Junior Joy For Almond Tree and Proverbial...Two out of three through in the County Cup, writes Darren “Statto” Jones (statto@cssfl.info).

Sunday almost saw a perfect day in the third round of the Herts Junior Cup.

Just ten minutes were on the clock when Bovingdon AFC were hit by visitors Proverbial United. It was Dave Pateman who was on target, taking the ball around the ‘keeper to slot home. The home side hit back instantly to level, but a long ball from Jack Izzard found Sam Stephenson, who lobbed the ‘keeper to restore the lead. Tit-for-tat ensued due to another immediate equaliser from the penalty spot after Benn Evans was adjudged to have handled. Scott Seals and Josh Stock were getting some joy on the wings and it was only a matter of time before United went in front again and it was a corner from Stephenson that saw Pateman poke the ball over the line. Stephenson then took on two players and fired in the top corner for 4-2 before he found Pateman to complete his hat-trick before he also completed his own hat-trick. The tie was put to bed with five minutes to go when Pateman was clean through and once again rounded the ‘keeper to net. Man of the match was Izzard, who was the vital cog for his robust tackling in the centre of the park. All in all it was a fantastic display of pace and team spirit by an improving Proverbial side.

Almond Tree La Coruna grabbed the only goal of a tight game on the hour at Brookmans Park Reserves after Darren Gray was put clean though by Rhys Flavell and he finished into the top corner. They had a glorious chance for a second shortly after, but Gary Haze blazed the ball over the crossbar from the penalty spot.

TC Wanderers went out in the cruellest manner possible. Mike Phelan fired a brace in the 2-2 draw, which then went to penalties. Rich Allder, Tony Friggieri and Mark McKeown netted from the spot, but Alan Gifford missed and St Albans IFC went through 5-3.