Football round-up: Harpenden Town have 20-goal weekend

The men started things off with a thrilling 5-4 victory at home to Biggleswade United in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division.

Danny Webb, Jake Collins, Jake Anthony and Ben Spaul all contributed goals as they came from from 2-0 down to make it three wins from three in all competitions.

However, boss Micky Nathan sees plenty of scope for improvement.

Danny Webb and Ben Spaul celebrate the winner. Picture: TOBY HOWE (Image: Toby Howe)

He said: “It was an entertaining game for the neutral to see nine goals in a game, but from our point of view, there were schoolboy errors in some of that defending at times.

"We need to shore that up pretty quickly.

“But overall, that was really positive. Three points and three wins on the bounce now for the boys gives them a bit of confidence and competition for places.”

Things hadn't looked rosy early on.

On-loan Hitchin Town striker, and former Harpenden man, Henry Snee opened the scoring, tapping in a rebounded effort from close range, while Scott Metcalfe added to that five minutes from half-time.

Crucially Harpenden got one back just before the break, Webb with a low effort from inside the box, and then Collins set the tone for the second half with an equaliser five minutes in.

Moments later Anthony finished off great work by strike partner Webb and they made it 4-2 with a third in 10 minutes with Webb netting his fourth in four games.

It was now United's turn to fight back from two down, levelling with 20 minutes left to play through Liam Smyth and Mekhi Angol, Harpenden failing to clear on both occasions.

But Spaul powered a header in to snatch the three points for Harps with Nathan praising his side's attitutde.

He said: “It shows resilience. A couple of weeks ago we would’ve capitulated maybe and gone into our shells whereas over the last three weeks where we’ve had three wins, it’s probably given us the edge and that confidence.

“At half-time I said to them, we’re in this game – we might be 2-1 down but there’s only one team winning this and that’s us.

“We’ve got work to do in both boxes, especially because we can’t keep shipping goals like that."

Harpenden play tonight (Tuesday) against SSML rivals Wormley Rovers in first round of the Herts Senior Challenge Cup.

Harpenden Town ladies won 15-0 against King's Lynn Town. Picture: HTFC (Image: Harpenden Town Football Club)

That victory would normally have been the standout result of any weekend but they do things differently at Harpenden - with the ladies producing a 'hold my beer' moment.

They won 15-0 at home to King's Lynn Town in the Eastern Region Division One North, cementing their position at the top of the standings and staying unbeaten with five wins and a draw.

And amazingly, the prolific Sophia Amanor did not top the scoring charts for Harps.

She did get four but she was trumped by Jaime Curtain who struck six times as well as picking up three assists.

It took just 20 seconds for the floodgates to open, Curtain feeding Amanor to slot home from 10 yards and by half-time it was 9-0.

A cross-shot from Rebecca McShane was deflected in for the second and then Curtain hit a three-minute hat-trick to take it up to five.

She got he fourth on 31 minutes, McShane again with the assist and the pair combined two minutes later for the same result.

Belle Shannon and Leah Shellard did the hard work for the eighth, the latter's low cross fired in by Amanor and the half ended with a low ball into the box by Erin Shacklock deflected beyond the keeper.

Double figures should have arrived early in the second half but Natalie Cloy's effort struck the crossbar.

Not to worry though because in five minutes Amanor was brought down in the box, getting up to convert the penalty and grab her hat-trick.

Chloe Dinsey got in on the act, heading home a McShane cross, before the chief assister helped herself to the 12th with a cracking shot from well outside the box.

Amanor got to four with the 13th of the afternoon and two late goals wrapped up a stunning day's work.

First Izzy Hughes slipped the ball to Curtain to grab her sixth and the rout was completed by a typical Shannon piledriver.

Back in the SSML, Colney Heath slumped to a sixth straight loss, going down 3-0 at home to high-flying Aylesbury Vale Dynamos.

The goals all came in the second half.

Jake Baldwin got the first, nodding home an Abu Khan cross, and Rocco Tamplin got the second before Baldwin scored again with almost the last kick of the game.

Colney Heath Reserves won 6-2 away to leaders St Albans City in a Suburban League fixture.

Harley Fonti bagged four with one each from Will Houghton and Myles Shahidi.

The ladies also won, beating Lawford in the ERWFL Division One South.

They had trailed to an Ella Martin goal in the first minute of the second half but Sheree Oliver levelled on 69 before Abbey Williams grabbed the winner in stoppage time.