Cow Into Last Eight...Our sole County Cup survivors moved a step closer on Sunday, writes Darren “Statto” Jones (statto@cssfl.info. Website: www.cssfl.info)...

County Cup, Premier and Division 1...

Dun Cow moved into the last eight of the Herts Senior Cup to maintain an excellent record in the competition. Despite having three regulars drop out before kick-off, the Cow proved too strong for their St Albans opponents and went two up through Adam Furness and Ian Thorne. AFC Rangers briefly rallied with a goal, giving Cow the wake-up call they needed. A well worked set play saw Luke Garwood slot home the third, with John Vooght making it 4-1 before half-time. They lost Andy Brosnan when he decided his nose was stronger than his opponents boot, before Scott Mahoney made it five and Dave Kiddie rifled in a crisp solo effort for another, wearing himself out with the resulting lap of honour. AFC brought it back to 6-2 late on, but the result was never in doubt. They will now host Nicholas Breakspear Old Boys on Sunday week.

Although King Pin United played some good football in their Premier Division clash, they suffered for not having their regular ‘keeper and Broadhall took full advantage. Despite having an early ‘goal’ ruled out, Kwarde Davis scored with a 20 yard volley before his brother Jordan Davis doubled the lead with a towering header. The latter then made it three with a strike from 18 yards into the top corner before namesake Andrew Davis made it 4-1 with a 20 yard free-kick after Pin nicked one back via a lovely lob from Adam Bannister and another from a free-kick to the top corner from Craig Reynolds. Sandwiched in between was a neat header from John Johnston past Steve Reilly and it finished 5-2.

Division One leaders MBDA made it ten-from-ten with a comfortable 7-1 win over basement side, Coopers United. There was an onslaught in the first 20 minutes, but despite the ball firing around the box, they failed to meet and convert it. Ross Walker finally opened the scoring shortly after when he received the ball out wide and his strike across the goal went into the bottom corner. Ashley Kersey fired a hat-trick, taking him to 26 for the season, to make it 4-0 at the break. An early goal from Kyle Watson after the break was followed by Wayne Hall netting a consolation for Coopers with the goal of the game, after beating two players, he produced a nice strike from outside the box past a fully stretched Andy Gibb. MBDA had plenty more chances, scoring with two of them thanks to Watson and Phil Fisher.

A good game saw Coach and Horses deserved winners as the festive break took its toll on an aging MKS Carpentry in the second-half. The latter played some nice football early on, good interplay saw Neil Roskilly have a couple of half chances, but he shot just wide. At the other end, Coach had threatened to score, but found themselves behind when Roskilly broke down the wing and crossed for Ade Barry to get in between the defender and goalkeeper to slot the ball home. Five minutes later, Rickie Nash ran into the box and was upended. Barry stepped up and hit the ball into the top corner from the spot for his and MKS’s second. Their post was rattled, but they held on to a 2-0 lead at half-time. They were dominated after the break as the comeback began. A cross into the box was headed down and the ball hit Trevor Hoyte’s arm, the penalty was blazed over the bar, only for the referee to order a re-take for encroachment, which seemed to be by both sides, but it was converted by Lewis Littlechild. Olly Rice played a long ball down the wing to Barry, who crossed for a marauding Nash to head just wide. However, at the other end, the equaliser came when a cross into the box was headed in by Littlechild. With 10 minutes left, the winner. Despite two attempts from MKS to clear a cross, it fell to the feet of Tony Steele, who slotted home for 3-2.

Matt Sharp (hat-trick), Joe Chilton, James Tizard and Jack Worbey netted in Lifestyles’ thrilling 6-5 win against Chequers to consolidate second place. Carl Thompson (two), Steve Teale (two) and Paul Osborne replied.