Herts Senior County League

Premier Division

Saturday 16th December 2023

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.03

Everett Rovers 2 Cuffley 4, attendance 14

3’ 0-1

27’ 0-2

28’ 0-3

47’ 0-4

55’ 1-4

89’ 2-4

@ Leggatts Playing Fields, 3G Pitch

Dodd Road

Watford

WD24 5FS

£3 Admission, including 4 page programme.

With my morning game going to extra time, it meant a change in direction for my afternoon entertainment. Plan A had been the Essex Olympian League game at Beacon Hill Rovers, but there was now not enough time to get there. Plan B was in the same league, at ACD United, but that was now showing on F.A. Full Time as being postponed, so it was on to Plan C and a trip in the opposite direction round the M25, which would see the completion of the Herts Senior County League top division for me. A quick phone call confirmed it was on, but more importantly, that it was indeed a 3 o’clock kick off. At least there was no problem with the weather here, as it’s a 3G pitch. Rather than a hired facility, this is actually Everett’s home ground, with the 3G replacing what was originally a grass pitch here. The clubhouse/changing rooms are behind the near goal end, set below pitch level, whilst it is a standard cage, with spectator access along three quarters of one side, with a pair of dugouts opposite.

Everett are new in the league this season and came into this in eleventh place in the league table, whilst Cuffley were fifth. A goal for the visitors after just three minutes, set the tone for the afternoon, in what turned out to be a very comfortable win for the visitors. Two more goals within a minute of each other saw them go 0-3 up inside half an hour and when they made it 0-4 two minutes into the second half, the points were safe. Everett did pull a goal back eight minutes later, heading in a cross at the far post, following a quick break down the right, but never looked like getting back into it. Cuffley hit the post twice and had another effort hit the crossbar as they attacked at will. On another day, they could easily have got into double figures. A late goal for Everett, scrambled in from close range, after the ‘keeper had scooped away a corner from under the crossbar, saw a final score of 2-4, which made the outcome look much closer than it actually was.

Arthurian League

Arthur Dunn Cup 2nd Round

Saturday 16th December 2023

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 11.02

Old Foresters 4 Old Bradfieldians 5 (AET), attendance 22

17’ 0-1

23’ 0-2

29’ 0-3

36’ 1-3

45’ 2-3

55’ 3-3

61’ 4-3

63’ 4-4

100’ 4-5 (pen)

@ Forest School Playing Fields

off Bradwell Close/Coppice Way/Cheyne Avenue

Upper Walthamstow

London

E18 2BT

No Admission or Programme.

Traditionally, Arthur Dunn Cup games are hosted at the main school, rather than a random hired pitch. I had seen Old Foresters play a ‘home’ game in early October, which was played at Old Parkonians, but this was a chance to do them at their proper home ground. The F.A. Full Time website was showing this as being played at Sylvestrian Leisure Centre, which is part of Forest School itself, in Oakhurst Gardens. The players did get changed here, but rather than play on the pitch here (visible through the gates), they were actually using the School Playing Fields, which were a couple of hundred yards away, walking through the woods, on the opposite side of the Hornbeam Trail from the school. The game was played on Pitch 1, which was the only one that had a pair of dugouts.

The match was between two Premier Division teams, with 5th hosting 3rd, as far as league positions go. The two had met in the league at the beginning of November, in a game that was won 8-0 by Foresters! When Bradfieldians went 0-3 up inside half an hour, that previous result seemed hard to believe, as they were well on top and by far the better team. Foresters pulled one back and with the last kick of the first half made it 2-3, with a free kick that went in off the inside of the post. Ten minutes into the second half it was 3-3, finishing with a half volley from the edge of the box and six minutes later Foresters were in front, heading in at the far post. The lead only lasted two minutes though, as a long ball forward was finished with a shot on the turn, to make it 4-4. Sadly, the game deteriorated from here, as both teams were more mindful of not losing the game, rather than trying to win it and it came as little surprise when the game headed into extra time and Bradfieldians got what turned out to be the winner, when they scored with a penalty ten minutes into the first period.