Hertfordshire travelled to Welshpool to play top of the table Montgomery & Radnor in their second Inter-Counties Darts Championships away game in succession.

And after an impressive performance, Herts came away with a 22-17 overall bonus points win.

On Saturday, the ladies’ team again played very well although things did not start too brightly as Sue Jordan lost 3-1.

Lisa Wetton, playing her second game, restored parity by winning 3-1 followed by match award winner Jo Kitchen triumphing 3-2.

Rita Brownless, after levelling at 2-2, lost the final leg, but Stacie Pinnuck secured an excellent 3-0 win to make it 3-2.

Boxmoor’s Linda Reed finished things off with a narrow 3-2 triumph to give the ladies a 4-2 win overall.

The men’s team then got under way with Boxmoor representative Leigh Purkis winning 3-0.

However, that was followed three defeats by Daniel Wood, Tony Hammond and John Creed.

Daniel Varney won 3-2 against a very experienced player to keep his unbeaten record, but Jason Sutton lost 3-0.

Then came four wins by Chris Hudson, Daniel Finch, man of the match Wayne Dawson and Harry Etherington who hit a bull finish in the final leg.

John Blair could not keep the momentum going, losing 3-2, and it was left to Andreas Hajimina to keep his nerve by winning 3-2 to give the team a 7-5 win.

On Sunday, the ladies’ games got under way with an overall score of 11-7 to Hertfordshire.

Gemma Sherdel was on first and played very well to win 3-1, followed by match award winner Louise Pearson from Boxmoor, who had an excellent 3-1 victory.

The two top players then came to the oche and it was the Welsh girl who won, defeating Jodie Alligan 3-1.

Herts’ Jane Phillips lost 3-1 to make it 2-2, but Tara Deamer won with a 3-1 before Janet Driscoll’s defeat meant the match ended in a 3-3 draw.

It was now up to the men’s team and they started very well with Martin Kingsley battling to a 4-3 victory.

But then came defeats for Ian Clarkson, Robin Wigg, Jason Neville, Mark Elliot and Tony Cox – meaning Hertfordshire were losing 5-1.

Boxmoor’s Steve Hartley was up next and had a good game to win 4-2, but Andy Mackinnon was beaten 4-0.

Lee Marlow had a brilliant game to win 4-3 and took a deserved match award for his efforts.

This was followed by Adam Pinnuck having a much better game to win 4-1 and team-mate Lee White also winning 4-1.

It was then left to Tony Tarry to try and get a draw but his eventual defeat made it a 7-5 win for Montgomery & Radnor.

But the result did not stop Hertfordshire from winning 19-17 and, with the three bonus points, it was a successful 22-17 overall win.

This only leaves Worcestershire to play at the Shamrock Club in Hertfordshire’s final game of the season on the last weekend of this month.

The TringRugby U9s added more silverware to the club’s trophy cabinet after emerging victorious at the Aylesbury Festival.

A total of 12 teams from eight different clubs converged on Aylesbury Rugby Club for a fun-filled and highly competitive tournament.

TringRugby was represented with strong A and B teams on the day, and both held up the good name of the club in both spirit and performance.

The B team, after first coming a cropper against the A&Cs A team, recovered brilliantly with two strong performances to finish their pool in second place.

This was followed by a very spirited and committed display in their semi-final where they were finally stopped by a very strong Buckingham team, who subsequently went on to win the plate competition.

The A team topped their pool with wins against Buckingham and Leighton Buzzard, and a draw against the hosts, leading to a tough semi-final against an undefeated Beaconsfield A team.

With cutting attacks, the Tring As managed to overcome Beaconsfield 5-2, leading to a winner takes all final against A&C As.

The final proved to be a very thrilling and tense 12 minutes of rugby with both team tackling relentlessly until finally there was a single opportunity for Tring.

Well within the A&C half, Tring saw the opportunity to strike for the line and the team didn’t need asking twice.

Over they went for a very hard earned and exhausting 1-0 victory to lift the Festival Cup.

It was an excellent performance from both Tring squads and a great way to finish off the season.

Runners of all abilities are invited to take part in the scenic Dunstable Downs 5k and 10k trail runs on Sunday, May 18.

The challenging race covers open chalk grassland, fields, footpaths and bridleways across the National Trust’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Organiser Mark Cornell said: “The first three miles is on the top of the Downs and it is mostly flat.

“The route then drops to run along the base of the downs along bridleways - this is undulating. At 4.5 miles the route climbs ‘The Bison’ after that it is pretty flat, running along footpaths.

“Around the top of the downs the route is very scenic with some fantastic views in places.”

The event starts and finishes outside of the Chilterns Gateway Centre at 10am. Entry is £12 - less for affiliated club runners.

{http://www.dunstableroadrunners.org/pages/page_26578/Dunstable-Downs-Trail-Run.aspx#!prettyPhoto|You can enter and find out more by clicking here}

It has been a very busy time for Berkhamsted Gymnastics Club, with competitions coming thick and fast.

Lydia Sellen, Sophia Catlin and Amelia Evans hoped to put their club on the map with confident performances at the National and Compulsory Grades.

Lydia took part in the Grade 8 competition and finished eighth overall; a fall on the bars took its toll on her final result which was such a shame as she performed solidly on her other pieces and would have secured a podium position.

Sofia, meanwhile, was the first ever gymnast from Berkhamsted Club to compete in the Elite Compulsory 5 competition. Sofia passed with distinction and was also the highest scoring Hertfordshire gymnast in the grade, placing ninth overall.

Amelia continued her assured and mature performances, passing Grade 6 with distinction and finishing in first place overall.

This allowed her to qualify comfortably for the National Finals in May. She will be representing Berkhamsted Gymnastics Club, as well as the East Region, and is hoping to improve on her silver medal from last year’s final.

The Year 9 boys have been celebrating at Cavendish School after winning the District Cup for the second time in three seasons.

The squad returned from their Barcelona tour over the Easter break full of confidence, having played seven games and won them all without conceding a single goal.

So it was perfect timing to play their cup final against Tring School.

The boys have excellent District Cup pedigree, having won the competition in Year 7 against Hemel School and ending up as losing finalists last year against Tring.

Cavendish were set on gaining revenge, following a comprehensive 4-1 defeat in last year’s final.

Cavendish started the game brilliantly, passing the ball with confidence and taking the game to Tring from the off.

It wasn’t long until the deadline was broken as Jackson Cowans pounced to slot the ball home and put Cavendish 1-0 up.

The boys continued to play attractive football but found themselves level at 1-1, with Tring scoring from distance against the run of play as a long range effort beat Harry Smith in goal.

A motivational half-time team talk by coach Danny Allen must have done the trick as Cavendish came out with renewed vigour after the interval.

A rare George Mitchell Gears goal from right-back put Cavendish 2-1 ahead and, shortly afterwards, an even rarer Kai Stonnell goal made it 3-1.

Stonnell doesn’t score often but he saved a special one for the final, gathering the ball in midfield before curling it perfectly from outside the edge of the box into the top corner.

With Cavendish now firmly in control, Mitchell Gears bagged his second goal and Cowans finished off the game with a breakaway fifth to seal the convincing win.

Redbourn Golf Club has announced its support of National Golf Month with a host of initiatives to encourage more people to give the game a go.

The club is basing its National Golf Month offers on the success it has already seen with the BGL Golf free coaching initiative, Learn Golf, which more than 2,500 non-golfers have registered for across the country.

Providing golfers of all ages and ability to give the game a try, people will have the opportunity to take advantage of a range of different free golf lessons. These could be individual, with a family, or as part of a beginners’ group.

Ian McDowell, Redbourn Golf Club’s general manager, said: “We are committed to making golf accessible for families and delivering fun and relaxed environments where everyone can enjoy the game.

“The objectives of National Golf Month chime with the goals of BGL Golf and provide an ideal opportunity for people of all ages and abilities across the country to have a go and get a taste for the sport.”

Being promoted nationwide, people can access all National Golf Month offers, including Redbourn Golf Club’s, at www.nationalgolfmonth.com.

For more information about Redbourn Golf Club, visit www.redbourngolfclub.co.uk or call 01582 793493.

‘We are a fraternity, we are a brotherhood, and we are here to party!’

Bad Neighbours – or just Neighbors as it was originally distributed on the other side of the pond – is the latest entry in a long line of frat-house comedies that trace their roots through flicks like Animal House, Revenge of the Nerds, Van Wilder and Old School.

The spin this time is to find out what happens when a raucous fraternity led by the uber-buff Teddy Sanders (Zac ‘High School Musical’ Efron) moves in next to a thirtysomething couple with a young child. It’s not all sweetness and light, that’s for sure.

It is, however, an all out hilarious if morally dubious comedy clash.

Director Nicholas ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ Stoller is blessed with a talented cast led by Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne who play Mac and Kelly Radner, the couple with a new young baby who are trying to cope with parenthood.

The last thing this sleep-deprived pair need is a loud bunch of college guys moving in next door and partying all night every night.

As well as some of the funniest scenes to hit the big screen for years – you may never forget the airbags pranks – there is a real heart at the core of Bad Neighbours.

The issues of adapting to being parents are handled well through a comedy lens and there is a touch of ‘Project X’ about the frat party finale.

Bad Neighbours certainly isn’t for the easily offended as there is mucho profanity, nudity and general wrongness writ large, but it works because the leads are so darn likeable.

The film nails the parental insecurity and frustration about how having a child forces you to quit partying or having much chance for spontaneous fun experienced by the older generation and the fear of having to ‘grow up’ from the college kids.

All the cast go about the funny business with gusto as the prank war escalates to insane proportions. Rogen is on great form and has superb chemistry with Byrne while Zac Efron eats up the screen looking incredibly cool. Dave Franco is also superb as Zac’s vice president – their ‘bromance’ is a good balance to the young couple’s relationship – and both relationships have real heartfelt moments.

If you need a good laugh, Bad Neighbours is by far the funniest film to hit the cinema in 2014 – it’s a full on wild, crude hilarious thrill ride!

Watford legend Luther Blissett is the latest star name to be added to the line-up for Saturday’s charity football match at Hemel Hempstead Town FC.

Chesham United’s Daniel Brathwaite is hosting the match in memory of his son Maxwell William Brathwaite to raise money for the UCLH Neo-natal Unit and The Butterfly Fund.

Former Tudor Daniel will pit his own XI – including famous pro and former pro players – against a combined Chesham United and Hemel Hempstead Town XI

Funds raised will go to the charities who looked after Daniel and his family following the premature birth of Maxwell, who passed away shortly afterwards.

The day will also include activities for all the family including a penalty shoot-out, cross bar challenge, cheerleaders, face painting, raffle, cake sales, food and music – plus Harry the Hornet will be joining the day and entertaining the crowds

Watford favourites Steve Palmer, Micah Hyde, Elliott Godfrey and Allan Smart will join Arsenal legend Nigel Winterburn, Omer Riza, Darren Currie and Ronnie Henry on the pitch.

“This football match is to celebrate the memory of our beautiful son and to say a massive thank you to the nurses, midwives, neonatal and bereavement teams at UCLH who cared for us so well and do such amazing work,” said Daniel and wife Ali.

Maxwell was born three months early and the team at UCLH cared for Daniel and Ali for the three days prior to his birth.

Ali gave birth to Maxwell on May 16, 2013 and, despite being a good size, complications around his early arrival meant that he survived for just nine hours.

Tickets for Saturday’s fundraiser are available behind the bar at Hemel Hempstead Town FC. Adults £5, U16s free.

To find out more visit www.facebook.com/sat10thmay and if you are unable to make the day but would like to donate please visit www.justgiving.com/maxwell-brathwaite

Kings Langley Football Club have startd a new chapter in their 128-year history as, after six years of heartbreaking near misses, they finally gained promotion to the Spartan South Midlands Premier League.

This is the highest level of the Football League pyramid that they have ever reached, and came courtesy of a nailbiting draw with promotion rivals Bedford on the last day of the season.

Both sides were locked on identical points in second place but, with Kings having both the best goalscoring record and the best defensive record in the whole division, a draw was good enough to give them the prize.

Stacked against that was the fact that they entered the defining fixture having had to play four games in the last week and a punishing and unbelievable schedule of 21 games in the last 56 days.

They were also without regulars Jack Johnson, Craig Preston and Dean Hitchcock, and the management team of Paul Hughes ad Ritchie Hanlon had to make a paper-thin selection decision between two superbly in form goalkeepers, Ant Ladyman and Steve Bourke.

Callum Adebiyi, meanwhile, scraped past a fitness test, but was subsequently immense throughout the whole afternoon.

Alex Campana opened proceedings with a shot that Aaron Bodger dropped, but was able to smother, but Bedford took a leaf from Kings’ book with an early onslaught that had the home team on the ropes.

Mitchell Griffiths’ shot was blocked, Luke Knight put a shot just wide and they then hit the bar with the offside flag raised.

The referee had caused early concerns with a booking for each side within the first ten minutes, but seemed to feel he had made his point to press on and control the game exceptionally well.

As Bedford continued to batter the home side, Bourke pulled off two outstanding saves to keep Kings in the game.

The first, from Ashley Kersey was good, but the second, a minute later, bordered on the unbelievable. Wrong footed, he tipped the ball onto and over the bar.

Kings recovered, shook themselves down, and came so close when Gary Connelly’s lob was just wide with the keeper beaten and then Nick Jackson’s snap shot was tipped round for a corner.

Callum Adebiyi was felled on the actual line of the penalty area for a mere free-kick, Bodger pulled off a good save from an Alex Campana set piece and Connor Toomey was just wide as Kings finished the half with their star in the ascendancy.

The hosts did have an anxious moment when Bourke was called on yet again for a break resulting from a poor offside call.

A first half that seemed to have lasted for at least an hour, finally finished and Kings were forced to substitute an unwell Toomey as the war of nerves continued.

Bedford’s early onslaught appeared to have taken its toll and as the contest moved to midfield and chances became fewer, and Kings seized the season’s defining moment in the 66th minute.

Summing up an unpredictable and dramatic campaign, it fell to the experienced defender Jonny Munday who was born within a stone’s throw of the ground, was recalled to the squad this week, and was making only his third appearance of the season as a replacement for Preston.

Tom Carter, surely in contention for the most improved player of the season, took a ball on the left flank and teased the defender with at least six changes of direction before releasing the perfect cross for Munday to deliver a powerful header past Bodger to the delight of the home support.

Surely this was it, the dream had been realised, but no, Kings delight in doing things the hard way and a quick corner saw Luke Knight rock them with a snap shot equalizer with 12 minutes to go after their attack seemed to have shot its bolt.

The work-rate of Jack Pattison, Lee Burgoyne and Danny Hutchins was outstanding and, as the long afternoon ground to a tumultuous conclusion, it would be reflected that Kings probably had the most dangerous moments and dealt fairly comfortably with Bedford’s attacks for the last minutes.

At the time, it was a precipice waiting to be fallen over and after an interminable five extra minutes, the final whistle sounded, signalling scenes of celebration for a promotion that was thoroughly deserved.

Berkhamsted put the disappointment of their midweek cup final defeat behind them and finished the season with a 2-1 home win over AFC Dunstable.

In the end, the Comrades had to settle for fifth spot in the SSML Premier Division table.

Berko made the perfect start with Jamie Gavin putting the Comrades in front, and Connor Calcutt doubled the advantage from the penalty spot in the 27th minute.

It was his 43rd goal of the season and equalled James Arsmtrong’s club record for goals in a season.

Josh Chamberlain looked like increasing Berko’s lead but missed three decent chances, and Dunstable reduced the deficit when Jamal Harvey scored with a shot that crept over the line with 20 minutes left.

James Towell almost added a third for Berko, but the game ended 2-1.

Former Leverstock Green striker Stewart King scored twice as Tring Athetic won 2-1 at Pancake Lane in both clubs’ final league match of the season.

Chris Vardy hit the bar for Tring in the first minute, while Green had a penalty shout in the 10th minute as Callum Wright went down after contact with the keeper, but the ref waved play on.

After surviving plenty of early pressure, Green had their first big chance in the 29th minute, but Wright was off target.

It was Tring who made the breakthrough as, three minutes later, Collins found King in space, and he produced a header that put the visitors ahead.

Green’s biggest chance of the first half came in the 41st minute but Chad Pinching was denied by Dan Saunders.

Levy began the second half as they had finished the first, and they were very much on the front foot.

A free-kick by Luke Warner-Eley caused pinball in the penalty area and, when it fell back to his feet, he fired it back into the goalmouth where all Tring defender Dan Stedman could do was turn it into his own net.

Five minutes later, Pinching could have put Levy ahead with a header, but Saunders was on hand to keep the scores level.

Over the course of the following half hour, any clear chances were few and far between, but Levy did have the ball in the back of the net in the 84th minute. However, Shaq Agada was ruled offside and the goal didn’t stand.

The game looked to be heading for a draw, but with a last gasp effort King again put Athletic ahead, streaking clear of the home defence to make the score 2-1 and seal the win.

Leverstock Green Ladies Whites drew 2-2 at Sandy Ladies to clinch the Beds & Herts League Division Two title on goal difference.

Sandy started the brighter of the two sides and it was slightly against the run of play when Levy Green took the lead after eight minutes.

Frankie Novelli played the ball through to Natasha Sherriff, whose pressure on the Sandy defender saw her knock the ball past her own keeper for an own goal.

The remainder of the first half saw Sandy play an intense pressing game which left the Whites with little alternative but to counter attack and try to catch them on the break.

Chances were few and far between, with battles being contested across the pitch and no quarter being given by either side.

The Whites were relieved to get to the break with a 1-0 lead, but this was soon cancelled out after the break when a Sandy corner was attacked at the near post and the scores were levelled.

But after 66 minutes Levy once more had the precious lead when a speculative shot by Cally Salter from 25 yards was inexplicably spilled by the Sandy keeper and the league title was once more in sight.

Sandy refused to lie down and mounted wave after wave of attacks. With just five minutes of the match remaining, the hosts won another corner.

Mia Hickey was harshly adjudged to have made a push in the box and a hotly disputed penalty was awarded to level the scores.

The final five minutes were far from straightforward and the last few seconds saw Sandy once more threaten the goal with another fine corner.

But the referee blew the final whistle and Levy celebrated a priceless point to clinch the title.

A snapshot of domestic and small-scale construction activity across England and Wales has revealed the north is ‘out skipping’ the aouth with five times the number of skips in the north east compared to the south west and over twice the number of skips in Cardiff compared to Nottingham.

In the East of England, Cambridge is leading the field, with Suffolk and Bedford borough also showing higher levels of activity than the rest of the region.

The RICS ‘Skip Score’ looks at the number of skip licences issued per 100,000 people across the England and Wales, covering both residential and small-scale commercial developments.

Local councils in England and Wales provided data on the number of skips licences between October 2012 and January 2014 to create an overview of SME construction activity.

Similar to the ‘Crane Index’, which indicates levels of construction activity by the number of cranes dominating the skylines, the ‘Skip Score’ measures the number of skips on public roads across England and Wales and is a sign of construction activity.

Now with the economy officially out of recession and UK Housing Repair and Maintenance (R&M) activity forecast to grow two per cent this year and four per cent in 2015), skips are a positive indication that homeowners are increasingly confident about investing in the repair and/or renovation of their homes.

RICS director of built environment Alan Muse said: “Skips are a very visible indicator of the health of small and independent construction firms and a good bellwether for the wider economy.

“During the downturn many will have noticed a dip in the number of skips on our streets as households reigned in spending, but it is very clear that skips are back as consumer confidence returns.

“Our Skip Score shows where the hotspots are across the country, including some surprising results. The recovery is clearly not just confined to London, which is good news for this vital part of the construction industry and the wider rebalancing of the economy.”

Dayle Bayliss, RICS regional spokesperson for the East of England, added: “The sight of more skips being used by households is not only a good sign for SME construction firms, but a positive for the wider economy as confidence builds.

“The results indicate there’s an air of optimism across all levels of the construction sector, which is a positive for the industry.

“The findings reflect the activity felt in Cambridge but also show some surprises for the East of England for Suffolk and Bedford.”

Flaunden put last week’s cup final defeat disappointment behind them when they lifted the BSFL Steve Norwood Challenge Trophy with a 3-0 win over Park Rangers.

Flaunden started the game quickly, giving Park Rangers no time on the ball and created plenty of early chances and almost opened the scoring but Graham Blyth headed just over.

The breakthrough came midway through the first half when Joe Welton got into the area and fired home.

Ben Adams made it two shortly afterwards with a fine strike.

The second half continued in the same way until Park Rangers put three men up front - they forced Flaunden back but could not break through, with Dan Nash pulling off two very good saves.

And the win was sealed when Josh Huthchinson-Kemal made it 3-0 with a 30-yard free-kick that found the top corner.

Park Rangers had one more chance from the penalty spot but the effort sailed over the bar.

Flaunden captain Ed Canham and vice captain Graham Blyth lifted the trophy together.

In BSFL league action, meanwhile, Division Two saw wins for Hemel Hempstead Corinthians, Echoes and Jam Utd.

RH Motors and Apsley Athletic won well in Division Three, with Adeyfield Reserves the sole victors in Division Four.

Leverstock Green narrowly missed out on a trophy to end the season as Oxhey Jets won a thrilling St Mary’s Cup final 3-2 at Vauxhall Road.

The Leverstock players were left heartbroken at the end of the final in which they gave everything and turned in an excellent performance.

It was against the run of play when Oxhey took the lead in the 15th minute as striker Lewis Putman drilled a free-kick past the wall and in off the post to open the scoring.

Levy were back on level terms in the 38th minute when Damion Cruickshank delivered a superb cross from the right touchline, and Liam Hind came in with a bullet header to level the scores at 1-1.

And it was Levy who struck next at the start of the second half. Callum Wright made an excellent run down the left and his ball across the face of goal was turned into his own net by Jets defender Chris Killer to put Leverstock 2-1 up.

Leverstock were certainly looking the stronger side, but their defending from a corner proved their downfall and Jets substitute Adam Lowton applied the finishing touch to level the scores at 2-2 in the 74th minute.

The game could have gone either way at this point, but it was Jets’ talismanic forward Putman who made the decisive strike, drilling home another shot into the corner of the net in the 85th minute to put his side 3-2 up.

Leverstock came agonisingly close to levelling two minutes later, as a corner dropped for Hind on the far side of the box.

Hind connected with the fiercest of volleys which had Baker beaten, but Killer somehow kept the ball out with a goalline clearance.

Green continued to push forward during stoppage time, but they couldn’t find another equaliser, and their season of transition unfortunately ended without a trophy.

Leverstock Green Ladies Whites hit 22 goals as they ran riot against Kings Langley Ladies.

A lengthy injury list and players not making it due to vehicle breakdown saw Kings take to the field with only nine players.

Up against a mountain of a task, Kings fell behind to an early goal, but Sam Walters’ early foray up front showed Kings were not going to lie down.

Amy Belcher and Alex Britten shared keeping duties, with Belcher seeing a fourth go in after 17 minutes.

Kings hit back after 19 minutes when Nicole Barrett broke free on the left and, arrowing in on goal, expertly placed her shot past the keeper and into the far corner of the net.

Jess Earthrowl was unlucky to concede an own goal a few minutes after, when just stabbing a goalbound shot just inside her near post.

Britten, now in goal, was kept busy and did frustrate the visitors with some brave keeping, but despite her heroics, and getting a great in block from a one on one challenge, the goals flowed regularly for an 11-1 scoreline at half-time.

The second half saw Levy start brightly, quickly notching up another five goals before the hour mark.

Britten then produced a fantastic one-handed save, diving to her left to tip the goalbound shot round her post.

Despite conceding another two goals, Kings didn’t stop battling, with Amy Earthrowl seeing her shot turned round the post for a corner, and Lisa Linsley’s speculative long range effort being dealt with by the keeper.

The last 20 minutes saw Kings visibly tire, and Britten keeping the score down with more brave keeping.

Kings dug in and kept the visitors at bay for the last quarter of an hour for what was a very gutsy performance in the face of severe adversity.

The Herts Hawks are back in the British Double-A League playoff race after two wins against the South London Pirates on Sunday.

Ace pitcher Nick Russell had another outstanding performance which helped the Hawks win 10-5 in the first game of the double-header.

Jim Arnott was just as impressive in the second game as, despite trailing 11-6 in the fourth inning, the Hawks recovered to win 22-12.

Elsewhere, the Herts Raptors lost 25-24 in a see-saw Single-A League game at Brentwood. It was a six-hour, incident-packed marathon in the sunshine.

Meanwhile, Herts Baseball Club has confirmed that two of its players, Jamie Gregory and Tom Everex-Armstrong, have been invited to the MLB Try Outs in Barcelona, Spain

Although there have been several other British players called up to the MLB European Try Outs in previous years, this is the first time that Herts players will take part.

More than two dozen players have gone on to sign contracts with MLB teams in the last three years as a result of the Try Outs.

This news will give British youngsters the belief that, with hard work, they have the opportunity to reach the top of the game.

Boys and girls aged 6 to 16 will have the opportunity try baseball on Saturday at 10am at an Open Day organised by Herts Baseball Club.

For details how to take part, please visit www.hertsbaseball.com or call the club on 020 8455 0597.

Hemel Town FC management duo Dean Brennan and Stuart Maynard have secured the services of many of the Tudors’ championship winning squad as they begin to prepare for next season.

Committing to the club until 2016 are Ollie Thorne, Dave Pearce and goalkeeper Laurie Walker.

Daniel Talbot, Oliver Hawkins, Lewis Toomey, David Hutton, Luke Allen, Ben Mackey, Dave King, Charlie Mpi and Moussa Diarra have signed deals until the summer of 2015.

The Tudors will begin their pre-season training after enjoying a short summer break.

The new Hemel Hempstead Leisure Leagues season got off to a flying start on Sunday evening.

Recently promoted side AEK Hemel looked the part as they secured their debut Premiership win against The Fellowship – who were unusually under resourced on the night with two first team regulars missing.

AEK had a one-goal advantage at half-time, and thanks to persistent attacks from man of the match Charley Yorke - who netted four in total - his team ran out 10-6 winners.

Fred West Ham also appeared very comfortable in the top flight as they found themselves 4-2 up against Have You Got It at the half-time whistle.

Ashley James stood out from the rest as he scored a hat-trick and also provided a hat-trick of assists for his team mates.

Have You Got It captain Asa Foster did provide his team with several ingenious displays of skill, although it wasn’t sufficient to fuel a serious comeback and Fred West pressed forward to gain a 6-3 win.

Butterflies FC looked convincing in their tie with league comedians Hello Boss, who always provide entertainment for their loyal supporters.

Butterflies front man Lucasz Kucma scored an incredible seven goals in the match and led his team to a 12-1 victory.

Gary Whelan was equally impressive for Hello Boss; while he didn’t score, he went in goal in the second half and made a series of heroic saves, proving his agility and determination between the posts.

Fat Dads were cohesive from the outset as they faced experienced outfit Chicken Kiev.

Man of the match James Lasbrey scored four for Fat Dads and put them out of Kiev’s reach.

Kiev were clearly not at their best and there were some frustrations with their style of play during the game which player/manager Jake Spencer will look to rectify ahead of their next match.

Championship newboys Exeter Gently missed injured captain Chris Richards in their opening tie with Nice To Michu.

Exeter’s loan signing Adam Hill scored with an incredible volley from the half way point and is likely to feature again before he returns to his original club, Hemel Elite.

Despite Hill’s efforts, Nice To Michu played some very attractive football and man of the match Shaun Booth netted seven for his team in between some very skilful moves.

Greg Baxter proved the difference between the sides in Norfolk & Chance’s points match with AEK Hemel. Baxter’s composure on the ball enabled him to set up shots on goal for team mates, while he scored several of his own.

A strong work ethic from team captain Andrew Turner also inspired his team to attack the AEK goal, and this paid dividends as they gained a narrow 10-9 victory.

Last season’s Premier Division champions Puyol Pants Down appeared on top-form as they stormed to a 5-0 advantage by half-time in their match with Hemel Elite.

Craig King, who usually dons the keeper’s jersey, showed off his outfield talents on the night scoring four fantastic goals in total; including high-speed sidekick volleys and a somewhat unusual lob of the goal-keeper.

Puyol’s 8-1 win was, however, not a fair reflection of the determination and sometimes unbelievable talent displayed by Elite player/manager Chris Wyatt, who undoubtedly prevented a more damaging score line.

If you’re interested in joining this exciting league as a team or an individual player, simply call regional manager Gary Connell on 07983 225566.

A teenager sparked a complex rescue operation after falling into a 15ft deep ditch and injuring his leg yesterday afternoon.

The East of England Ambulance Service were called to the scene in a field near Aldbury’s Toms Hill Road just after 2.30pm.

Two ambulance crews arrived, but due to the nature of the incident, the region’s hazardous area response team were also required.

Paramedic Simon Probert, from the specialist team, attended the scene.

He said: “The young boy was found approximately 100 metres from the nearest road at the bottom of a large ditch approximately 15 feet deep, where he injured his leg.

“We were able to assist the crew by immobilising him and placing him into a stretcher, which allowed us to remove him safely and smoothly out of the ditch and to the awaiting ambulance.”

The boy was treated at the scene before being taken to Watford General Hospital.