Harpenden Town are ready for a crunch title battle in the Beds & Herts Women's Premier Division after maintaining their lead.

They are one of three teams still in with a shout of the crown and go to second-place Hertford Town on Sunday in their penultimate outing holding a three-point lead.

Hertford's other remaining game is against Wormley Rovers, the third side in the scrap, who are two points further behind but with a game in hand on the two above.

And it was they who provided Harpenden with opposition in the first of their two games this week, the sides playing out a 1-1 draw.

It came just a few days after Rovers had beaten Harps 3-0 but this was a much closer affair.

Belle Shannon, Jael Muzzi and Cayleigh Jackson were all denied by Serena Hand in the visitors' goal in the first half while Lauren Croucher-Wakefield was called into action at the start of the second period to stop a header by Fahren Fraser.

And it was Harpenden who drew first blood, Jackson's corner was cleared back towards her and with a better angle she let fly, finding the far corner.

Play then went from end to end and the Harps were holding out until a peach of a free-kick from Chelise Fleming gave Croucher-Wakefield simply no chance.

Harpenden though almost snatched all three points with Mel Jones's free-kick headed beyond Head by Hannah Pope.

Unfortunately for them though it found the underside of the crossbar and bounced down to and out.

Sunday's game saw the ladies win 1-0 against Biggleswade United.

Due to the exertions of the draw with Wormley, Shannon was among those given a rest but they were still straight on the front foot from the kick-off.

Dani Ransom sent a rising drive over the top but that was just a sighter and after Holly Rossington made a strong run into the box, Ransom supplied the finishing touch to send Harpenden into the lead.

Hannah Pope went close on a couple of occasions while the bubbly Kerry Roberts fired in a couple of fierce low drives which flew past each upright.

United did start to come into it as half-time approach but they only had a Nicola Henman shot to show for their efforts, that whizzing across the face of goal and wide.

Roberts went close again at the start of the second period while Jackson was denied by Biggleswade's 16-year-old keeper, Keira Shields.

Kacee Warren was also denied by the teen stopper but then came their best chance at stretching the advantage.

First Hannah Pope got in but her effort was blocked by Shields.

The rebound though ran to Jael Muzzi but her follow-up was blocked by Holly Fox and yet a third opportunity came Harpenden's way.

Amber Lawrence's midriff stopped Jackson though and Harpenden had to settle for just the single-goal success.