League action...

Division One:
In what is likely to be a battle for the runners-up spot, Bedwell Rangers (Luke Smith) and Lifestyles (Ryan Ellis) played out a 1-1 draw. Bedwell must avoid defeat against MBDA this Sunday to prolong the title, or it goes to the latter.

Lee Wilson (two), Gary Gibson, Paul Osborne and Steve Stapleton netted as Chequers beat Coopers United 5-1. Dave Brown replied for the basement side.

Division Two:
In a game of no real significance, Crooked Billet Boro beat Hartham Press 4-0 thanks to Steve Bush, Ross Jackson, Ben Snowden and an own goal.

Division Three:
View Point Wanderers jumped to the top of the table with a hard earned solitary goal win over Almond Tree La Coruna. In a tight first-half, both defences were excellent and the closest anyone came to a goal was from 40 yards when Wanderers’ Darren Smith attempted to chip the ‘keeper, who got back to produce a fine save. Charley Blackham made it 1-0 when he beat the offside trap to race clear and calmly stroke the ball into the corner past the advancing ‘keeper to make it four goals in as many games for the young left-winger. Blackham then had a shot shave the post before another effort was well saved. View Point saw it out and collected their third clean sheet in four games in the process.

The only two undefeated teams met as morning leaders Broadhall Athletic took on Proverbial United. The game started at a high tempo with both teams showing urgency to push forward. Lee Callaghan denied Athletic on numerous occasions with his fearless goalkeeping. Proverbial chose to overload the midfield and dominated the short passes, not allowing the Broadhall midfield to take hold of the game. Josh Stock was constantly pushing forward from the left and it was from this source that the opener came when his defence-splitting pass saw Brendan Moulton hit a shot, which took a wicked deflection and looped into the top corner. A combination of solid defending from Dan Downham and Liam Elmes and more fearless ‘keeping by Callaghan kept the lead at half-time. Callaghan continued to be the star performer with a string of fine saves before Stock’s squared ball across the six-yard saw Jamie Campany denied by a great save by Michael Wells at the other end. Stock then clipped the top of the bar before Campany put the game to bed. A magnificent dummied turn on the half-way line left him one-on-one with Wells, whom he stroked the ball past and into the bottom corner for 2-0. Still all to play for in a four-horse race.

A committed eight Stevenage Old Town players took the field to play A1 Trophies. It took ten minutes for the scoring to start when Simon Longman received the ball from a neat Rob Duckworth flick, to open the scoring with a simple finish past the ‘keeper for a goal on his 28th birthday. Paul Tully closely followed him when the oppositions ‘keeper made a decent save only for him to drive home to rebound. Nick Woolf then burst down the line and entered the box, only to be taken out by a slightly late challenge. Woolf picked himself up to calmly slot home the resulting penalty. SOT continued to fight and carved out a couple of chances, which were well saved by the partially redundant Chris Essam. Tully then grabbed his second of the game when he took a corner and managed to score directly from it. Duckworth then drilled home after a melee, then followed up a shot which the ‘keeper spilled to pass the ball into the net for his second and grabbed his hat-trick strike after the break with another simple tap in from a Si Longman cross. Tully also claimed a hat-trick after more good work from birthday boy Longman. A brilliant one-on-one save by Essam prevented a consolation before the final goal of the game came from the spot, courtesy of Craig Longman. Hard work for the eight man, but they’re commended for taking to the field.

Frank Neville Memorial Cup (League Phase):
Breachwood Lions hosted ABC Taxis, starting the game with a two goal deficit. Try as they might, they couldn’t reduce the deficit, before ABC killed them off when Paul Gasson knocked the ball high into the net past Lions goalkeeper Andy Fildes with ten minutes left to make the overall score 3-0.

Results (Sunday 10th March):

Herts Senior Cup 4th Round: Olympic Nirankari 3 Oxhey Estates 1.
CSSFL Challenge Cup 2nd Round: Benington 4 Brackas 0, JML Plumbing & Heating Athletic 9 TC Wanderers 0, King Pin United 4 Broadhall 3, MBDA 3 Coach and Horses 4.
Division One: Bedwell Rangers 1 Lifestyles 1, Chequers 5 Coopers United 1.
Division Two: Hartham Press 0 Crooked Billet Boro 4.
Division Three: Broadhall Athletic 0 Proverbial United 2, Stevenage Old Town 0 A1 Trophies 9, View Point Wanderers 1 Almond Tree La Coruna 0.
Frank Neville Memorial Cup (League Phase): Breachwood Lions 0 ABC Taxis 3.

Fixtures (Sunday 17th March):

Herts Senior Cup Quarter-Final: Verulam Arms v Olympic Nirankari.
Division One: Chequers v Breachwood Lions (King George), Coopers United v Lifestyles (Chells), MBDA v Bedwell Rangers (Barclay), MKS Carpentry v Coach & Horses (Shephalbury).
Division Two: Broadhall Icon v Old Barclavians (Shephalbury), Emperors Head v JML Plumbing & Heating (King George), Roebuck Gate v Benington (Peartree).
Division Three: A1 Trophies v Proverbial United (Shephalbury), Brackas v ABC Taxis (Peartree), Broadhall Athletic v Almond Tree La Coruna (Shephalbury), Stevenage Old Town v TC Wanderers (King George).
Frank Neville Memorial Cup (League Phase): AJS Tyres Broadhall (0v1) Crooked Billet Boro (Peartree).