Cow lead the pack...

Premier Division:
Dun Cow hit double-figures to stay top of the league. James Dillnutt (hat-trick), Ian Thorne (two), Adam Furness, Ryan Jenner, Marc Holmes, Scott Mahoney and new signing Louis Lancaster did the damage. Almond Tree United had Ricky Lawrance sent-off to compound their misery.

Marquis United scored a quality team goal after three minutes when Barry Hazelton finished off new signing Theo Swaine’s cross. However, MBDA levelled when Kyle Watson finished from close range. Both sides missed some good chances before Marquis went down to ten men due to injury on the hour. Despite having a couple of good chances, they ran out of steam and MBDA ran riot. Ashley Kersey hit the second and Ross Walker the third. Substitute Gary Hodgson smashed home the fourth and they sit second.

Ryan Chillcott grabbed the only goal of the game as Broadhall beat Bottles.

Division One:
The big game was goalless at half-time before Nirankari Stevenage Reserves scored a magnificent seven in twenty minutes. Steve Teale started it off with a quick-fire brace before centre-half Bryan Challice smashed home the third. Joel Mason and Lee Allinson were linking up well and along with Ricky Case and Rich Hall, they combined for Mason’s two. Allinson then smashed home a 25 yard free-kick before tapping home to complete the scoring. Dean Greenough in the Nirankari goal kept the Stevenage Fencing strike-force quiet.

Last season’s Golden Boot winner Steve Fahey was at it again two days before his 23rd birthday. He hit four as Broadhall Reserves grabbed three easy points. Scott Durham grabbed the other, whilst Marquis of Lorne’s reply came from Jamie Campany.

Stevenage Colts thrashed SCS (Jonros Perren) as Peter Lane helped himself to a hat-trick. Robbie Freeman, Kieran Hufford and Luke Bennett, despite missing several one-on-ones, completed the scoring.

Division Two:
Hermit of Redcoats dished out another thumping as they lead a fledgling table. They started well, going four up in half-an-hour. Josh Dance took an early brace, including a penalty, Neil Roskilly made the most of a goalmouth scramble and Lee Metselaar capitalised on a defensive mistake. A1 Trophies hit back with goals either side of the break from Si Longman and Reece Munford, the latter netted again later on. Dance broke free to coolly chip the on-coming ‘keeper before rifling home a screamer from the half-way line. With Graham Akers and Olly Rice controlling the midfield, they were too much for their opponents and some neat football saw Dance grabbed two more for a double hat-trick on the day to make it nine goals in two weeks.

TC United claimed their first victory of the season and were two up at the break after Terry Lock had scored from the spot, before netting the goal of the game with a stunning 30 yard free-kick which flew in via a post. Lock grabbed two more after the break – his second four-goal haul on the trot - and Jon Dunne netted his first of the season with a back post volley. Craig Joy completed the scoring late on - after AFC Timebridge had scored through Sean Gumble and Cory Cooper - finding the top corner with a fine strike to banish any lingering memories of his last minute handball last week.

FC Squirrel went in front with a well taken Richard Marvell free-kick before hitting a second when the defence failed to clear their lines and Gary Baker pounced. Hartham Press gradually took control and pulled one back through a marauding run from Graeme Hulstrom, smashing home a cross from Andrew Black. They rallied during the half-time break and eventually ran out on top with a long range goal from Steve White, a shot on the turn from James Khakpour-Smith and a powerful free-kick from Barrie Curtin.

Division Three:
There was a clash of long standing rivals Bedwell Rangers and Broadhall A, who had both started the season with two wins. Broadhall started well and took the lead after twelve minutes, Matt Jackson was tripped in the area and Michael Emmings put away the resulting penalty. Gary Hillard was introduced at half-time and it proved to be a master-stroke as within a minute, he had latched on to Jackson's cross to score with a brilliant header from a ridiculously acute angle. Their tails were up and Paul Hancock's superb jinking run past two defenders was finished off by Phil Stevens five minutes later. The scoring was completed with fifteen minutes to go as another Jackson cross was powerfully headed into the net by Hillard.

Division Four:
A superb start to the game for Breachwood Lions saw Ollie Mason firing into the roof of the net. Dan Jefferies scored twice, once from the spot after Simon Blundell was brought down and the second from a corner with a karate-kick-style shot into the top corner before half-time. Blundell netted after the break before Icon Onederers replied courtesy of an Anthony Lloyd penalty after Graham French handled.

Frank Neville Memorial Cup:
In a tight encounter, it was the ten-men of Stevenage Colts Reserves who won the battle on the day. Walkern Construction began with a one-goal advantage and then hit the crossbar twice. They were finally rewarded when Mark Woods poked the ball in after scramble. Colts’ Callum Gardiner was upended in the box with fifteen minutes remaining, captain Lee Falanga stuck the ball in the top corner to pull one back before Gardiner levelled the scores overall.

cheers, Darren “Statto” Jones, statto@cssfl.info, www.cssfl.info