The Comet Stevenage Sunday Football League Probuild put the previous week s county cup disappointment behind them as their domestic season continued in style. They edged their game of the day over their more illustrious opponents Bedwell Athletic. Terry P

The Comet Stevenage Sunday Football League

Probuild put the previous week's county cup disappointment behind them as their domestic season continued in style.

They edged their game of the day over their more illustrious opponents Bedwell Athletic.

Terry Pateman missed two gilt-edged chances and keeper Aaron Springham made a fine save from Gary Pomfret as the Division One side pressed hard. Dean Wylie had the best chance for the Premier Division side, hitting the side netting.

With extra-time looming, Dan Gregory drove the ball low and hard, with Springham's hand not quite enough as it rolled home. It sent them through to a KLM Challenge Cup semi-final meeting with Station or Bottles Res on April 15.

Shaun Marshall (two), Adam Furness (two) and Scott Mahoney hit the goals as Dun Cow set up a meeting with Bottles or Mallard for a place in the final after seeing off AFC Proverbial. In reply, Martin Wilson netted from a Russell Bull through ball before Bull himself scored the second from the spot after being brought down following Keith Satchell's pass.

Nirankari Sports Sabha made the Premier Division Cup final, where they will face either Bottles, Dun Cow or Mallard. After two league draws with Hermit of Redcoats, Andrew Levy (two), Ben l'honore (two), Ricky Case, Leroy Williams and Mark Barnes saw them off this time.

In the Premier Division, Bottles closed the gap as they made hard work of a win over the basement side. Leeroy Odd hit the ball towards goal, where the wind caught it and Lee Horsley managed to turn home the opener past Steve Large. Poor defending by Reece Arbon invited Odd to double the lead. Old Red Lion piled on the pressure and after Tom Hillard was brought down in the box, brother Danny stepped up to slot home the penalty consolation.

Broadhall took the lead as Nick Barkley finished from a corner. Station were level through Ian Woodfield and Liam McQueen completed the turnaround following a corner.

Division One saw Pin Green reclaim top spot. Richard Griffiths (two), Gaz Afana (two), Paul Ryan, Matt Steer, Mark Chalkley and Graeme Kear scored in the drubbing of Aston Athletic. The latter have now conceded more than 100 league goals.

After the fixture ended 1-1 the previous Sunday, Coopers were determined to go one better and took the lead when Tony Goodman hit a speculative shot that the keeper could only palm down, veteran Sylvester Garner was quickest to react by hooking the ball over his shoulder from six yards. The division's top scorer John Johnston was at it again though with another brace to take him to 21 league goals for Pig and Whistle before a solo effort from Ricky Lawrence sealed the game.

Peartree leapfrogged their victims. Andy Parrish opened the scoring with a half-volley from player-manager Paul Blantern's nod on. Adam Burnage equalised for Breachwood Lions with a trademark curling shot into the top corner.

With half an hour remaining, Dan Curtin grabbed the winner for Peartree when he belted the ball into the top corner from 35 yards.

Despite Gary Hillard's missed penalty, Hayden McColm and Dean Bacon netted as SCS enjoyed a rare win over a 10-man Royal Oak.

Michael Hatch (two), Riyston Williams and Darren Smith netted as Division Two leaders FC Rising Sun bounced back from their first defeat of the season as Newcotech had no answer.

Stewart Duff gave Norwich Union the lead. However, they dropped valuable promotion points as Granby St George substitute Gary Brown equalised with his first touch with a little over 10 minutes remaining.

Crooked Billet also blew crucial points as Scott Taylor netted the only goal of the game for Old Social.

George Rowe and Carl Fletcher were on target as ProCladd used the wind to their advantage in the first 20 minutes. They went down to 10 men due to injury before King Pin United turned the screw. Steve Reilly headed home before a quickly taken corner by James Wyatt was fed to Kieran Bowden who struck the equaliser from 18 yards. They took the lead with a good strike from Dave Holmes before Adam Bannister headed home another Wyatt flag-kick.

Rapidsource finally grabbed their first legitimate win of the season. Gary Pitts (two) and Simon Moore were on target against Triage for whom Neil Roskilly and Jim McGarry replied.

Division Three leaders White Horse dropped two points late on as they battled against the wind with 10 men in the second-half.

James Flynn gave them the lead inside a minute, Jason Lovelock made it two, before a header and a terrific volley gave him a hat-trick before half-time.

However, the game had changed moments earlier when Adam Crick was sent-off for hauling down Jamie Campany, who had earlier struck on his MBDA Res debut. They stormed back through an own goal by Darren Lovelock, Louis Hare's header, and captain Daemon Lee was not to be denied as his 20-yard effort flew into the top corner.

Bottles Res benefited as they closed the gap to six points as Rob Duckworth (two), Paul Dare and Robbie Freeman were on target against Rileys (Garyth Johnson and Danny Rollinson).

Despite having only nine men, basement side Athletico Timebridge took the lead with a Jim Hamilton header from Dave Herbert's cross. They went back in front just before the break with an own goal. However, as they tired, MC Racing turned the game around as Steve Teale (two), Nik Tribe (two) and Steve Koop were on target.

Chequers' nightmare 2007 continued as Fox strolled to victory thanks to Dave Dawe, Matt Arlick, Lee Setterfield and Kevin Ward.

Darren Curry struck a brace to give North Herts Celtic a second successive win. They sandwiched a Terry Lock lob for AFC Stevenage.

The first Invitation Cup game in some time took place. Twin Foxes stayed unbeaten since mid-November thanks largely to their two-goal advantage and Manjit Singh's opener. Stevenage Colts Old Boys turned the game around thanks to Simon Cornish (two) and Steve Bush, despite all the efforts of Celtic keeper Barry Aldridge.

* Compiled by Darren Statto Jones

(statto@cssfl.co.uk, www.cssfl.co.uk)

RESULTS

Sunday, March 18

KLM Challenge Cup, quarter-finals: AFC Proverbial 2 Dun Cow 5, Probuild 1 Bedwell Ath 0.

Premier Division Cup, semi-finals: Nirankari SS 7 Hermit of Redcoats 3.

Premier Division: Bottles 2 Old Red Lion 1, Broadhall 1 Station 2.

Division One: Aston Ath 1 Pin Green 8, Coopers 1 Pig and Whistle 3, Peartree 2 Breachwood L 1, SCS 2 Royal Oak 0.

Division Two: FC Rising Sun 4 Newcotech 0, King Pin Utd 4 ProCladd 2, Norwich Union 1 Granby St George 1, Old Social 1 Crooked Billet 0, Triage 2 Rapidsource 3.

Division Three: Ath Timebridge 2 MC Racing 5, Bottles Res 4 Rileys 2, Chequers 0 Fox 4, North Herts Celtic 2 AFC Stev 1, White Horse 4 MBDA Res 4.

Invitation Cup: Stev Colts OB 3 Twin Foxes 3.

FIXTURES

Sunday, March 25

Premier Division Cup (quarter-finals): Bottles v Dun Cow (MP).

Premier Division: Station v Nirankari SS (Bald).

Division One: Aston Ath v MBDA (KG1), Breachwood L v Coopers (Brea), Pig and Whistle v Royal Oak (10.00, Double-Header, RE3), Pin Green v Probuild (KG3), Stev Colts OB v Peartree (10.00, SP1).

Division Two: Crooked Billet v Granby St George (KG2), King Pin Utd v Old Social (HP3), Norwich Union v FC Rising Sun (CW4), ProCladd v Rapidsource (HP2), Triage v Newcotech (PP3).

Division Three: AFC Stev v Bottles Res (10.30, SP3), Ath Timebridge v Chequers (RE4), MBDA Res v Twin Foxes (Barc), MC Racing v Rileys (RE5), North Herts Celtic v Fox (10.00, SP5).

Invitation Cup: Broadhall (0v1) SCS (10.30, SP4), Old Red Lion (0v0) Hermit of Redcoats (PP1).

(cup games kick-off 10am, league games 10.15am, unless otherwise stated)