A bumper programme of matches heralded the return of the Herts Advertiser Sunday League to competitive action.

Phoenix Res were the top scorers of the day, a 7-0 win in Division Four making it a bad debut for new team Moretown.

Darren Cavaree was in sparkling form with a hat-trick while Liam Addless added a brace and singles came from Wilson Mendes and Adam Potter.

Rob Gradwell's double helped Herts Vets to a 2-1 win over Mermaid Res while a solitary goal from Brad Goldby Solomon couldn't help Royston Rangers, as they lost 4-1 to Oak Utd.

Herts Advertiser: St Albans Athletic player shoots wide with only the Hanbury keeper to beat.St Albans Athletic player shoots wide with only the Hanbury keeper to beat. (Image: Brian Hubball)

Hanburys and St Albans Athletic played out an entertaining 2-2 draw, Mickey Sinnott and Ben scoring for Hanburys, as did St Georges and Strafford Arms Res.

Zack Neiman scored twice for the Arms, the second an equaliser after subs Steve Dorer and Phil Benard had put Georges ahead.

Newcomers Paxton Rovers went top of the early Premier Division table with a 5-2 win at Plough & Harrow.

Gideon Boateng, Lord Mansah, Germaine Rico and double from Kevin Duncan-Williams won it for them. George Guest scored both Plough goals.

Champions Skew Bridge came back from a goal down to beat FC Welwyn 3-2, the winner coming late in the game. Skew’s goals came from Stuart Brown, Edward Frost and Mark Hitchcock with Dan Harper and Tim Holly scoring for Welwyn.

Jamie Caines was the lone AFC London Road scorer as they fell to a 3-1 defeat against Borehamwood Rovers.

Hilltop made a good start to their Division One campaign, beating Pinewood 4-2 with doubles from Grant Macaree and Alfie Gibbs. George Milstead also hit a brace for Pinewood.

Goals from Oscar Bolton and Josh Smith (two) earned Harpenden Colts OB a 3-3 draw with Blackberry Jacks for whom Matthew Taiwo (two) and Naseem Shahbab Ali were the scorers.

Strafford Arms opened with a 5-3 win over Player Packs with Steven Weldon hitting a hat-trick and Jack Davis and Stephen Dodd singles. Packs' replies came from Jimmy Hartley (two) and Ross Parsons.

In a five-goal thriller, Mermaid came out on top in a five-goal thriller with BWSC in Division Two, winning 3-2. Rhys Jacob, Andrew Pytel and Losept Amponsah got their goals with Robert Bennett replying for BWSC.

Forever Young People started superbly with a 4-1 win over Harpenden Colts Old Boys Res, Nathan Singh's second-half hat-trick doing the damage as he added to a Luke Foster goal, leaving Max MacKenzie's strike a consolation.

Welwyn Warriors twice came back from a goal down to draw 2-2 with London Road A, Alex Howard grabbing both for them while Road’s goals came from Matthew Taylor and Ashley Talbot.

Division Three opened with three wins by a two-goal margin.

Wheathampstead Wanderers beat TNF 4-2 to go top, Stevie Buckler (two), Ben Roberts and skipper Eric Fulham their scorers with Peter Telford and Laurie Couper in target for TNF.

Ben Conrad scored two and Craig Clark one as Beehive beat Oceans XI 3-1, Daniel Campfield scoring the consolation, and Alex and Matt Noot were on target as Hatfield Seniors beat Two Willows 2-0.

There was also a 1-1 draw between Alban Dynamo and Oaks, Cain Joseph the Dynamo scorer.

In Division Five, Brookmans Park Res started with a 3-1 win against Radlett Town having gone behind to an Alex Andrews goal. Sam Kingsley, Ben Lopes and a Ronan Nevin penalty secured the points.

Allan Johnston gave Warriors Reserves a 1-0 win over London Colney United. while goals from Daniel Armstrong and Tyson Howard found the net as Rose & Crown Mosquito beat Royston Rangers Res 3-2.

Cameron Ferguson and Andrew Hall got the Rangers goals.

St Albans Lions and Phoenix A drew 2-2 draw with goals from Angel Manuel Nieves and Faisal Shohid for Lions and Jack Bradley Bailey and Dean Irvine for Phoenix.