Football round-up Hitchin Town will not see striker Grant Carney in action again this season as the injury-stricken player struggles to get fit. Carney, signed in the close season by manager Darren Salton, has played just 11 minutes for the club, coming o

Football round-up

Hitchin Town will not see striker Grant Carney in action again this season as the injury-stricken player struggles to get fit.

Carney, signed in the close season by manager Darren Salton, has played just 11 minutes for the club, coming on as substitute against Stamford.

But the 30 year-old former Dunstable and Hemel Hempstead forward's recovery from a summer operation on his knee has been slow.

While he has been sidelined, Hitchin's other summer capture, Chris Dillon, has been scoring prolifically and Salton now has further options with the arrival of last season's leading scorer Josh Sozzo. Carney has decided to concentrate on getting fit.

Salton said: "As everyone knows, I was after Grant for some time, so it is bitterly disappointing that he has been unable to get fit. He needs time to do that."

Neil Pugh is also out of the reckoning for the time being due to work commitments. Pugh has recently joined the police force and is currently undergoing intensive training. He remains part of Salton's future plans, though.

Goalkeeper Michael Parkin, injured in Hitchin's heroic FA Cup win at Bognor Regis, has gone out on loan to Diss Town.

Hitchin travel to Merthyr Tydfil on Saturday and are at home to Clevedon Town on Tuesday night (7.45pm ko).

Only the weather prevented the Canaries from going top of the league as for the second season running, their festive programme was disrupted.

Last year it was snow that abandoned Hitchin's game at Bedford, but this year it was a deluge of rain that made the Top Field pitch unplayable on Saturday.

Hitchin were 2-0 ahead when referee Blackledge called the game with Cheshunt off.

Chris Dillon had scored again in the 12th and 35th minutes.

After 50 minutes, with pools of water hampering the route of the ball, Blackledge called the players off. After an independent assessment, the game was called off.

Their New Year's Day trip to Northwood was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

* The two Arlesey teams both had their matches on Saturday curtailed by the weather.

Arlesey Town were leading 1-0 at home to Ware when the match was abandoned after the break.

And Arlesey Athletic did not even reach half time in their match at Winslow United when monsoon conditions caused a halt to proceedings.

Stotfold were without a fixture while Langford threw away a three-goal advantage to share the points at Broxbourne Borough.

Goals from Ben L'Honore, Lee Pateman and Jim Bywater saw them well ahead at the break before they were pegged back in atrocious weather.

United came out on top by the odd goal in three against Town in the Biggleswade local derby.

Stuart Ogilvie sent bottom side Biggleswade Town into an early lead but goals from Darren Sarll and Keith Thomas midway through the second half ensured Biggleswade United took the spoils.

It all went wrong for Biggleswade United in a 7-1 home rout by Chalfont St Peter on Tuesday night, Mark Holmes scoring just after the break when they were already five down.

Potton United won by the odd goal in three in a lively encounter at Boston. Paul Garrett and Mark Bryant gave them an early two-goal lead. After Boston's Nathan Collins and Potton's Gareth Cottenden were red carded, Boston pulled one back through Micky Nuttell. Potton went down to nine when Steve Kuhne picked up a second caution a minute from time.