A first goal back in Colney Heath colours for Mickey Shuttlewood wasn't enough as the Magpies lost at home to London Lions.

The defender had returned to the Recreation Ground from Harpenden Town earlier in the month and headed Heath into a first-half lead in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division.

However, the Barnet-based visitors fought back to claim a 2-1 win

The hosts had started brightly though and a Jordan Kinoshi free-kick needed headed clear at the near post by Ezra Aaron.

Ollie Lawford and Jack Percy both had shots saved before they broke the deadlock from a corner, Croucher delivering it perfectly for Shuttlewood to attack.

Still Colney pressed though and so it was against the run of play that Lions equalised, Felix Shalom striking it low past Connor Sansom.

Colney Heath still had the best of the opportunities before the break but crucially, they couldn't take them and the sides went into the break level.

Five minutes later, a foul by Percy gave Lions a penalty and Austin Lipman converted, Kinoshi heading to the sin-bin for 10 minutes as good measure.

The Magpies did try to hit back and there were shouts for a penalty after George Sippetts went down but nothing came of them.

Sippetts also forced a save out of Nathan Bloohn while Lawford hit the side netting.

Shuttlewood had the last big chance but his header was cleared off the line.

The reserves had a better time in the Herts Senior County League, winning 3-0 away to Buntingford Town with goals from Jack McShane, Joshua Cross and Dan Brockwell.

Star performers for the Magpies' younger teams was the U13s who beat Wheathampstead Wanderers 7-2.

Tommy Fitzpatrick got four of them, Dante Gordon two and Joe O'Donoghue one.

London Colney were beaten 3-2 by Oxhey Jets in the Combined Counties League Division One, Tanel Ayvaz and Dion Laughton their scorers.

All three of the St Albans Primary Schools district U11 squads were in action in the first round of the Southern Counties League Cup, the second biggest competition in district football and only bettered by the national nine-a-side.

Fifty five associations across the south of England and Wales were playing on Saturday at various hubs such as Bath and Woking.

The boys of the Blues and Yellows were playing at Colney Heath and came up against teams from Dacorum, Stevenage, Luton, Hertsmere, Wycombe, Thurrock and Barking & Dagenham.

Both St Albans teams came through the group stages unbeaten and without conceding a goal.

They played each other in the final with the spoils being shared in a 1-1 draw.

Both will now go on to the next stage against all the other hub winners.

Joseph and Rowland each got two for the Blues, with Brierley, Ponzo and Griffiths also on target, while Duncan (three) and Mendez-Barral got on the scoresheet for the Yellows.

To cap a great day, the girls then hosted Sutton, Chiltern & South Bucks, Barking & Dagenham and Hertsmere on the artificial surface at Sandringham School.

The young saints played some outstanding football to win the group and also go onto the event winners' stage.

The families then joined the coaches at Colney Heath in the evening for a successful quiz night.

St Albans City Youth U11 East defeated Watford Youth Red in the West Herts League.

Harry Brewer put them in front with one of the fastest goals ever scored by the team, pressing the centre back from kick off, nicking the ball off him and then finishing with aplomb.

Danny Kennedy then linked up with Brewer twice as he completed a quick-fire hat-trick.

Watford did make life harder as the game progressed, Cameron Shepherd called into action a number of times, and the sides turned round at 3-0.

Defending up the slope saw the East pinned back a fair bit but it allowed them to play on the counter and after a ball from Louis Bert, Dylan Simcock provided the dinked finish over the keeper.

Watford did narrow the gap but the East held out for the win.