Football round-up: Late shows for Harpenden Town teams

The men played in the only Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division game to beat the icy conditions on Saturday and with 15 minutes to go, they led 2-1 at home to Aylesbury Vale Dynamos courtesy of a double from Dave Keenleyside.

However, Alfie Anderson equalised on 78 minutes and then an 85th minute winner from Terry Griffiths saw Dynamos win 3-2.

Dave Keenleyside scored twice for Harpenden Town in the loss to Aylesbury Vale Dynamos. Picture: PETER SHORT (Image: Peter Short)

Sunday was a completely different story though as the ladies scored with literally the last touch of the game to beat championship rivals Dussindale & Hellesdon Rovers 2-1.

The pair had met two weeks earlier with the Norwich-based side winning 3-2 at home.

But this success at Rothamsted Park means Harpenden have now jumped above their visitors and top of the Eastern Region Division One North standings by two points, both sides having eight games left to play. 

The winner may have been huge in importance but was simple in execution.

Harpenden won a free-kick out on the right wing, midway inside the Rovers half. That was lofted into the area by Belle Shannon where it was met by Sophia Amanor coming though the traffic, and she planted a header low inside the near post past the static goalkeeper.

There wasn't even time to restart the match so late had the winner been.

All three goals had come in the second half although Harpenden should have scored early on when Shannon was brought down in the box.

Amanor hit it well enough but Tyla Cole went the right way and pushed the shot away from goal.

After half-time though, the game came to life with an early home goal.

Town won a series of corners which were delivered by Rebecca McShane, the last of headed into the corner by Chloe Dinsey.

Minutes later new signing and debutant Lucie Kirby made a good run down the right wing but a superb cross was headed wide by Amanor.

From there Rovers started to crank up the pressure and it was all hands to the pump for Harpenden to keep them out.

With the winds at their backs, Issy Moore shot over when well placed and then she had another strike that was saved by Sophie Harris in the Harps goal.

Victoria Leyer and Talluah Bell were also denied by the keeper who then thwarted Moore once again with a stop low to her right.

Shannon did have a long-range effort saved by Cole but most of the play was at the other end, Kacee Warren on hand to clear the ball off the line.

The pressure finally told though and after failing to clear yet another dangerous Rovers attack, Leyer nipped in to equalise.

Both sides then had chances to win but it seemed a draw was the most likely outcome, until Amanor's late intervention.

Saturday's other men's games were all postponed, including Colney Heath away to Sawbridgeworth Town.

Colney Heath's ladies though continue their good season with a 5-0 win over Hitchin Belles Blues in the Herts Women's Trophy.

Mia Simmonds got three with one each for Jael Muzzi and Bora Cela.

The Magpies will now play Letchworth Eagles in the semi-final.

St Albans Primary Schools  had three games on Saturday and all ended without defeat.

In the London Girls League, Saints drew 1-1 with Barking & Dagenham, Mansfield getting their goal.

A representative game against East Birmingham saw the Blues win 6-3, a match played at Aston Villa Academy's training centre.

Ellis got three and Joseph, Burt and Ponzo one each as they played some good football.

The Yellows meanwhile had their game sown up by half-time, going on to beat Newbury 12-3 in the Cotswold League after leading 7-0 at the break.

Duncan got four and there were two each for Carter and Kosh. Stewart, Hawkes, Hodgkinson and Mendez-Barral sealed the romp as they played with good movement and confidence.

The Yellows play them away on Saturday, again in the Cotswold League, while the Blues play Newbury B and Gloucester B to catch up on fixtures.

The girls travel down the M1 to play Brent in the London League.

Both Colney Heath and Harpenden Town's men were able to play on Tuesday night in cup action, but with differing results.

The Magpies won 1-0 away to Arlesey Town in the SSML Premier Division Cup.

Sam Ejjayha got the goal in the 89th minute, prodding home after an Ollie Lawford free-kick into the near post had only been shovelled out by keeper Ollie Skinner.

Arlesey were down to 10-men by this point, Rory Busby shown a second yellow card five minutes earlier for kicking the ball away.

Harps meanwhile were beaten 5-4 on penalties away to Potton United in the SSML Challenge Trophy.

Reece Crowter had equalised in the dying moments of the 90 before Harpenden had managed to take the shoot-out into sudden death after hitting the bar and having a kick save from their first five efforts.

However, they sent their final kick over the bar to lose 5-4.