Molten Spartan South Midlands Division One London Colney 2 Harpenden Town 2 It was honours even in the local derby at Cotlandswick on Saturday as London Colney and Harpenden Town shared a 2-2 draw. The Blueboys were looking for their first win after a run

Molten Spartan South Midlands Division One

London Colney 2 Harpenden Town 2

It was honours even in the local derby at Cotlandswick on Saturday as London Colney and Harpenden Town shared a 2-2 draw.

The Blueboys were looking for their first win after a run of two defeats and two draws but it was Town who started the brighter with James Ewington seeing a shot pushed behind and Iain Turkentine denied by Alastair Hill.

Colney were awarded a penalty in the eighth minute when Paul Danslow was bought down in the box and Ian Cooper drove the ball past Matt Lord to give the home side the lead.

Michael Ross went close to equalising for Town and Josh Humbert saw his effort deflected wide of the Harpenden goal.

Danslow had a goal ruled out for offside before Harpenden drew level in the 29th minute. Ross found Ewington with a long pass down the left wing who crossed for Turkentine to set up James Warner who slotted home from ten yards.

Gary Simmonds and Danslow worked a one-two which the later fired goalbound and Lord did well to tip over the bar while at the other end Chris Jones had an effort pushed behind by Hill.

Both teams missed chances early in the second half with both Warner and Cooper firing wide of the goal.

With just eight minutes remaining and a draw on the cards, a slip by Lee Benning let in Will Bates and he fired home despite Dan McCafferty's attempt to clear the ball off the line.

Bates nearly made it 3-1 but was denied by Hill and Danslow fired wide at the other end following a pass from debutant Robert Magwood.

With time running out, Cooper picked up the ball and went on a surging run which ended with his deflected shot nestling in the bottom right hand corner.

There was still time for Bates to fire the ball narrowly across the face of goal before the referee called time on a lively game.

London Colney: Hill, Benning, McCafferty. Humbert, Dickie, Paradise (Magwood), Simmonds, Shaw (Mitchell), Danslow, Cooper, Gallagher. Unused Subs: Rowley, Beschizza.

Harpenden Town: J. Gregory, Jones, Saul (c), Cartwright, Ross, Keenleyside, Jefferies, Turkentine, Warner, C. Gregory, Ewington. Subs: Bates, Shaw, Taaffe, Peters, Wallace.

l A first half hat-trick from Ian Cooper helped London Colney get back to winning ways as they beat Bedford FC 4-1.

Cooper's opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and completed his treble with goals in the 41st and 44th minute.

The Blueboys' other goal came courtesy of Russell Gallagher in the 32nd minute with Phil Fisher netting a consolation for Bedford in the 69th minute.