For the first time in a number of weeks there was almost a full compliment of fixtures in the Herts Ad Sunday League.
Herts FA Sunday Senior Cup holders Skew Bridge kept their hopes of retaining the trophy alive with a 3-1 win over Belstone – taking them into the semi-final.
For the first 20 minutes Skew looked rusty due to six weeks without a match and Belstone took the game to them.
Eventually Skew got their passing game going and Nathan Dawes and Tommy Smith started to dominate.
When the opening goal came it was superbly scored by Ben Warren who took the ball down, beat his man and then unleashed an unstoppable 30 yard shot into the roof of the net.
Skew began to cut loose and another thunderbolt form Mark Hitchcock doubled the lead.
Just before half-time Ben Dawes unleashed the third thunderbolt of the day to give the Bridge a three goal cushion.
Belstone did come into the game in the second half and scored when a long clearance found their nippy number 10 who ran through to beat McClean.
Only rushed finishing and the speed of Belstone’s keeper off the line prevented further goals.
Skew’s man-of-the-match was Rob Clark.
Phoenix’ run came to an end in a 5-2 defeat to AFC Boars. Their goals came from man-of-the-match Dan Jelly and Ali Hill.
One game went ahead in the Premier Division.
Six Bells fought back from two down but it was Nicholas Breakspear who got the all-important fifth goal to win 3-2.
They were 1-0 down by half-time and conceded the second early in the second period.
Their fate seemed sealed when they missed a penalty but after a rally and goals from Aaron Ames and Chris Grifffin, they found themselves level with 10 minutes to go.
However, NBOB had the final word, grabbing the winner with five minutes left.
In Division One Queens Head had a comfortable 9-0 win against a spirited Chequers Inn who never gave up.
Jason Slough got three, Dave Corran two and Matt Bulcer, Sam Ledger, Adam Parker and an own-goal completed the scoring.
Church End completed the double over Garston in a 6-1 success.
Goals came from Carl Edwards, Joe O’Brien, Phil Jackman, Sam Dempsey, Johnny Rowland and man -of-the-match Chad King.
Camp Victorians and Blackboy served-up a goal-filled second half, Camp finally coming out 3-2 in their Division Three clash.
After an even but goalless first half, Camp took the lead only to see Blackboy level.
However, two further Camp goals put the game beyond the reach of Blackboy, who managed to get a second right at the death.
Camp scorers were Aaron and Charlie Lumsdon and Ben White.
Blackboy replied through Ian Adele and Rory Suttie. Ben Goodyear was the Blackboy star player.
Queens Head Res came from 4-0 down at half-time to beat undefeated NBOB Res 5-4.
The goals came from Jack Faulder, Jak Hamilton, Khalid Ismail, Jon Leto and man-of-the-match Luke Hatchett.
Snug Bar kept up their title challenge with a 2-1 win against Cannon.
Goals came from Matt Bridgeman and man-of-the-match Jack Dixon.
Matt Hudson replied for Cannon.
In Division Four, despite having six players fail to show on the day, Royston Rangers managed to pull a bare 11 together for their game with White Horse.
It remained a tight encounter until the last 20 minutes when the Horse took advantage of tired legs to pull away to win 5-2.
Michael Blanchard, Matt Eden, Gary Farrow, Matt Pond and Ryan Rickard got their goals with Kevin Donovan and Mike Pearson replying for Rangers.
Phoenix ‘A’ put in their best performance of the season with a 4-0 win against Cannon Res.
Goals came from Sam Bozier (two), Alex Dowell and Dale Etherington.
Brookmans Park A overcame The Mill 7-1 with two goals apiece from Paulo Besenzi, James Jankaski and Tom Jordan plus an own-goal.
Title chasing Stonewood Res and Athletico Quat fought out an exciting 2-2 draw.
Athletico Quat took the lead through Darren Cavaree but conceded twice in the second half, Tom Mardle and Ben Sloan scoring for Stonewood.
Jonathan Cavaree equalised for an excellent 2-2 draw.
Pinewood got back to winning ways with a hard fought 1-0 triumph over AFC Mymms.
A thunderbolt into the top corner from Lewis Dommett was the difference.
Results
January 24
Herts FA Sunday Senior Cup Quarter Final:
Skew Bridge 3 Belstone 1,
Phoenix 2 AFC Boars 5.
Herts FA Sunday Intermediate Cup Round Four:
Shamrock Rov 4 Stonewood 2.
Premier Division:
Nicholas Breakspear OB 3 Six Bells 2.
Division One:
Chequers Inn 0 Queens Head 9, Garston 1 Church End 6.
Division Three:
Camp Victorians 3 Blackboy 2, Queens Head Res 5 Nicholas Breakspear OB Res 4,
The Snug Bar 2 Cannon 1.
Division Four:
AFC Mymms 0 Pinewood 1, Athletico Quat 2 Stonewood Res 2, Brookmans Park ‘A’ 7 The Mill 1, Cannon Res 0 Phoenix A 4,
White Horse 5 Royston Rangers 2.
Fixtures
January 31
Herts FA Sunday Junior Cup Quarter Final:
Aspire Personal Trainer v Camp Victorians,
The Snug Bar v Broxbourne Bears,
Challenge Cup Round Three:
New Jacks v Facelad.
Premier Division:
Blacksmiths Arms v AFC Rangers, Nicholas Breakspear OB v Phoenix,
Six Bells v Skew Bridge.
Division One:
Brookmans Park v Garston, Queens Head v Tansley (Radlett Village),
Skew Bridge Reserves v Church End.
Division Two:
Oaks v Wheathampstead ‘89,
Primary Care v St Albans Rangers,
St Albans Royals v Brookmans Park Res,
The Ridge v Phoenix Res,
Wheathampstead Swan v Harpenden Rovers Blue.
Division Three:
Blackboy v Queens Head Res,
Cannon v George Redbourn,
Harpenden Colts OB v Nicholas Breakspear OB Res.
Division Four:
AFC Mymms v Brookmans Park ‘A’,
Athletico Quat v Vision,
Marshalswick v Pinewood,
Royston Rangers v Stonewood Res, The Mill v CHL,
White Horse v Cannon Res.
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