National and county cup competitions were to the forefront in the Hitchin Sunday League with various degrees of success.

Round one of the FA Sunday Cup kicked off with the league's only representative, Squirrel Taverners at home to Strafford Arms of the Hertfordshire 1961 League.

However, it was not to be for Squirrel as they fell to a 5-1 defeat.

It was also the first round of the Herts Sunday Senior Cup and there were two teams from the HSL in it.

Unfortunately, they were drawn to play each other.

St Ippolyts were the hosts and it turned out to be a very close game against AC Malone.

The visitors went 1-0 up when Will Felstead's cross found Ben Fairey but the hosts equalised after the break before a great strike hit the roof of the net for 2-1.

A penalty for handball gave Malone an equaliser but St Ippolyts held their nerve in the shoot-out to win 4-3.

In Division One, Coach and Horses remain top after a 6-3 win away to Hitchin Rovers while Sandon won their away game against North Baldock 3-1.

Their goals came from Paul Morris, Owen Haynes and Robert Wilcock.

Cronies were at home against Queens Herts Rangers in a 10-goal thriller in Division Two but unfortunately for them they only managed three of them.

Harrison Cole who was the QHR hero, netting five of their seven, with Jayden Banks and James Pitman getting the others.

The game between Down And Under and North Herts Hatters was very tight and the two sides could only be separated by a solitary goal from the Hatters.

Fairfield Park and Feed Up Warm Up picked up a point each with a 1-1 draw while GSS picked up another three points and moved up to third in the table following a win against a very good Niche side.

GSS though had to come from behind as Niche were leading 1-0 up to the 80th minute but goals from Alfie Miles and Liam Bayford gave them a 2-1 win.

Bottom side The Chequers were at home against top of the table The Cock and a 7-0 win for The Cock made it four wins out of four.

In Division Three there was a nine goal shared between AFC Squirrel and Lea Sports PSG, AFC winning 5-4.

Ashwell had a good 7-1 win against Lads Speak Out while BOCA maintained their perfect start to the season with an 11-0 win over All Saints United.

The final game of the day saw VFC Rovers make great strides further up the table with a win away against unbeaten Buffs.

The game started off hotly contested, but both teams were unable to make the breakthrough.

That was until a Buffs penalty late in the first half put them 1-0 up.

Frustrated at going into half-time a goal behind, VFC changed formation and pressed higher up the pitch.

They were nearly rewarded on 65 minutes when a goal from Lawson Farley was ruled out for offside but more positive play and high pressing saw the ball fall to Alex Maxwell on the right hand side and he sent in a looping cross which went over everyone, including the keeper, and put VFC back in the game at 1-1.

Continuing to push for a second VFC were gaining lots of possession in the Buffs half but some good saves from the Buffs keeper and good defending kept the scores level.

However, in the 85th minute a ball over the top found the feet of Tyler Cox who was one on one with the Buffs keeper and he slotted the ball into the bottom corner to make it 2-1.

The result was VFC's second win of the season and lifts them upto third in the table.