A cold and wet morning brought Hitchin Sunday League clubs back out after the Christmas break - and one was in a dynamic mood.

The Albion were at home to Squirrel Taverners in Division Two and ended up on the wrong end of a 10-1 thumping.

Squirrel took the lead early on when Dan Bond latched on to a Dennison Crook through ball and slotted home.

Keiran O’Brien then won a penalty which Dean Wylie converted but, after some unbelievable saves from the Squirrel keeper, Albion pulled one back from distance.

They never scored again though as Bond got his second, as did Wylie with another spot-kick.

Bond then set-up O’Brien and Crook for numbers five and six with two great passes before he picked up his hat-trick.

An own-goal made it eight, Bond got his fourth for number nine and double figures were completed with Wylie's third.

Stotfold Juniors and North Herts Hatters picked up a point each in a 2-2 draw while FC Inter Malone beat Khoi Khoi 7-1.

The other game saw Lea Sports PSG lose 5-2 at home against Hitchin Rovers.

It was first against second in Division One as Coach & Horses hosted Engineers Arms and it turned into a classic.

Coach & Horses are now eight points clear after a 4-3 win.

Jack Worbey put them one up but Engineers equalised on the stroke of half-time.

Josh Downes put C&H ahead again after a great tackle sent the ball into the net but by the time they scored again through Jack Abernethy, Engineers had scored twice.

The winner came with two minutes to go, Jordan Leech Levy getting his head onto a cross from the left.

Sandon and Ashwell turned out to be an entertaining seven-goal thriller with Sandon getting the win 4-3, while The Cock beat St Ippolyts 2-1 away.

There were also plenty of cup matches with the third round of Herts Sunday Junior Cup the highlight.

An all Hitchin Sunday League clash between Fairfield Park and FC Kings brought a total of 10 goals and eventually a 6-4 success for Fairfield.

They did it as well after Kings had taken a two-goal lead.

Danny Pye started the comeback with a smart header, Adam Illingworth levelling before the interval.

A misplaced Brad Ward cross made it 3-2 before a double from James Toleman, both coming with assists for Illingworth.

An amazing goal lobbed in from the halfway line gave Kings slight hope which increased after a Harry Wilkinson own-goal.

However, Toleman hit his hat-trick to ease the nerves and send Fairfield through.

Another all HSL clash saw AC Malone win 9-2 against Feed Up Warm Up.

Buffs lost 4-0 at home to Phoenix Reserves while GSS went through 3-2 against Royston Rangers with goals from Marcus Dolby, Peter Gurney and Darren Wells.

Almond Tree were successful in their home game against Bishop's Stortford Swifts winning 6-1.

Atletico 99 won 7-2 away to Northaw Res while Troll Campbell won 4-2 at home to New Barnet and Chells Rovers beat Bullsmoor United 3-0.

FC St Johns and FC Emperers Head both earned walkover wins to advance to round four.

One game in the second round of the Carl Couzens Challenge Cup saw Division One Arlesey Town beat North Baldock of Division Two 2-0.

 

Herts Sunday Junior Cup third round: Fairfield Park 6 FC Kings 4; Northaw Res 2 Atletico 99 7; FC St Johns v Golden Griffin (home walkover); Troll Campbell 4 New Barnet 2; Saint Evenage v FC Emperors Head (away walkover); Chells Rovers 3 Bullmoor United 0; AC Malone 9 Feed Up Warm Up 2; Buffs 0 Phoenix Res 4; GSS 3 Royston Rangers 2; Almond Tree 6 Bishop's Stortford Swifts 1. 

Hitchin Sunday League Carl Couzens Challenge Cup second round: Arlesey Town 2 North Baldock 0.

Hitchin Sunday League Division One: Coach & Horses 4 Engineers Arms 3; Sandon 4 Ashwell 3; St Ippolyts 1 The Cock 2.

Hitchin Sunday League Division Two: The Albion 1 Squirrel Taverners 10; Stotfold Juniors 2 North Herts Hatters 2; FC Inter Malone 7 Khoi Khoi 1; Lea Sports PSG 2 Hitchin Rovers 5.