The gulf in class between the teams promoted to the Barclays Premiership may not have become apparent as yet. But for the two sides promoted to the Hitchin Sunday League Premier Division last season, the going, so far, has been very tough indeed. The Park

The gulf in class between the teams promoted to the Barclays Premiership may not have become apparent as yet.

But for the two sides promoted to the Hitchin Sunday League Premier Division last season, the going, so far, has been very tough indeed.

The Park find themselves pointless after their fourth defeat of the season, 3-0 away to Cannon, who themselves are having a much improved campaign after last season's hiccup.

Baldock Engine, who last year enjoyed a fantastic promotion campaign, have also found life in the top flight difficult and they also await their first point of the season despite a spirited performance in a 3-1 home defeat to reigning champions Red Star.

Kcinsatop are leading the way in the early stages of the season and are rumoured to be busy in the transfer market to add strength in depth to an already talented group of players. On Sunday they hosted Whitwell and were the division's top scorers as they romped to a 6-2 success.

The other game in the division pitted Crown Stotfold against PJ Hitchin. The Crown started brightly and found themselves two goals to the good inside the opening 15 minutes, Wes Byrne bagging them both.

A spirited second-half comeback by PJ saw them eventually win 4-2 with Ricky Small, Gareth Grant (two) and Ryan Foster helping preserve the Hitchin side's 100 per cent record.

In Division One, AC Malone have found themselves in dreamland after a nightmare campaign last year which resulted in relegation.

The Malone boys have found a new lease of life this season and are now the only side in the division with a 100 per cent record following a 6-4 win against basement club SMU.

Shillington dropped their first points of the season after a 2-2 draw at HTS Barleycorn Res.

Kcinsatop Res enjoyed a comfortable 5-0 win against Wanderers, while Whitwell Res and Jackmans Jackdaws both picked up their first point of the new campaign after a 1-1 draw.

Operation Swordfish have picked where they left off in Division Two and are sitting pretty on top of the table after a comprehensive 8-1 win against Broadmead.

Another promoted side from last season, Shillington Sunday, continue to chase hot on their heels and were too good for Cannon Res who are still chasing their first goal as well as their first point.

Richard Green (hat-trick), Trevor Long, Neil Hardy, Ross Pateman and Glen Stuart all found the target for Ocean's Eleven as they enjoyed a 7-2 win against Dynamo Letchworth.

North Herts Hatters remain unbeaten after a Richard Aylott goal and a 30-yard screamer from Carl Beddard gave them a 2-1 win at home to the Red Hart.

There were goals aplenty in Division Three as 32 goals were scored in the four matches.

Athletico Hitchin and Green Man Ickleford maintained their 100 per cent records at the top of the table as they beat AC Malone Res and Wanderers Res 5-0 and 7-1 respectively.

New club LGC Spartans did not have the best start to life in the Hitchin Sunday League, losing 8-1 to Walsworth, while Paynes Park can console themselves with the fact that they at least scored their first goals of the season as they lost 7-3 to Wilbury.

In the Beds Sunday Lower Junior Cup, Chequers Stotfold progressed to round two after Pete Saunders, Nick Bendon and Gareth Head all scored twice on their way to a 8-2 victory over Embankment.

Dan Eely and Martin Oakley also found the target.

Clifton Sunday Res trailed 4-0 at half time in the Beds Sunday Centenary Cup before a hat-trick from Steve Winch and a last-gasp goal from James Tizzard took the game against Mowsbury Athletic into extra time.

The impetus should have been with Clifton but two goals in the first period of extra time knocked the stuffing out of them and they were unable to find their way back into the game.

* Dave Rush is currently on holiday, so could all team's goalscorers for the games this weekend be emailed to Leighton.Machin@uk.fujitsu.com or text to 07867 839458 for inclusion in next week's Comet.

Results

Sunday, September 28

Premier Division: Baldock Engine 1 Red Star 3, Cannon 3 The Park 0, Crown Stotfold 2 PJ Hitchin 4, Kcinsatop 6 Whitwell 2.

Division One: AC Malone 6 SMU 4, HTS Barleycorn Res 2 Shillington 2, Wanderers 0 Kcinsatop Res 5, Whitwell Res 1 Jackmans Jackdaws 1.

Division Two: Broadmead 1 Operation Swordfish 8, Ocean's Eleven 7 Dynamo Letchworth 2, Shillington Sunday 5 Cannon Res 0, North Herts Hatters 2 Red Hart 1.

Division Three: Athletico Hitchin 5 AC Malone Res 0, Green Man Ickleford 7 Wanderers Res 1, LGC Spartans 1 Walsworth 8, Paynes Park 3 Wilbury 7.

Beds Sunday Centenary Cup, first round: Clifton Sunday Res 4 Mowsbury Athletic 6.

Beds Sunday Lower Junior Cup: Chequers Stotfold 8 Embankment 2.

FIXTURES

Sunday, October 5

Premier Division: PJ Hitchin v Cannon, The Park v Baldock Engine, Whitwell v Crown Stotfold.

Division One: Jackmans Jackdaws v AC Malone, Kcinsatop Res v HTS Barleycorn Res, Shillington v Whitwell Res, Wanderers v Chequers Stotfold.

Division Two: Cannon Res v Broadmead, Dynamo Letchworth v Clifton Sunday, North Herts Hatters v Ocean's Eleven, Red Hart v Operation Swordfish.

Division Three: AC Malone Res v Green Man Ickleford, Walsworth v Paynes Park, LGC Spartans v Wanderers Res, Wilbury v Athletico Hitchin.

Herts Sunday Senior Cup, round one: Red Star v Vision, HTS Barleycorn v Inter.