Skew Bridge heading to sixth straight county final after AFC Rangers win

Lee Close sends Skew Bridge to the Herts Sunday Senior Cup final with the second goal in their 2-0 win over AFC Rangers. (Image: Archant)

Skew are the holders of the competition and this will be their sixth county final in six years.

And the winning margin could have been more had it not for AFC keeper Matt Dean who pulled off some stunning saves, notably a diving stop to deny a Tom Smith bullet header.

Smith did score the opener, however, and Lee Close wrapped up the win in the second half.

Blackberry Jacks progressed into the next round of the Herts Ad Challenge Cup with a 5-1 win against Six Bells.

Frankie Jowle was on fire again with a hat-trick, as Antony Burns and Adrian Arrighi also struck. Jack Read scored for the Bells.

Division Four side Blacksmiths Res upset the formbook in the Herts Ad Intermediate Cup, beating Division Two Welwyn Warriors 3-2.

Lee Greenwood, John Armitt and an own goal saw them through as Warriors had an own goal plus a Bradley Last strike.

Russ Gallagher got three as NBOB ended a three-game winless run with a 5-2 victory over Town Inn in the Premier Division.

In Division Two, Brookmans Park Res drew 1-1 with St Albans Irish, with Dan Hart and Lewis Cocomazzi the goalscorers for their respective sides.

Ryan McMenemy scored for Facelad as their four-game winning run came to an end in a 6-1 loss to Phoenix Res.

Another unbeaten run fell in Division Three when Royston Rangers lost 4-1 to Oaks.

They had won seven in a row before that but a treble for Dexter Simpson and a single for John Woodward stopped that. Thomas Perry got their reply.

Jon Tanton got basement club TNF’s only goal in a 4-1 defeat to league leaders New Greens.

The Wrestlers, Division Four’s league leaders, stayed in control at the top thanks to the third hat-trick in a row for Ashley Kingston.

Shanu Murphy got the other in their 4-2 win over Brookmans Park ‘A’ whose goals came from Martin Worman and Toby Hanlon.

Harpenden Colts OB led 1-0 at half-time and seemed in total control but Jolly Sailors were a different proposition after the break and Colts were relieved to come away with a 2-1 win.

Kanyin Fagarde got their first with a Max MacKenzie penalty doubling their lead before one back for Sailors had the Colts’ nerves jangling.

St Albans Warriors got back to winning ways by beating Dagmar 5-3 with left-back Phil Thorne the standout performer among many. Liam Daley struck twice.

Dan Davis was Hatfield Seniors’ star man as they lost to CHL.

Results – Premier Division: Town Inn 1 NBOB 5.

Div One: Harpenden Athletic 0 Bradmore Rovers 5.

Div Two: Brookmans Park Res 1 St Albans Irish 1; Facelad 1 Phoenix Res 6; Snug Bar 0 Pinewood 2.

Div Three: Royston Rangers 1 Oaks 4; TNF 1 New Greens 4; AFC Mymms 4 Athletico Quat 1.

Div Four: CHL 7 Hatfield Seniors 0; Dagmar 1984 3 St Albans Warriors 5; Jolly Sailor 1 Harpenden Colts OB 2; The Wrestlers 4 Brookmans Park ‘A’ 2.

Herts Sunday Senior Cup semi-final: Skew Bridge 2 AFC Rangers 0.

Herts Ad Challenge Cup quarter-final: Six Bells 1 Blackberry Jacks 5.

Herts Ad Intermediate Cup: Welwyn Warriors 2 Blacksmiths Res 3.

Fixtures – Premier Division: AFC Rangers v Queens Head Sandridge.

Div One: NBOB Res v Blackberry Jacks.

Div Two: Pinewood v Phoenix Res; Welwyn Warriors v Brookmans Park Res.

Div Three: BWSC v AFC Mymms; Oaks v Royston Rangers; TNF v Marshalswick Rovers; Veer Dhara v New Greens; Wheathampstead ‘89 v Athletico Quat.

Div Four: Blacksmiths Res v Hatfield Seniors; Dagmar 1984 v Royston Rangers Res; Harpenden Colts OB v Brookmans Park ‘A’; Hatfield Mosquito v St Albans Warriors; Jolly Sailor v The Wrestlers; Blackboy v CHL.

Herts Sunday Intermediate Cup semi-final: Blacksmiths v Evergreen Sunday.

Herts Sunday Intermediate Cup quarter-final: Dun Cow v Colney Heath Sunday.

Herts Ad Challenge Cup round two: Town Inn v Skew Bridge; Brookmans Park v Skew Bridge Res.