Nirankari eased into the Herts Junior Cup final but there was semi-final agony for Probuild. A 5-2 win against Harpenden Town A at Norton Road saw Nirankari reach the final. Nirankari went behind after 10 minutes but equalised with a finely-worked goal fr

Nirankari eased into the Herts Junior Cup final but there was semi-final agony for Probuild.

A 5-2 win against Harpenden Town A at Norton Road saw Nirankari reach the final.

Nirankari went behind after 10 minutes but equalised with a finely-worked goal from Ben L'Honore and took the lead thanks to Mark Yearwood after fine work by Shaun Turner.

The second half was dominated by the home team, Andrew Levy adding a third from the edge of the box with a superb shot into the top corner.

An inspired substitution from manager Craig Abbiss saw Riyston Williams introduced and he scored twice in the last 20 minutes.

Harpenden scored a consolation in the last minute of the game.

Depleted Probuild were beaten 3-1 by Hadley A.

With injuries and illnesses before the match, Probuild had to revert to a makeshift back four.

Probuild scored first via Lee Kitching after fine work by Terry Pateman.

Stephen Skinner then gave the ball away and Hadley striker Richard Hudson capitalised when he thumped the ball past the stranded keeper.

There were chances at both ends during the second half.

Kitching gave the ball away to Hadley's Matt Grinyer who drilled the ball wide of keeper Graham Wraight.

Three minutes later, a mix-up in the Probuild defence allowed Hudson to race through only to be brought down outside the box by defender Adam Mackenzie who saw red.

Down to 10 men, and with two minutes to go, Pateman beat the offside trap and fired a shot off the outside of the post.

Everybody, even the Probuild keeper, came up for a final corner.

Stephen Teale's overhead kick was cleared out to Ricky Burrows on his own on the halfway line.

He ran 10 yards into the Probuild half and hit the ball from 50 yards into the empty net for the third goal.

In the Premier Division, Wilbury Wanderers thumped Clannad Celtic 7-1.

They scored four in the first half through Dean Smith (two), Craig Goode and Terry Shafe.

The second half was notable for a hat-trick from Richard Pearson.

Whitwell Village won by the odd goal in three at New Greens after falling behind.

They equalised early in the second half with a Richard Savio strike and he got his second and the winner with five minutes to go.

Veteran Simon Braine bagged a double hat-trick to keep White Hart on course for the Division One North title.

White Hart walloped Therfield Eagles 8-3 after Braine got the first four and the final two.

Liam Errington and Sam Gittings supplied the others.

Fairlands beat City Hearts 5-2 thanks to goals from Tunde Falegan, John Comber, Carl Lingwood and Danny Lingwood (two).

Oliver Mason and Daniel Burley netted for City Hearts.

Kimpton Rovers won by the odd goal in five against Magnum.

Brett Coverdale opened the scoring for Magnum before Kimpton drew level with a back post header from Mark Harrington.

The second half started well for Magnum as Chris Powell put them 2-1 up with his 15th goal of the season.

Kimpton striker Sam Gibbs equalised but five minutes later a mix-up in defence led to the ball falling to Harrington who slotted home the winner.

St Ippolyts Res also won by the odd goal in five against Baldock Town A.

Matt Wheeler put Saints ahead but Adam Sayer and a contentious penalty converted by Ross Cook gave Baldock a 2-1 lead at the break.

Dan Nash's corner was fumbled by the Baldock keeper into the net for an own goal before the winner. It was the best goal of the game with a spectacular scissors kick from just inside the area by Mark Lloyd.

resULTS

Saturday, February 23

Herts Junior Cup, semi-finals: Nirankari 5 Harpenden Town A 2, Probuild 1 Hadley 3.

Premier Division: New Greens 1 Whitwell Village 2, Redbourn v St Ippolyts (home win was awarded), Wilbury Wanderers 7 Clannad Celtic 1.

Division One North: Baldock Town A 2 St Ippolyts Res 3, City Hearts 2 Fairlands 5, Kimpton Rovers 3 Magnum 2, White Hart 8 Therfield Eagles 0.

FIXTURES

Saturday, March 1

Benevolent Shield, semi-final: Nirankari v Redbourn.

Premier Division: London Colney A v St Ippolyts, Wilbury Wanderers v Probuild.

Division One North: Kimpton Rovers v Baldock Town A, Therfield Eagles v St Ippolyts Res, Westwell v City Hearts, White Harts v Fairlands.