Football was the major victim of the big freeze with all games in the Spartan South Midlands League and the Herts Ad Sunday League being called off.

Other grassroots league suffered the same fate which means matches played before the cold snap proved vital.

A big derby match in the Beds & Herts Women's Football League was the main one and saw Harpenden Town win 2-1 over Colney Heath Res in the Premier Division.

The match proved to be a thoroughly engaging and close contest which was decided in the cruellest of ways, an own-goal from Colney Heath's Darci Harewood in the closing stages.

The Magpies had taken the lead in the first half after both sides had created chances, Belle Shannon denied by Colney's Sophie Harris while at the other end Abbey Williams was also denied by the keeper.

The goal though came via a left-win cross from Caroline Pennifold that found Olivia Corbett running on to it and she calmly tucked the ball past Lauren Croucher-Wakefield in the Harpenden goal.

It was all square at the break though as Melody Jones picked up a loose ball 20 yards out and belted it beyond Harris.

The game changed with a red card for a professional foul from Colney Heath and it allowed Harpenden to push forward and create more and more chances.

Cally Salter shot just wide and Shannon had a well struck effort saved.

The goal though came when a Hannah Pope effort was pushed behind.

Shannon's delivery from the corner caused mayhem and led to Harewood's attempted clearance finding the back of her own net.

Colney Heath's first team had better fortunes though and a far more thrilling finish.

They came from two goals down at home to King's Lynn in the Eastern Region Premier Division to win 3-2.

Chloe Farrell had a debut to remember as she scored all three, with the last two both coming in stoppage time, three and nine minutes past the 90.

Oaklands U18 girls thrived in the very chilly conditions away to Hitchin, emerging with a 5-1 victory thanks to two goals from Talia Joseph and one each for Ruby Maddocks, Lily Judson and Darcie Holland.

Harpenden Town's U17s enjoyed a 1-1 home draw with unbeaten Ware in the Eastern Junior Alliance.

A first-half goal from top-scorer Luke Hobson put the Harps one-up at half-time but Ware equalised with 20 minutes to play.

Town manager Jesse Waller-Lassen pointed to stand-out performances by player of the match Freddie Cannon and James Whitney at left back while highlighting Myles Prochnik and Iñaki Garcia-Davies' growing consistency and mutual understanding as Town's centre-half partnership.

The younger teams at St Albans City Youth, who play in the Herts Girls' Partnership League, also had a few games prior to the freeze.

Katherine Heycock scored four for the U9 Romans at home to LGDA in the Pink Division, Scarlett Murtagh also getting three and Isla Compton two, while the U9 Wildcats had Abbey Dennis and Erin Chachulski getting two each with Georgie Ledger and Hettie Patthens both on one.

The U10 Orient and the U10 North played out a 2-2 draw, Josefine Henriksen and Madeline Latham on target for the Orient and Jessica Edwards and Lara Taylor for the North.

Freya Edkins and sisters Ishara and Savannah Smith scored for the U10 Central against Knebworth Lionesses while the U10 Wildcats had Megan Hawley (three), Olivia Carr, Ava Jones and Mary-Catherine Anderson on target against Harpenden Colts Owls.

The U11 Central had goals from Jasmine Noorian (two), Isabella Batchellor and Laila Hurley away to Ware Youth Blues while at home to Bishop's Stortford Azures there were goals from Sophia Williams and Florence Randall for the U11 Orient.

Lastly, Edie Lanchbery scored all three for the U11 Wildcats at Hitchin Belles Whites.