Hoddesdon Town return to cup action this week for the first time this season, with fond memories of their Herts Senior Centenary Trophy success last year, still firmly in the memory.

This time out however, it is the Herts Charity Shield that is at stake and Hoddesdon will be desperate to follow up the weekend win at Cannon's Wood with another victory, in the Quarter Final against Oxhey Jets.

Hoddesdon are five times winners of this competition, last tasting victory in the 2003/2004 season, defeating Welwyn Garden City 3-2 in the showpiece final. That season was the clubs 125th in it's rich and varied history but a disappointing league campaign saw them finish 11th in the table. That said, then manager Bill O'Driscoll managed to put another pot in the cabinet.

At the County Ground in Letchworth, Welwyn, from the South Midlands League Division 1, went ahead after just for minutes as Leon Hibbert Rose above everyone else to head into the net. Welwyn were more than holding their Premier Division opponents and had much the better chances in the opening period. Hoddesdon started to get back into the game but couldn't create the clear cut chances. Then 10 minutes before half time, the Hoddesdon team put together a good passing move on the edge of the Welwyn box and as the striker went to pass the defender he was brought down and the penalty given. Daryl Mitchell cooly dispatched the spot kick to give Hoddesdon the lead. It stayed 1-1 to half time and then Hoddesdon hit Welwyn with a sucker blow just after the restart. Pablo Ardiles put Hoddesdon into the lead and that spurred them on. Hoddesdon were now having more of the play and looking good for the lead. Welwyn, however, never gave up and the second spot kick of the night went in the favour. Sam Mazurek stepped up from the opposing goal and struck it down the middle to even the game up again. The tie then was end to end and looked like it was going to extra time before Hoddesdon got a free kick right on the edge of the box and Daryl Mitchell struck it low and hard into the back of the net for what turned out to be the winner. There was still time for Danny O'Sullivan to be dismissed from the field for Hoddesdon in injury time and also for Welwyn to shave the post before the final whistle was blown, but the Lilywhites were not to be denied and claimed the trophy for the 5th time in it's history.

In this competition last season, our campaign was ended prematurely as we slid to a narrow 1-0 defeat away to local rivals Wormley Rovers on Tuesday the 1st of August.

Hoddesdon first won this trophy in 1948, a 2-1 win against St Albans City Reserves, and then won it again three times in the 1970's, in 1971, 1972 and 1979, before their last success in the aforementioned 2004 final. It hasn't always been victory for Hoddesdon in the final though, as they are also 6 time runners up in this competition, first losing out in 1923 to Hitchin Blue Cross, succumbing to a 3-1 defeat in extra time. Then in 1999, Hoddesdon tasted final defeat for the 6th time, losing 1-0 to London Colney.

There will be hope that Hoddesdon can once again go all the way to the final, but standing in their way is a team who themselves know all too well what it takes to win this competition.

Oxhey Jets are old friends of ours from our Spartan South Midlands League days and it will be wonderful to visit their ground again and see some familiar faces.

The home side were runners up in this competition last season, eventually losing 4-0 in the final to Tring Athletic, but they do also have success in this cup to call upon. Our hosts have three charity shields of their own in the cabinet, winning in 2010, and then going back to back with wins in 2012 and 2013. You can watch Oxhey's appearance in last season's final, including a 25 yard screamer from Tring's Harry Shepherd, by clicking HERE.

Oxhey will be hoping cup football will prove a welcome distraction from league football, with their current form in the Cherry Red Records Combined Counties Football League Division One looking perilous.

Eight games played with one win and 7 losses, and a goal difference of -13 has contributed to a disappointing start to the new campaign but manager Dave Barnes will be hoping for a win to kick start his side's season. Dave played for Jets 30 years ago under the management of John Marriott and went on to play for Hillingdon Borough and Hayes FC. HIs coaching career started early while still playing and started off managerially at Tudor Arms FC, where he won various league and cup medals. He moved upwards to Sun Sports where he became assistant manager, helping to win more trophies along the way and has been involved with youth football management, taking care of the PSA Academy as well as winning plenty of competitions with Sun Sports youth teams. Dave is also an Ambassador for the Grenada Football Association.

Last time out, Oxhey slipped to a 1-0 defeat to PFC Victoria in the league on Saturday, and also cruelly lost out in the FA Vase to Ampthill Town the weekend previous, with a penalty shoot out deciding the tie after a 1-1 draw. Man of the Match that day was goalkeeper Lewis Lavin, who saved Ampthill's first three spot kicks but incredibly still found himself on the losing side. You can watch highlights of that game, including the penalty shoot out, HERE.

Dominic Mosca leads the charge for goals and has two goals in seven appearances for Oxhey, both coming in the 3-2 home defeat to Hillingdon Borough. According to the Oxhey Jets programme, Dom is one of those strikers that defenders hate to play against, a strong player who can hold the ball up well. Dom started his career at Amersham Town but moved to Broadfields United in 2021 and was at Spartans Youth last season.

Oxhey also have young forward George Rice in their ranks and Hoddesdon will have to be on their guard. Rice has been rather a bit of a scoring sensation for Berkhamsted under 18's, scoring six goals in eight matches before joining Hillingdon Borough, where he made five appearances before deciding to join Jets and scored 15 goals in just seven appearances for the "A" Team in the Herts County League. George made his first team debut coming on as a sub in March 2024 in the away match at Bagshot and was voted runner up in the "A" Team Player of the Season awards. Rice also scored the goal in Oxheys only win this season, a 1-0 success at home to Windsor and Eaton on the 6th of August.

And so to Hoddesdon.

After a couple of weeks of this match reporter bemoaning his sides lack of firepower in front of goal, the lads went and stuck FOUR past Cannon's Wood on Friday night and showed that they do have the ability to convert chances and domination into victories. That win launched them into 5th place in the league and back into contention for a top 5 spot this season. Two goals from Ben Clarke, alongside strikes from Connor Bolton and Arnis Lala, despatched our hosts with relative ease and sent us into two back to back cup games, full of hope. Hoddesdon Town has always been a good cup side and hopefully this season will be no different, starting with a win in this Quarter Final tie.

New signing Reece Barnett looked like he was playing his 101st game with the side, never mind his 1st, completing his debut with a clean sheet. Arnis Lala claimed the man of the match award for a superb attacking display and it was great to see him back in his stride and doing what he does best. It was also pleasing to see former Under 18 player Fraser McCarthy included in the squad on Friday, and making his debut from the bench.

There are rumours of a Connor Casey return this week after a period on the physios table, coupled with a holiday abroad. He jointly leads the golden boot table at Lowfield, alongside Callum Bennison, with three goals each. Last seasons top goalscorer, Connor Bolton, currently has two and will surely be eyeing another assault on that particular accolade.

The full draw for the 2024/25 Herts Charity Shield is as follows:-

1st Round

1 Oxhey Jets Bye
2 Hoddesdon Town Bye
3 London Colney 0-2 Colney Heath
4 Wormley Rovers 3-2 Harpenden Town
5 Tring Athletic v Baldock Town
6 Sawbridgeworth Town 1-2 Letchworth Garden City Eagles
7 St Margaretsbury Bye
8 London Lions Bye

Quarter Finals

9 Oxhey Jets v Hoddesdon Town
10 Colney Heath v Wormley Rovers
11 Tring Athletic or Baldock Town v Letchworth Garden City Eagles
12 St Margaretsbury 1-6 London Lions

Semi Finals

13 Oxhey Jets or Hoddesdon Town v Colney Heath or Wormley Rovers
14 Tring Athletic or Baldock Town or Letchworth Garden City Eagles v London Lions

Final

15 Winner of Match 13 v Winner of Match 14

With 11 final appearances and 5 wins, Hoddesdon would love to find themselves, once again, at The County Ground come April 2025, and that begins with the tricky trip to Watford.

You can read the full history of Herts Charity Shield finals HERE.

Please be reminded that kick off for this game is at the slightly earlier time of 7:30pm.

All travelling support is welcome and entry at the Adrian Flux Boundary Stadium is Adults £7, Concessions £4 and U16s £1.

Enjoy the game.

#COYL