Lilywhites Up For The Cup

There was much jubilation at the club this weekend as the first team made it to the final of the Hertfordshire Senior Centenary Trophy on Saturday, following a 2-0 win away to 2014-2015 winners, Letchworth Garden City Eagles.

In what has been a topsy turvy season for Simon Riddle's men, cup football has seen the lads produce some of their best performances, and that was again the case as they emerged victorious from Pixmore Playing Fields, having successfully navigated their way through the semi final tie.

Hoddesdon didn't have it all their own way, picking up four yellow cards and a 53rd minute red card for Arnis Lala, making it a nervy second half in particular, but goals from George Rankin (52) and Connor Bolton (95) ensured the Lilywhites place in the final.

Hoddesdon will face Spartan South Midlands Division One outfit Royston Town Under 23s in the final, who despatched Oracle Components 2-0 at their Garden Walk home ground on January 27th, with strikes from Jack Davies and Danny Baulk.

The final will take place on Wednesday the 27th of March 2024 at the Herts FA Headquarters, The County Ground, in Letchworth. Ironically, the ground is just a stones throw from Letchworth Garden City Eagles home ground, the scene of the semi final win.

The Lilywhites have an affinity with this competition throughout their history and will be appearing in their eighth final of the Herts. Senior Centenary Trophy, which is a County record. Having been runners up four times and lifting the trophy three times in 1987, 2008 (watch Richard Howard make it 3-1 to Hoddesdon v Hertford Heath in that final HERE), and their last appearance in 2009, when they retained the trophy by beating Hatfield Town 5-3 on penalties, there is a real love affair with the competition and fond memories have been made over the years.

In the 2009 final, there was plenty of drama. Manager Geoff O'Vell had steered his side to the final and there was great hope that Hoddesdon could retain the trophy and become only the third side to do so, after Colney Heath and Tring Athletic in the mid to late 1990's.

Hatfield Town brought a very strong and vocal support to The County Ground and their hearts were in their mouth as early as the 6th minute, when Hoddesdon were awarded a penalty for a handball in the box by Trevor Golder. Unfortunately, Hoddesdon striker Lee Tombs missed the spot kick following a stunning double save from goalkeeper Sam Lacey and a nervy 90 minutes and extra time was played out. Martin Standen had given Hatfield a 1-0 lead after 18 minutes but Colin Metivier grabbed Hoddesdon's equalising goal just three minutes later.

In the second period, Hatfield's Sam Lacey had to be carried off on a stretcher after receiving a nasty leg injury in a collision with Jason Sorial, and captain and goalscorer Martin Standen donned the keeper's jersey. After 120 minutes of football, the sides could not be seperated and a 1-1 draw meant penalties would be used to decide the winner.

Standen was unable to prevent Hatfield losing in the penalty shoot-out 5-3 after Rhys Lawrence had seen his opening spot-kick saved by Hoddesdon custodian Dave Lovell. Captain Steve Magona scored the 5th and winning penalty for Hoddesdon, after Jason Sorial, Mark Dawson, Matthew Spiers and Chris Newell had all successfully found the back of the net from 12 yards.

You can read the full Match Report from the final from the Welwyn & Hatfield Times Newspaper by clicking HERE.

Steve Magona was also awarded the Man of the Match trophy for his outstanding defensive display and you can watch him and the team lift the trophy and celebrate their 2009 win HERE

No doubt, those that were around at the club at that time, will once again be dreaming of lifting the famous old trophy one more time and adding another honour to the pages of history. Royston Town Under 23s are no pushovers however and the Lilywhites will need to be on their game if they are to repeat the heroics of O'Vell and Magona's plucky 2009 team.

Travel information and full game preview will be available on this website nearer the time, so stay tuned for further information. In the mean time, dig out your rattles, polish your drum and let's look forward to what will hopefully be another glory glory night for the famous Lilywhites!

#COYL

(with thanks to Colin Sinden for part of the research)

Herts. Senior Centenary Trophy Winners

(Score indicates FT, AET, PENS)

1984-85 Welwyn Garden City v Pirton 0-0 2-0
1985-86 Selby v Hoddesdon Town 1-1 2-1
1986-87 Hoddesdon Town v Bedmond Sports & Social 5-1
1987-88 Wingate v Hoddesdon Town 3-1
1988-89 Selby v Welwyn Garden City 2-1
1989-90 London Colney v Hoddesdon Town 4-2
1990-91 Sawbridgeworth Town v London Colney 3-1
1991-92 Cheshunt v Leverstock Green 2-1
1992-93 St Margaretsbury v Sawbridgeworth Town 2-1
1993-94 Sawbridgeworth Town v Bushey Rangers 1-1 2-1
1994-95 London Colney v Sandridge Rovers 2-2 3-2
1995-96 Colney Heath v Agrevo Sports 4-1
1996-97 Colney Heath v Somersett Ambury V & E 1-1 3-1
1997-98 Benington v Cuffley 2-1
1998-99 Elliott Star v Benington 1-0
1999-00 Tring Athletic v Wormley Rovers 2-0
2000-01 Tring Athletic v Wormley Rovers 2-0
2001-02 Oxhey Jets v Elliott Star 4-3
2002-03 Tring Athletic v Colney Heath 2-0
2003-04 Hadley v Welwyn Garden City 2-0
2004-05 Oxhey Jets v Hatfield Town 2-0
2005-06 Codicote v Hoddesdon Town 2-0
2006-07 London Lions v Metropolitan Police Bushey 4-0
2007-08 Hoddesdon Town v Ware Sports 3-1
2008-09 Hoddesdon Town v Hatfield Town 1-1 1-1 5-3
2009-10 London Colney v Wormley Rovers 4-0
2010-11 London Lions v Letchworth Garden City Eagles 3-2
2011-12 Kings Langley v London Colney 4-2
2012-13 Baldock Town v Broxbourne Borough 1-1 1-1 5-3
2013-14 Belstone v Sun Sports 1-0
2014-15 Letchworth Garden City Eagles v Belstone 3-2
2015-16 Bishops Stortford Swifts v Letchworth Garden City Eagles 5-0
2016-17 London Lions v Woodson Park 3-0
2017-18 Baldock Town v London Lions 2-0
2018-19 London Lions v Belstone 5-1
2019-20 COVID-19 Oxhey Jets / Wormley Rovers *
2020-21 COVID-19 No Competition
2021-22 Chipperfield Corinthians v Letchworth Garden City Eagles 4-1
2022-22 Ware Sports v Belstone 2-2 - 4-2

* Following the outbreak of the COVID pandemic in early 2019 all football was suspended. Competitions which had already reached the semi-final stage were deemed to have been shared, with all other unfinished competitions from that season declared void.

Further COVID lockdowns disrupted subsequent seasons meaning that no County Cup competitions were run in 2020-21 and a reduced number of competitions were run in the years after.