The Hitchin Sunday Football League AEK Letchworth turned round a half-time deficit to reach the Challenge Cup final courtesy of a 6-4 victory against a spirited Engineers Henlow. Goals from Jim Gentry, Malc Gilroy and substitutes Scott Ledger and Leighton

The Hitchin Sunday Football League

AEK Letchworth turned round a half-time deficit to reach the Challenge Cup final courtesy of a 6-4 victory against a spirited Engineers Henlow.

Goals from Jim Gentry, Malc Gilroy and substitutes Scott Ledger and Leighton Machin proved in vain as goals from Matt Wilson, Stuart Morris, Rob Yates and a Micky Smith treble, which included a stunning strike from 20 yards, sealed the win.

Red Star ICL have one hand on the Premier Division title after a 6-1 success at home to Stotfold Sunday, Chris Reeves, James Campbell, Johnny Rowe, Ross Pateman and Mandel Mullings (two) all on target.

Results elsewhere mean that victories against Engineers Henlow and Whitwell will secure them the title for the first time since 2002-3.

Cannon continue to keep the pressure up and thumped Bar Absolute Willian 10-1, Jack Gregson (four), Simon Umney, Ryan Mitchell, Luke Purchase, Robbie Somers, Darren Purchase and Neil Smith all chipping in with goals.

Kcinsatop and PJ Hitchin met in a double header and one victory apiece helped neither title bid.

The opening game finished 3-1 to Kcinsatop but PJ gained revenge in match two as they won 5-1.

Ross Ward, Wayne Mullooly and Gordon Guile were on the mark as Whitwell travelled to HTS Barleycorn and emerged victorious as goals from Greg King and Nathan Gaydor could not stop HTS falling to defeat.

AC Malone did their survival hopes no harm at all as they beat eight-man The George Hitchin 9-4, Ricky Day, James Brewster and Negus Johnson (two) scoring in reply.

Four games took place in Division One and Kcinsatop Res regained top spot after defeating bottom side Walsworth 6-0.

Crown Stotfold continue to look good for promotion as they came away from SMU with a three-goal victory, Matt Evans, Gareth Brown and Luke Nichol scoring.

A Rob Flack goal was all that separated HTS Barleycorn Res and Angels Reply as HTS won 1-0.

Offley Parish enjoyed a rare victory as they won 5-4 at home to Wanderers, Stuart Smillie, Michael Carter, Jas Badeshia and Mark Norriss on target for the beaten side.

George and Dragon Baldock extended their lead at the top of the Division Two table to four points as they beat second placed The Park 5-0.

Lewis Littlechild, Dave Rees, Darren Mattussa and Mark Nunn (two) secured a comfortable victory.

Shillington are now the only realistic threat to the George and Dragon in the race for the title and they maintained the pressure with a 3-1 win at home to AC Malone Res.

Radcliffe Arms were 3-1 winners at bottom side The Five Bells while Broadmead consolidated fourth place with a 6-1 victory at Dynamo Letchworth.

Trevor Peake and Dally Duncan at 39 were the oldest ever players to play for Luton Town.

But they would almost be considered youngsters when lined up next to Milan Curcic who, at 45, scored the only goal of the game for another set of Hatters, the North Herts Hatters, as they beat Baldock Sunday.

Paynes Park bounced back in style as they beat Wanderers Res 5-0 and duly leapfrogged them in the table.

Goals from Anthony Humphries (hat-trick), Steven Oatman and an own goal ensured a more cheery Sunday than their one seven days earlier.

The opening cup final of the season took place on Sunday evening.

Cannon and Whitwell battled it out in the Reserve Cup final.

With Cannon starting the game as pre-match favourites, any hopes Whitwell had of springing a surprise were extinguished as goals from Nicky Bendon (two), Luke Wells, Ross Cook and Danny Ryan secured a 5-0 success.

P Compiled by Leighton Machin.

RESULTS

Sunday, April 15

Premier Division: PJ Hitchin 5 Kcinsatop 1, Kcinsatop 3 PJ Hitchin 1, AC Malone 9 The George Hitchin 4, Cannon 10 Bar Absolute 1, HTS Barleycorn 2 Whitwell 3, Red Star ICL 6 Stotfold Sunday 1.

Division One: Angels Reply 0 HTS Barleycorn Res 1, Kcinsatop Res 6 Walsworth 0, Offley Parish 5 Wanderers 4, SMU 0 Crown Stotfold 2.

Division Two: Dynamo Letchworth 1 Broadmead 6, North Herts Hatters 1 Baldock Sunday 0, Shillington 3 AC Malone Res 1, The Five Bells 1 Radcliffe Arms 3, The Park 0 George and Dragon 5, Wanderers Res 0 Paynes Park 5.

Challenge Cup, semi-final: Engineers Henlow 4 AEK Letchworth 6.

Reserve Cup, final: Cannon Res 5 Whitwell Res 0.

FIXTURES

Sunday, April 22

Premier Division: AC Malone v Bar Absolute, Engineers Henlow v Cannon, PJ Hitchin v The George Hitchin.

Division One: AEK Letchworth v Angels Reply, Cannon Res v Kcinsatop Res, SMU v Walsworth, Whitwell Res v Offley Parish.

Division Two: Baldock Sunday v North Herts Hatters, Broadmead v The Park, Paynes Park v Shillington, Radcliffe Arms v The Five Bells, Wanderers Res v SMU Res, Wilbury v AC Malone Res.

Challenge Cup, semi-final: Whitwell v George and Dragon.

Division One Cup, final: Crown Stotfold v Wanderers.

Tuesday, April 24

Premier Division: Whitwell v Stotfold Sunday.

Division One: Angels Reply v AEK Letchworth.

Division Two: AC Malone Res v The Five Bells, George and Dragon v SMU Res, Shillington v North Herts Hatters, Wanderers Res v Wilbury.