Gate Still Open For Roebuck & Premier / Div 1 action... One through, one out in the Herts Junior Cup, writes Darren “Statto” Jones (statto@cssfl.info).

Roebuck Gate were playing a side in The Three Tuns who’d scored 60 goals in 8 games in their league, so the odds were against them. True to form, Tuns were two goals up early on. However, Gate managed to keep a foothold in the game when Shaun Skutela was on hand to tap in after a great cross from Stuart Rowe to take them in at half-time. The two goal advantage was reinstated after the break, before that man Skutela popped up again to claw another back with his head. With fifteen minutes left to play, the tie appeared to be over when it became 4-2. Gate got a second wind and showed great spirit in a hectic five minute spell, Skutela secured his hat-trick with a fierce strike that rattled in off the crossbar and this was followed up by an equaliser from Dave Morton, who bagged a trademark goal, jinking through the defence before calmly slotting into the bottom corner. With the referee's watch ticking over into injury-time, Danny Bacon, who scored in last years final success for Bedwell Rangers, popped up to put Gate ahead for the first time in the match and to take his team through to the last sixteen.

TC Wanderers’ run came to an end at Watford side Evergreen. They gave it a good go despite playing the match with only ten players and Rich Allder suffering in goal with a broken nose just before half-time. The home side took the lead when their winger cut inside and stroked it home. TC pulled it level when Casey De-Val crossed and Danny Court’s cheeky flick found the side of the net to make it 1-1. With ten minutes to go, the numerical advantage took its toll and Evergreen scored twice to send them through despite a fantastic effort by Wanderers.


Dun Cow consolidated their place at the top of the Premier Division as Adam Furness hit a hat-trick in the 3-0 win over Broadhall.

Arena-Group are still second after a late Scott Walker finish from close-range beat MBDA. The latter took the lead through Ashley Kersey, but goals from Jason Drackford (two) and Ian Woodfield put Arena in control. Kersey netted again before the break to bring it back to 3-2 and Sam Harwood levelled the match on the hour before Walker’s winner.

Almond Tree United moved into fourth with a comfortable 5-0 win over basement side Stevenage Leisure Limited. They were slow to make the breakthrough which eventually came courtesy of Nick Collins, although this was more luck than judgment. Steve Gibbons followed this with a superb low drive that crashed in off the post. SLL were unable to take a couple of chances they had but did succeed in their own net. Ricky Lawrance and Collins’ second completed the scoring.

FC Nirankari started to close the gap on the mid-table teams when a Theo Swaine hat-trick helped see off ten-man Real Stevenage 5-1. David Iwediuno and Andrew Levy also netted, whilst Lez Chappell replied.

Division One leaders Marquis of Lorne gained three more points without kicking a ball as Odyssey couldn’t field a side.

Putterills are still second after their bare XI kept a third successive clean sheet. The only goal came after twenty-five minutes when Allan Johnston capitalised from a set-piece to put his ninth goal of the season past Perry Thompson. AJS Tyres Broadhall tried hard to level, missing some gilt-edged opportunities. None closer than when Jordan Tyrrell's late jinking run saw Putterills ‘keeper Ian Woods pull off a good save. However, in the last minute it looked as if Joe Lee's cross shot had finally produced the equaliser, only for an amazing save by Woods low down denied him.

FC Mallard’s run of five wins on-the-trot came to an end in style. Coopers United took the lead when good work from Chris Chalat provided Christian Goodyear with a back post tap-in. They dominated for a spell and doubled their lead when Gary Hillard fired home inside half-hour. Rob Cooper kept the two-goal advantage with a fine string of saves, then, just before the break, a long throw-in from Dan Liversidge was flicked on and Steve Harris volleyed into the bottom corner from twelve yards. Mallard pulled one back after Cooper saved the pen, but the follow-up from Charlie Lawson was lapped up. Hillard’s second restored the three-goal advantage. Gav Bowler pulled another back before Harris bettered his earlier effort with a fine drive into the top corner.

TC United’s Terry Lock opened the scoring inside the opening five minutes when he pounced on a defensive error and shot across the goalkeeper and into the far corner. Bedwell Rangers came close to equalising in the second-half, but Luke Smith's header bounced back off the inside of the post and into the arms of Chris Benton. Benton then had a hand in the decisive goal when his long kick found Lock once more, who arrowed a twenty-five yard shot into the net to settle the game.