HERTS ADVERTISER SUNDAY LEAGUE: Mitchell at the double for Bridge

AN outstanding team performance from Skew Bridge Reserves allowed them to progress to the last eight, writes Brian Hubball.

After going down to 10 men Skew needed a Phil Lythgoe lightning bolt to win in extra time. Two Adam Facer fizzlers and a cracker from Stuart Crabtree completed the scoring.

HERTS ADVERTISER KNOCKOUT CUP

HARPENDEN Arms Athletic went out of the Knockout cup to local rivals Skew Bridge.

It was Skew who started the better, putting the Harpenden defence under pressure. Harpenden slowly got back into the game but an error by the defence let master goal poacher Sam Mitchell in for Skew’s opener.

Harpenden then went close with a couple of efforts but it was another error that saw Skew given the chance to extend their lead from the penalty spot only to put the kick over the bar.

The second half saw a very tight game with both sides’ defences on top.

It was a mistimed tackle from a Harpenden defender that saw Skew gain their second penalty of the game which was converted by Mitchell.

Nathan Dawes was the pick of the Skew team.

HERTS ADVERTISER CHALLENGE CUP

HARPENDEN Colts Old Boys were left to rue a defensive mistake as they crashed out at the quarter-final stage against London Road.

In a game that saw the London Road goalkeeper Ben Ryan making numerous great saves, Colts threw away the game by gifting their opponents a late Christmas present when a poor header back went awry and Ian Cooper followed up to tap the ball home.

David Keenleyside was outstanding in Colts’ midfield with the lively James Warner creating lots of chances. Mark Paradise was Road’s star player.

Nicholas Breakspear OB moved into the semi-finals following a 7-3 win against Bradmore Rovers.

Cain Davey, Danny Fitzgerald and David Parkinson all got two goals apiece with Josh Humbert netting a single.

Sam Clark was Breakspear’s Man of the Match.

HERTS ADVERTISER JUNIOR CUP

QUEENS Head Sandridge Reserves began the new year with a bang, seeing off Hare & Hounds Reserves 6-1.

Against the run of play Hare & Hounds Reserves took a shock lead when they scored directly from a free kick.

Queens Head’s reply to this was instant when Dave Yeo crossed for Don Campaniello to smash home from two yards.

Two minutes later Greg White broke through to slot the ball under the ‘keeper to make the score 2-1 to the visitors at half time.

Queens Head started the second half really well and put the game to bed in the first 10 minutes scoring three goals.

The first when Campaniello found Yeo whose first time cross found White who smashed home his second goal of the game.

Then, from another Yeo cross, the ball found Adam Fowler who tapped home from two yards and shortly afterwards White completed his hat-trick - his fifth of the season - after Sam Jones had put him through.

The goal of the game was scored by Ryan Yuill who, in last few minutes, was given the ball just outside the box and with a lovely weaving run, turning the defenders inside out, slotted the ball in the top corner to complete the rout.

PREMIER DIVISION

FOLLOWING three league defeats, Phoenix returned to winning ways with a 7-0 victory against Hogs Blacksmiths.

Liam Addlesee was in top form, scoring five goals with Seb Thomas adding a brace.

For the second time this season, AFC Rangers and Queens Head Sandridge shared the spoils after a 3-3 draw.

James Hill (two) and Stephen Doyle scored for AFC Rangers and Dave Corran (two) and Matt Corran replied for Queens Head Sandridge.

DIVISION ONE

BROOKMANS Park dominated the first half against Six Bells and took the lead with a far post header from Jon Bruce.

They were pegged back by a 35-yard wonder strike against the run of play from James Pegrum. The second half was more equal with neither defence being breached with the game ending all square.

For the first time this season Lifted Music were nearly at full strength and it showed as they dominated from the first minute against Beaver Travel.

Goal machine Lee Rowson continued his scoring form putting Lifted ahead with a looping header into the top corner from a Toby Ashcroft cross.

Lifted had chance after chance with three strong penalty appeals waved away, two efforts cleared off the line and hitting the woodwork twice but were unable to increase their lead before half time.

Inevitably it was Rowson who got the second letting the ball drop over his shoulder before volleying into the bottom corner with his left foot and he went on to complete his hat-trick finishing off a flowing passing move.

With the three goal cushion Lifted made changes but the goals continued with Ashcroft getting the goal he deserved curling home from the edge of the box.

Lifted had more chances with Tommy Smith hitting the post for the third time in the game before substitute Dave Horslen hit a bullet of a volley that flew into the top corner from the edge of the box.

Rowson was Lifted’s MOM.

DIVISION TWO

CRAIG Taylor got Three Hammers back to winning ways after three straight draws with a good 2-1 win against Phoenix Reserves which maintained their hopes of winning the league title.

Tom Herd was their Man of Match with a captain’s performance. Shenahl Samarasinghe netted for Phoenix.

Church End beat Colney Heath Rangers 2-1.

Although Rangers started the brighter, dominating the early play, Church End settled and scored through Dean Stanton following a run from Nicky Hanly.

In the second half the roles reversed with Stanton crossing for Hanly to head in.

Colney Heath scored late on through Jordan Hambridge with his first goal of the season to set up a tense ending.

DIVISION THREE

IT WAS a dominant team performance from St Albans IFC to start the new year, brushing aside a below par Marquis of Granby.

The front pairing of Loris Macone (hat-trick) and Jason Nicolaou (two) grabbed the headlines, but all the players contributed. Calum Marjoram notched the sixth. Callum Fowler had earlier cancelled out IFC’s opening goal.

Golden Lion extended their unbeaten league run to five games with a 7-1 win against Brookmans Park Reserves who looked to be in the game at 1-1 with a goal from Danny Turner. However, three goals in a short space of time knocked the stuffing out of them. Top marksman Christy Torrens was once again in top form netting five goals with Scott Corley scoring twice.

An outstanding performance by Alex Songalia saw him pick up Nicholas Breakspear OB Reserves’ Man of the Match award as well as four goals in a 7-3 win over Wheathampstead. Connor Reddy, Kurtis Patterson and an own goal completed the tally.

DIVISION FOUR

MARSHALSWICK Rovers came from three goals down at half-time to snatch a point against Colney Heath Rangers Reserves.

Rangers raced into a three goal lead courtesy of strikes from Lee Greenwood (two) and James Dovey.

But following the break Rovers piled the pressure on and were rewarded with a goal from Michael Emmett.

Following some excellent passing, David Hudson’s header reduced the deficit to one goal before Man of the Match Jack Faulder’s 20-yard curler into the top corner completed the comeback. Chris Kelly was Rangers’ Man of the Match.

Herts Mauritian completely dominated against St Albans Royals and were unlucky not to score first after creating at least 10 chances.

Royals did score when the Herts Mauritian ‘keeper was knocked out and failed to stop the ball going into the net. That was the only chance the Royals were allowed by the league leaders.

Herts Mauritian responded with a goal from top scorer Darren Cavaree before Liam Wanless scored a brilliant goal to put Mauritians ahead. Mohammed Hassan added Mauritian’s third goal to complete a 3-1 victory for the league leaders.

MOM Andy Luckhurst orchestrated some fine football from Harpenden Colts OBs Res in a high tempo game against Sandridge Harvesters Sports.

Colts carelessly gave away a penalty in the second minute and so the scene was set whereby Colts chased the game despite engineering long periods of dominance and goal scoring chances. Credit to Sandridge who took their chances and capitalised on Colts’ errors of judgement and positional play to run out 5-2 winners.

Goals by Jamie Cunnington and Scott Franklin couldn’t save White Horse Reserves from going down 3-2 against Radlett Village.

Brookmans Park A exectued a training ground exercise which worked wonders in a 3-0 win against Bar 62. Alan Young led the line superbly ably supported by his teammates.

Young was amongst the goals along with Ollie Thomas and Martin Worman.

DIVISION FIVE

RAIDERS United’s leading goalscorer, Ross Larter, returned from his winter break in Australia to score his 13th and 14th goals of the season in the 3-1 win against Greenwood Park.

Jermaine Bromfield completed the scoring after the ‘keeper could only parry Larter’s shot.

Greenwood’s goal came from Stuart Dempsey and Andy Dunstan was their Man of the Match.

The Camp Albanians and Cottonmill played out a nine goal thriller on Sunday.

Camp took the lead after only one minute with a nice lob over the goalkeeper. Cottonmill responded with two goals through Lee Sturgess and Cattermole, before Camp levelled. Mill then scored twice more when a nice piece of play from Couch, Milton and Hulland resulted in Cattermole’s second and Redgwell added the fourth.

Camp added their third from the spot after Hulland tripped his opponent to make it 4-3 at the break.

Hulland made amends, glancing a header at the near post from Milton’s cross and despite Camp making it 5-4 Mill held on for a win.

AFC Mymms dominated for most of their match against Athletico Quat.

Mymms went 2-0 up before conceding a penalty which was put away by Nick Perchard. Mymms got back on track going 3-1 up with a 20 yard strike from Dan Boucher, and that was followed by a goal from Adam Davies.

Mymms had a crazy moment conceding a sloppy goal when Perchard scrambled home his second.

Mymms added a fifth and a sixth goal, and could have easily added another three or four in the last 20 minutes.

Dan Boucher and Adam Davies shared the goals with a hat-trick each in the 6-2 win.

Sandridge carried their great form of 2011 into 2012 with a 2-1 win against Oaks Res.

A superb solo effort from William Unite Jr., who picked up the ball from within his own half before cooly slotting the ball into the top right corner, gave Sandridge a deserved lead.

They added to their lead with a calm finish from Micheal Mol before the opposition pulled one back, but by then it was too late.

Wheathampstead Reserves recorded their fifth, and biggest, league win when defeating Bricket Wood 7-3. For the first time Wheathampstead had two players on hat-tricks - Scott Rolls and Jason Rooney - plus a Danny Wade single.

In a keenly contested top of the table game Dukes overcame Phoenix A 7-2.

Dukes scored twice within the first 15 minutes, both from Jack Johnson, only to be pegged back to 2-1 before half time.

In the second half Dukes applied more pressure and scored five more with a consolation reply from Phoenix.

Dukes’ other scorers were Jimmy Cannon (two), Prev Selvagarah, Nathan Connolly and new signing Adam Potter. Phoenix’s goals came from Sam Bozier and Dan Murphy.