Herts Senior Challenge Cup Oxhey Jets 3 WGC 1 WGC were knocked out of the Herts Senior Cup on Wednesday night as they slipped to a 3-1 defeat against Oxhey Jets at the Boundary Stadium. There was to be no repeat of the bad feelings from the first game,

Herts Senior Challenge Cup

Oxhey Jets 3 WGC 1

WGC were knocked out of the Herts Senior Cup on Wednesday night as they slipped to a 3-1 defeat against Oxhey Jets at the Boundary Stadium.

There was to be no repeat of the bad feelings from the first game, just two and a half weeks ago where a bruising encounter saw the Citizens run out 3-0 winners.

It was also manager Del Deanus' first defeat since he took the reins at the Herns Lane club.

The game itself survived a referee's pitch inspection because of the weather conditions.

Jets started brightly and seemed to adapt to the icy pitch conditions better.

They had the first good chance of the game in the 20th minute, but Steve Brown failed to convert with his header.

Jamie Arthur also missed another good chance when he found himself one-on-one with the Welwyn defence.

The hosts then had a glorious couple of minutes just after the half-hour mark when they scored two goals and put together some excellent passing moves to create them. Paul Turner put in the first one past WGC keeper Rob Blackburne.

It was a simple tap in after a great burst through the City defence by Jamie Arthur which ended with a square pass across goal to the unmarked Turner.

Then in the 34th minute, some flowing passing moves by Jets, and a great weave through the City defence by Lee Grace, ended with Arthur slotting home the second.

The Citizens came out in the second half showing straightaway their intention to take the game to Jets and get themselves on the scoresheet.

They almost achieved this in the opening minute of the half when they seemed to have carved open the Jets defence only for Michael Wyatt to come from behind Stuart Blackburne to get a toe to the ball and put it out for a corner.

The second half continued with Welwyn pushing forward, and Jets looking to defend and break down the City attacks and create something on the break.

It needed a number of good saves from Steve Duce in the Jets goal to keep Welwyn out.

Then, after an excellent Duce save, the ball spilled out to an oncoming City forward who sent a bullet volley goalwards only to find Jets' Michael Wyatt in the way again and able to block the shot and scramble it clear.

Against the second-half run of play, Jets sealed the win when Holdom, who had only just come onto the pitch, finished well from a Tim O'Mara cross in the 75th minute to make it 3-0.

Deanus' side did pull a goal back when, after Duce made the mistake of coming for a ball he wasn't going to reach and Stuart Blackburne netted for the visitors.

It was Blackburne's sixth goal in five matches as he extends his run of good form in front of goal, but he like his team mates will be disappointed to exit the cup.

City, despite the defeat, showed again that they are now a much tougher proposition under their new management than their current league position would suggest.

The team now need to regroup and prepare for the league game away against Leverstock Green, who had won four on the trot until being beaten away at Chalfont St Peter last Saturday.