| Gadeside Rangers were given a sharp reminder that life in Watford Sunday League will be far from easy as they suffered a single goal opening day defeat to Watford Irish at Oxhey Park. Going into the game, Gadeside faced an availability crisis with Tom Oliver, Danny Everritt, Ian McIntosh, Ed Shurville and Dan Campbell all missing for various reasons why Jay Evans is still absent following knee surgery. There was a welcome return for player-manager Adam Hills after 15 months out of the game. |
| Gadeside started brightly and knocked the ball around comfortably with Daniel Brooks pulling the strings in the middle of midfield. It was he who released Russ Popplewell on 10 minutes and the wideman cut in before seeing his low shot superbly saved at the nearpost by home custodian McKerney while Tom Mitchell saw his curling free kick drop just the wrong side of the far post. As the half wore on, Watford Irish started to control more of the game with Lambe and Connolly looking dangerous in attack. The latter was twice denied by superb saved by Darren Hufford as Gadeside's defence were all too frequently caught out of position. The best chance of the half came Gadeside's way just before half-time as Tariq Khan picked out Daniel Brooks who saw his powerful volley superbly saved by McKerney down low to his right. |
| Hills had stern words for his side at half-time but it was the home side who looked more likely to break the deadlock in the early part of the second half and Hufford had to be off his line to save at the feet of Lambe. The games only goal arrived on 58 minutes. First Gallagher saw his deflected effort hit the angle but the ball was not cleared and an unmarked Leech saw his low drive find its way through a sea of bodies to wrongfoot Hufford. Inevitably, Gadeside began to push men forward in search of an equaliser while Watford Irish looked dangerous in attack with Connolly a constant thorn in their side. Tom Mitchell had a glorious chance to equalise when he was played through by Tom Shurville but he snatched at this effort and fired over with just the keeper to beat. |
| Ian Freeman was lucky to escape giving away a foul in a dangerous place when he brought down Lambe while at the other end Gadeside were denied what seemed to be a blatant penalty when Nelmes was through on goal only for home defender Foy to seemingly punch the ball out for a corner as Gadeside's debutant was about to shoot. Referee Odeje, from the half way line - gave the corner. Mitchell saw another head go agonisingly over the bar while Hufford saved smartly from Connolly as the game became stretched. Russ Popplewell went close with a late marauding run down the left but found McKerney in good form as he saved low with his legs. Watford Irish held on for the victory and Gadeside were left to rue a host of missed chances. |
| Darren Hufford, Ben McDermott, Ian Freeman, Matt Evans, Ben Higginson, Daniel Brooks, Tariq Khan, Tom Shurville, Dave Nelmes (Adam Hills), Tom Mitchell, Russ Popplewell |