Herts Senior County League Premier Division Sandridge Rovers 6 Standon & Puckeridge 3 CHRIS Wickens hit four goals as Sandridge Rovers crushed Standon & Puckeridge in a nine goal thriller at the Spencer Recreation Ground on Saturday. Rovers had suffered f

Herts Senior County League Premier Division

Sandridge Rovers 6 Standon & Puckeridge 3

CHRIS Wickens hit four goals as Sandridge Rovers crushed Standon & Puckeridge in a nine goal thriller at the Spencer Recreation Ground on Saturday.

Rovers had suffered for missing chances in their previous outing and went 1-0 down early on. Tom Clark was in the right place at the right time to net for 1-1 and Wickens put Sandridge 2-1 up.

Manager Bob Fowler then saw his team concede a penalty and Standon struck for 2-2. Wickens responded to make it 3-2 but, on half time, Rovers were caught out at the back with Roy Spittles injured, and the referee ignored the raised offside flag to wave Standon on to make it 3-3. Fowler said: "We conceded a silly penalty, it was absolutely ridiculous. The decision was right. We then conceded the third which I thought was offside but the referee has allowed play to go on."

James Aires replaced Spittles for the second half and Rovers stepped up their game. Wickens made it 4-3 and Stuart Love finished well for number five. Wickens then added the sixth goal to seal a fantastic performance.

Striker Wickens, who returned to Sandridge recently after a spell at London Colney, earned the praise of his manager. Fowler said: "Never doubt the boy. He is hot at the moment which is good. We were in total control in the second half and it was one of the most pleasing second half performances I have ever had."

Stuart Love and Mitchell Heylock picked up injuries and, with Spittles also struggling, Fowler may need to call on some of the thriving reserve players for the trip to Hertford Heath on Saturday.

l Goals from Charlie Merson and James Juggins handed Sandridge Rovers reserves a spectacular 2-0 win at title hopefuls Buckhurst Hill. It was only a second defeat of the campaign for the second placed side in the Reserve Division Two. Fowler said: "Charlie Merson is a lovely kid. He is a regular scorer and he looks sharp in training. James Juggins is very close to the first team. We are looking at him. It was a fantastic result for Kevin Barton (reserve team manager).