Hertfordshire Charity Shield - 2019-2020

[Rhodes]

The Quarter Finals of the competition should finally be completed tomorrow evening with London Colney v Harpenden Town now taking place at Cotlandswick with Ware awaiting the winners in the Semi Final. Colney Heath take on Tring Athletic, also tomorrow, in the other Semi Final which should attract a decent size crowd to the Recreation Ground:

 

Tuesday 28 January

Hertfordshire Charity Shield Quarter Final

London Colney v Harpenden Town

 

Hertfordshire Charity Shield Semi Final

Colney Heath v Tring Athletic

[Rhodes]

A pulsating Semi Final at Colney Heath on Tuesday by the sounds of it, they meet Ware or London Colney in the Final:

 

Tuesday 28 January

Hertfordshire Charity Shield Quarter Final

London Colney 2 Harpenden Town 1

 

Hertfordshire Charity Shield Semi Final

Colney Heath 3 Tring Athletic 2

https://www.colneyheathfc.co.uk/Matchreport.aspx?id=319177

[Rhodes]

Unfortunately, the second Semi Final didn't go ahead last night although, according to another Forum, it was initially thought it would be taking place until the plug was unceremoniously pulled:

 

Hertfordshire Charity Shield Semi Finals

Colney Heath 3 Tring Athletic 2

https://www.colneyheathfc.co.uk/Matchreport.aspx?id=319177

https://www.tafc.co.uk/report-r.php?fixture_id=3724

Ware P London Colney (Tue 17 Mar)

 

Monday lunch time: Herts Charity Shield Semi-final; Ware vs London Colney is on. 

Monday evening: In light of the government's latest statement further advice from the FA to the Herts FA has resulted in this game being postponed.

 

 

[Rhodes]

By now we would have known the victors of the Hertfordshire FA Charity Shield with the final scheduled for Tuesday 31 March. It was an exciting competition up until it was so cruelly terminated with the highlight surely being Tring Athletic's backs to the wall 1-0 Quarter Final win at Herns Lane on a cold Tuesday 3 December evening, infact it made the Alamo seem tame with Tring keeper Charlie Mann performing like Jan Tomaszewski at Wembley in 1973. Colney Heath's 3-2 Semi Final win over Tring Athletic was also a classic with the Magpies coming back from 2-0 down, with a Jon Clements hat trick, to reach their third successive final, sadly all to no avail as it turned out: 

Hertfordshire FA Charity Shield First Round 

Harpenden Town 1 FC Broxbourne Borough 1 (Harpenden Town win 4-3 on pens)
Hertford Town v St Margaretsbury (St Margaretsbury walkover)
Leverstock Green 1 Hoddesdon Town 5  

http://levgreenfc.co.uk/event/190924f/ 

London Colney 3 Sawbridgeworth Town 2
Oxhey Jets 1 Colney Heath 1 (Colney Heath win 5-4 on pens) 

https://www.oxheyjets.com/portfolio-item/oxhey-jets-1-colney-heath-heath-win-5-4-pens/

https://colneyheathfc.co.uk/Matchreport.aspx?id=264785
Tring Athletic 4 Codicote 0 

https://www.tafc.co.uk/report-r.php?fixture_id=3568

Ware 7 Letchworth Garden City Eagles 1 

https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/ware/teams/72309/match-centre/0-4643349/report
Welwyn Garden City 2 Hadley 0 

https://www.welwyngardencityfc.org.uk/Matchreport.aspx?id=264952 

 

Hertfordshire FA Charity Shield Quarter Finals   

Colney Heath 0 Hoddesdon Town 0 (after 90 mins, Colney Heath win 6-5 on pens)

https://www.colneyheathfc.co.uk/Matchreport.aspx?id=280956

Harpenden Town 1 London Colney 2 (at London Colney) 

Ware 6 St Margaretsbury 3

https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/ware/teams/72309/match-centre/0-4757600/report

Welwyn Garden City 0 Tring Athletic 1

https://www.welwyngardencityfc.org.uk/Matchreport.aspx?id=283246

https://www.tafc.co.uk/report-r.php?fixture_id=3580 

 

Hertfordshire FA Charity Shield Semi Finals  

Colney Heath 3 Tring Athletic 2

https://www.colneyheathfc.co.uk/Matchreport.aspx?id=319177

https://www.tafc.co.uk/report-r.php?fixture_id=3724

Ware v London Colney (Tue 17 Mar)

 

Final (Tue 31 March, County Ground, Letchworth Garden City)

Ware or London Colney v Colney Heath

[Rhodes]

I see there is actually still a glimmer of hope of completing the Hertfordshire FA Charity Shield competition according to a recent news release on the Hertfordshire FA website, lets hope that is the case and Colney Heath can have their day in the sun at the County Ground in Letchworth Garden City against either Ware or London Colney, a London Colney v Colney Heath Final would be extra special wouldn't it:

Keeping you updated on the impact of Coronavirus on Hertfordshire football

UPDATED 20/04/2020 13:00

Following the Government’s announcement for people to stop unnecessary travel and avoid social contact where possible, we are advising that all grassroots football in Hertfordshire is postponed for the foreseeable future.

This includes matches, friendlies, training and any other football activity not compatible with following the Government guidance. In light of the current situation you should also be aware that any such activity may not be covered by your insurance at this time.

We will continue to monitor developments and work closely with our stakeholders across the game.

Further updates will be added to this page as appropriate.

Concluding the Current Season

The FA has released a statement on how the 2019-20 season will be concluded in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which you can read here. This decision has now been endorsed by FA Council. We are in contact with all Hertfordshire leagues to support them in determining how to close out thier current competitions and have provided them with guidance on how this can be done. With regards to County Cups, we have yet to make a final decision as to whether it will be possible for these competitions to be completed.

[Rhodes]

Disappointing news to report that the Hertfordshire FA have decided that it will not be possible to conclude any of their County Cup competitions for 2019/20, the Hertfordshire FA Charity Shield is therefore declared null and void:

Due to the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 this season's Hertfordshire FA County Cups have been declared null and void

After careful consideration we have concluded that it will not be possible to complete our 2019/20 County Cup competitions in light of the Coronavirus outbreak and that as a result these have been declared null and void.

In a joint statement issued with our Competitions Committee, Hertfordshire FA Chair Graham Phillips said:

"COVID-19 has had a drastic impact on all of us not only football and has left us to come to terms with the loss of the ability to enjoy family and leisure activities we all took for granted and are now having to adjust to a different lifestyle choices, albeit for the right reasons. Government and Public Health England are updating on a daily basis the developments of the virus and we are all too aware of their message ‘Stay Home, Save Lives and Protect the NHS.’

There are still many uncertainties which have even developed during the lockdown and no indication when the ongoing and necessary social distancing measures can be removed to the point where football can safely resume.

Whilst there was a genuine desire to do everything we could to find a way of playing these Competitions the true reality of the situation was that there were too many unknowns to make this a viable option and we felt that the County Cups were not the primary consideration for participants at the moment.

When coming to any decision we realise that it is impossible to that will please everybody and sympathise with the teams that will miss out on the chance of playing in a Final at Hertfordshire FA. However, it should be realised that the decision was not taken lightly and was made in the best interests of everyone involved in football.

I hope you and your families are staying safe and we look forward to seeing you all playing and participating in football as and when it is safe to do so."

Further details of the considerations behind this decision can be found in the full statement which can be downloaded via the link below.

Statement: Conclusion of County Cups 2019/20

[Rhodes]

An added 'footnote' has come with the Hertfordshire FA's decision to null and void their 2019/20 County Cup Competitions whereby  finalists, where already know, will be declared joint winners, unfortunately that is not the case with the Charity Shield with one of the Semi Finals, between Ware and London Colney, not as yet concluded:

Due to the un-precedented impact of COVID-19 this season's Hertfordshire FA County Cups have been declared null and void.

After careful consideration we have concluded that it will not be possible to complete our 2019/20 County Cup competitions in light of the Coronavirus outbreak. As a result these have been declared null and void, with finalists, where these were known, being declared 'joint winners'.

In a joint statement issued with our Competitions Committee, Hertfordshire FA Chair Graham Phillips said:

"COVID-19 has had a drastic impact on all of us not only football and has left us to come to terms with the loss of the ability to enjoy family and leisure activities we all took for granted and are now having to adjust to a different lifestyle choices, albeit for the right reasons. Government and Public Health England are updating on a daily basis the developments of the virus and we are all too aware of their message ‘Stay Home, Save Lives and Protect the NHS.’

There are still many uncertainties which have even developed during the lockdown and no indication when the ongoing and necessary social distancing measures can be removed to the point where football can safely resume.

Whilst there was a genuine desire to do everything we could to find a way of playing these Competitions the true reality of the situation was that there were too many unknowns to make this a viable option and we felt that the County Cups were not the primary consideration for participants at the moment.

When coming to any decision we realise that it is impossible to that will please everybody and sympathise with the teams that will miss out on the chance of playing in a Final at Hertfordshire FA. However, it should be realised that the decision was not taken lightly and was made in the best interests of everyone involved in football.

I hope you and your families are staying safe and we look forward to seeing you all playing and participating in football as and when it is safe to do so."

Further details of the considerations behind this decision can be found in the full statement which can be downloaded via the link below.

Statement: Conclusion of County Cups 2019/20

Edited May 27, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Colney Heath were on a hat trick of Hertfordshire FA Charity Shield wins when the season was terminated, last season (pictured below and match report) they lifted the shield beating Berkhamsted 1-0 in the Final after extra time at Hemel Hempstead Town's Vauxhall Road and the season before beat Welwyn Garden City 2-0, also at Vauxhall Road:

https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/berkhamstedfootballclub/teams/109087/match-centre/0-4524910/report

[Rhodes]

YouTube highlights from last season's Final on 7 May 2019 at Vauxhall Road:

 

Edited June 5, 2020 by Rhodes