2023-24 Eric Hand Challenge Cup Semi-Finals

It is fitting that the Watford Sunday League competition held over from last season will see May's final contested by the teams who finished the 2023/24 campaign as the top two in the Premier Division, North Watford and Cassiobury Rangers.

Cassiobury produced their best performance of the season as they defeated WD Bushey Rangers 4-1.

The first half ended goalless but in the second Rangers took control of the tie when Connor Callanan netted a penalty after Taylor Osunsedo had been brought down in the area.

Callanan then turned provider for the Rangers second goal soon after when he played in Corey Botten who rounded the keeper and slid home into an empty net.

Nathan Page made it three when he robbed the keeper who had rushed out to try and sweep up, but the game was not yet over as Bushey were awarded a penalty, their opponents had a player sent off, but stand-in keeper Aidan Lesslie saved the spot kick.

WD did pull a goal back when Ryan Boyle was slipped in between the centre backs to tuck home, but any hopes of a comeback were ended when Page played Alexi Andreas in on goal, he then back-heeled the ball back into the path of the Page to score his second.

North Watford await Cassiobury in the final on May 4 after they came through a far closer affair, edging past St Joseph’s 2-1.

As with the other semi-final, the game was goalless at the break, but North Watford struck twice in quick succession after the restart.

First, Billy Adcock scored direct from a corner and then Lee Armitt chased on to a through ball to slot past the onrushing Lewis Everett.

Joes halved the deficit through Lewis Davis but despite heavy pressure they were unable to find an equaliser.

2023-24 Denis Jackson Intermediate Cup Semi-Final

Hertfordshire Athletic reached the final of the Intermediate Cup with a 3-1 victory over Watford Youth Sports 2nd after all the goals came in a frantic first half.

It was Watford who took an early advantage thanks to a goal from Oliver Frost, but Athletic struck back in impressive fashion.

Ed Rogers soon levelled when he ran onto a Luke Sutcliffe cross-field ball to round the keeper and tap home.

Rogers then turned provider for Henry Gibbor who fired into the roof of the net, before scoring his second from close range.

Athletic will now face the winners of the other semi-final between FC Railway and Chorleywood Club AFC.

Herts Intermediate Cup Quarter-Final

Everett Rovers’ hopes of again winning the competition their previous team had lifted the trophy for in 2019 were ended after a 6-1 away defeat to BWSC.

They found themselves three goals behind by half time but got themselves back in the game with a Jordan Standley goal.

However, they weren't able to build on this and conceded a further three times.

Watford Youth Sports 1st (blue shirts) beat Watford United 3-2 in Division One. (Image: Supplied)Division One

Leaders Forza Watford have opened up a seven-point lead at the top of the table after they defeated Chess United in a hard-fought match by a single Giuseppe Delgaudio goal in the first half.

St Joseph’s Reserves beat Watford Town 6-2 to stay in the mix at the top end of the table.

An Anton Collins penalty and a goal from Ben Foley gave Joes Reserves an early two-goal lead, before Alex Diaz won and converted penalty to make it 2-1.

Joes were then reduced to ten men, but that didn’t seem affect them in the second half as they scored four times.

Mitchell Tearle hit a hat-trick, with the other goal coming from Max Foley.

Declan O'Gorman scored the Watford consolation.

Watford Youth Sports 1st overcame Watford United 3-2.

Goals from Kyle Davies Taylor, Dan Cresswell and Stevie Dowling put Sports in the driving seat, but United’s Mayvin Vigneswaran scored with a 30-yard effort just before the break.

In the second half Nitharshan Sellathurai converted a penalty but despite heavy pressure Youth held on for the three points.

Division Two

West Herts gained only a second league win of the season after causing a shock by beating leaders Woodside through a single Charlie Smith goal.

WD Bushey Rangers Reserves edged out bottom-placed Frances George 4-3.

Charlie Long and Jason Ihenacho both netted doubles for WD, with George replying thanks to Dexter Franklin-Beck, who scored his own brace, supported by a goal from Lewis Taylor.

Batchworth completed a league double over Inter, who they beat 5-0 back in September, with a 4-2 triumph.

Mikel Walsh, Zack Boddy, Marcus Rivers and an own goal helped Batchworth to the win, with Gabriele Casagrande grabbing both of the Inter goals in reply.

Division Three

Bricket Wood Acorns returned to the top of the table, but only after they had to settle for a point from a 3-3 draw with Dome Bar.

Steve Noonan, with two goals, and Jay Haynes netted for Dome Bar, with Jack Micklewright, Alex Michael and Harrison Fisher replying for Acorns.

Surely Wood beat Everett Rovers Reserves 2-1, George Barnett and Brett Fincham scoring, with William Powell getting the Everett goal.

A single goal from Sam Breadin was enough for Abbots Wanderers to edge out Chorleywood Club AFC.