow Reserves, despite falling behind to a young Woodside team. Mark Phillips ran the show, and he netted along with Pete Brewster and Danny Lane. The home side also put through their own net. They now play Sun and Harrow on 17th February.

Some delayed KLM Challenge Cup first round games were played. There was a real ding-dong at Peartree Park where A1 Trophies saw some early pressure pay dividends when Greg Bradbury calmly slotted home twice. They sat back and were made to pay when Yorkshire Grey’s Lewis Sealy capitalised on a defensive mix-up. Bradbury completed his hat-trick from close range and it seemed the Division Three side would beat their Division Four opponents with ease. However, Sealy netted again, but James Harrod finished a lovely move to restore the two goal cushion just before half-time. From then on, the A1 wheels came off. In the final ten minutes, Ashley Sealy and Lewis Essam forced extra-time. A very deflated A1 then lost the tie as Grey threw everything at them and scored a goal in either half through Lee Grimsey and Damian Hadlow to secure a well-fought victory.

J.A.P. Builders started slowly and were caught out by a lively Stevenage Fencing side, flying high four leagues below them, as they took the lead in the first minute through Neil Roskilly. This proved to be just the wake-up call that J.A.P. were in need of as they put in a determined display and played some great football. Their hard work was rewarded and they went into the half-time break in front thanks to a Negus Johnson double. His first was a sublime strike from 20 yards and the second was a great header coming from a pin-point cross from Greg Philip. They continued in the same vein after the break, but Fencing competed throughout, which made for an interesting game. The prolific Johnson completed his hat-trick and Michael Hatch made it four. Fencing pulled another back in the closing stages of the game through Gary Smith.

After being hammered twice in the league by runaway leaders Pied Piper, Breachwood Lions were keen to turn their fortunes around in the cup. They started well, but Tom Hillard gave Piper the lead after ten minutes with a strike from the edge of the box. Undeterred, Lions played some of the best football they had all season, and were level ten minutes before half-time. Wayne Gardner received the ball on the left and battled through two defenders into the box before belting the ball home. Ten minutes after the break, Piper scored what was effectively the winner when Riyston Williams cut into the box and finished well.

Nirankari Sports Sabha made it through after a comfortable-looking win over Division Two side Old Social, for whom Stuart Archer netted a consolation with a 25 yard volley. Scott Orphanou (two), Ricky Bruniges, Andrew Levy, Rory Spencer and Ed Windsor were on target for the Premier Division champions.

In league action, Mallard preserved their lead at the Premier Division summit after a comfortable win over Broadhall. Craig Reynolds’ hat-trick was a major factor. Ian Baker chipped in with a brace whilst Andy Pilgrim and Tom Henry were also on the mark.

Adam Furness and Shaun Marshall grabbed the goals as Dun Cow saw off Bedwell Athletic.

Gary Pomfret inspired Probuild to victory with a man of the match performance. They started the better and Barry Greenaway scored a cracking 25 yard effort. However, DC Out Bar were level when Gav Bowler netted from close-range after good work from Marvin Bates. DC then went in front through Josh Dance before they received another boost when Greenaway turned from hero to villain, receiving a red card for a lunge at DC ‘keeper Kyal Currey ten minutes into the second-half. Currey was substituted due to the injury, forcing DC into a change. The reorganisation unsettled DC and Probuild ‘keeper Lee Allinson came up and curled home a free-kick off the post to restore parity again. Both teams missed several chances as the game opened up, but in the last ten minutes Alex Lawrence fired the ball straight at Richard Hall during a goalmouth scramble and it flew into the net for one of the luckiest goals the big man has scored to seal the three points.

Putterills won their first game back after the Christmas break with a solid performance against an equally out-of-practice Peartree. Dave Banks slid in to put them in front from close-range before a mix up allowed James Khakpour-Smith to equalise. Putterills raised their game after the break and good work by Steve Smith and Banks released Craig Dillnutt, who finished well. James Anderson had a penalty saved, but did secure the points with a smart finish late on.

Times Club’s Karl Rickaby headed home a Stuart Littlechild free-kick and added a second just after the break after rounding the ‘keeper. However, having hit the woodwork three times in the first-half, Rob Hulley pulled one back for Stevenage Colts Old Boys with a header from a Mark Mellor cross. The same two players combined again down the left flank, three one-two’s culminated in Hulley shooting home off the near post for their first point of the season. They could’ve won the game, but hit the post three more times.

In a cracking match in Division Two, Tom Tiddlers Tavern took the lead through David Hailey before Justin Brown struck with a rare right-foot effort to draw Bottles Reserves level before the break. Chas Bailey put them in front before a Dave Pateman hat-trick for Tiddlers seemed to have put them on the way to victory. However, John Saunders had other ideas, pulling the score back and Bailey completed the comeback late on.

Rob Lucas showed his great pace and put Aston Athletic in front. However, Morecambe Wanderers stormed back through Russell Ayles (hat-trick), Stephen Hayes and Adam McAndrews. Lucas then finished the scoring.

Marquis of Lorne had a comfortable win thanks to Jason Lovelock (hat-trick), Mitchell Conlan (two), Darren Lovelock, Pete Summers, Ross Jackson and Lewis Piper. SCS replied through an Aaron Collins brace.

It didn’t look like it was going to be Division Three leaders ProCladd’s day. On the back of their first defeat of the season last time out, it was another frustrating day as they missed chance after chance, hitting the post and bar twice apiece. However, they did go in at half-time in front thanks to Neil Henderson. After the break, they were awarded a penalty after James Tyrer was brought down, and Henderson netted again. MC Racing made a game of it when James Cox scored. The leaders put it to bed when the impressive Henderson completed his hat-trick from well outside the area via a poor goal-kick.

Amazingly, this game was goalless at the break, then sparked into life. King Pin United then took the lead when James Wyatt's corner was put in at the far post by Derek McGivern's chest. Stevenage Leisure levelled when Jamie Drackford slotted home after a dubious penalty award. New signing Carl Smith played a great ball into Drackford, who scored again, before Smith himself scored a scorcher with his outside of his foot. Again creating all of the second-half opportunities, Smith set up Chris Tillbrook to tap in from two yards. Greg Bambrick hit the fifth with a 25 yard free-kick. Pin got a late consolation when Wyatt's free-kick was curled into the top corner.

Danny Hukin headed home his first goal for MBDA inside two minutes from a Sam Harwood corner. However, struggling Hogshead were level through Adam Lusby, who tapped home from the edge of the box after the ball broke to him. Harwood headed home an Ashley Kersey free-kick to restore the lead. With less than ten minutes to go, Paul Dowse earned Hogshead a deserved point after Dan O’Brien broke the offside trap and fed him. Substitute Louis Hare hit the bar in the dying seconds for MBDA, who are unbeaten in six now.

Roebuck Gate nudged their way to top spot in Division Four with a comfortable win over Woolmer Green Foxes. Mark Hollis opened the account with a 20 yard drive into the top corner. Stuart Rowe doubled the difference with a free-kick drilled home low. Daniel Swales grabbed two before half-time, completed his hat-trick from a Ben Broadbent free-kick and added a fourth later. Hollis netted twice more for his hat-trick and the final nail in the Woolmer coffin came via themselves, prodding into their own goal in the closing minutes.

Nirankari Sports Sabha Reserves annihilated basement side Coach and Horses (Mark Davis and Darren Ling). Russell Bull was chief tormentor, hammering home half of the goals alone. He clamed one of them was the best he’d ever scored, a flick on the volley off the inside of the heel from a corner. Lee Wilson (hat-trick), Bruce Bass (two) and an own goal completed the rout.

Dave Waugh (two) and a rare Craig Armstrong strike saw Rileys move up to fifth after a comfortable win over Broadhall Reserves.

Fox held onto their one-goal advantage after a goalless draw in the Invitation Cup against Pin Green.