Harpenden Town put up a brave fight but exited the Women's FA Cup first round at home to Luton Town.
A crowd of nearly 500 saw Harps beaten 3-0 by their Bedfordshire neighbours, a side that play one level higher.
Luton hit the side netting early on through Andie Dickens and then Kacee Warren was needed to make a timely tackle on the Hatters' Fiona Buttigieg as she raced into the box.
Harpenden's big early chance fell to Chloe Dinsey, a powerful header that drifted just wide of the far post with the keeper beaten, but it was Luton who grabbed the opener with something out of nothing.
Buttigieg hit a long ball over from the left to the far side of the box which found Leyah Maddix stealing in to head past Jasmine Hughes.
The outcome of the game could have been different had Sophia Amanor scored just before half-time.
However, her low shot was put behind by a combination of Amy Butler and the post.
Jess McKay had the early chances in the second half for the Hatters but found Hughes in excellent form.
Harpenden's hopes of an equaliser were almost realised with a wicked low cross from Belle Shannon.
That somehow failed to get a touch from anyone while a Rebecca McShane free-kick was well saved by Butler.
But like the first, Luton scored again out of the blue, a quick break allowing Gabriella Spillman to race into the box and beat Hughes.
Iva Hrisimova made a great clearance off the line from an effort by Spillman but it was only a temporary reprieve as Spillman got her second and Luton's third after again getting clear of the defence.
Colney Heath continued their fine form in the Beds & Herts Women's Football League Premier Division with a second successive 3-0 win over Langford.
Cally Salter, Mia Simmonds and Molly Slade got the goals in the first game at the Recreation Ground and the first two were again on target in game two.
Lacey Kavanagh-Blake got the third this time to leave the Magpies top of the table, seven points ahead of Garston and St Margaretsbury.
Colney's senior men suffered a 3-0 loss away to high-flying MK Irish in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division.
The hosts are now second in the standings, behind leaders Real Bedford on goal difference, with the Magpies in 15th.
The home side managed two before the break but the game may have hinged on the second of them, a penalty in stoppage time.
Tyriq Ward seemed to fall over goalkeeper Connor Sansom after the Colney man had pushed away a ball into the box.
The referee felt otherwise and Ward converted to leave the Magpies facing a mountain.
Irish had taken the lead on three minutes when Ryan Smith curled a shot in from a free-kick but Heath had chances to get back on level terms.
Micky Shuttlewood went close with a header and George Sippetts was inches away from connecting with a superb Dominic Knaggs cross.
Sansom though was needed to pull off two fantastic saves to keep it at one before Ward's late intervention in the half.
Immediately after the break Jamie Fulton, Kai Thomas-Fraser and Sippetts all had efforts saved by Irish keeper Tom Ladyman, the last of them almost creeping inside his near post.
MK were having chances of their own though with Sansom in equally as good form.
He made one fine stop from Mason Spence but was eventually beaten for a third time on 77 minutes, Ward getting his second.
Colney Heath Reserves beat Apsley Argyle 2-1 in the Norman Appleby Trophy with goals from Francesco Tortura and Josh Cross.
Harpenden Town's men drew 0-0 at Potton United to stay seventh in the SSML Premier.
London Colney ended up hosting their Herts Senior Centenary Trophy match with Lemsford after a waterlogged pitch in Welwyn.
And the Blueboys went on to win 3-2 with two goals from Tommy Pidgeon and one for Tanyel Ayvaz.
They will now be at home to Letchworth Eagles in the quarter-final.
The youngsters of the St Albans Primary Schools district teams had a frustrating day.
The Blues competed well against a strong Portsmouth in the Shires Cup but exited the competition with a 5-1 loss, Dyer with goal.
The Girls played away against a very strong Newbury side in the Southern Counties League and found it tough going but kept going until the end.
The Yellows hosted an unbeaten Wokingham side in the Southern Counties League and lost by the odd goal in five, although it could have gone either way.
Kosh scored a brace in the 3-2 defeat.
The U10 Development side travelled to Birmingham to play Erdington & Saltley U11s in a representative game.
And they were beaten 5-3 in an end to end match where their performance warranted more.
Foster, John and Burgoyne-Richards got the goals.
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