BADSEY Rangers extended their lead at the top of Herald Division One to seven points after a comfortable 4-0 Stratford Alliance defeat of FISSC.

Rob Candy led the way with a brace with Nick Burrows and Scott Sutherland also getting in on the act as Rangers got one over on inactive chasers Campden Town and Long Compton.

The latter's game against Tysoe was one of a handful of postponements, with the Journal Premier Division the hardest hit.

Only one game survived and the one goal it produced earned FISSC all three points against Badsey United who couldn't hit back after Martin Donnelly's strike.

There was a thriller at Claverdon, who lost out in a game of seven goals all scored by different players.

Welford had Chris Laing, Ben Sutton, Rob Clarke and Gary German to thank for their narrow win as the Old Boys hit back through Karl Aust, Rob Cook and Adrian Whitehead.

There were equally tense finishes in Cutler Division Two, where wins for the top three left Railway Lions still holding a six-point advantage.

The Lions were made to work hard for their 2-1 win against spirited Henley Forest but goals from Mark Lewis and Ade Smith helped the hosts pocket three vital points and make it ten league wins out of ten.

Spartak Park remain in contention after goals from Jim Brooks, Roly Rignall and Tony Herlihy helped the visitors to a 3-2 win at Badsey United, whose replies came from Paul Pinkney and Paul Harris.

Bidford BC Reserves are a further six points adrift but they have two matches in hand on Spartak and they will take great heart from Saturday's 3-1 success at Alcester 2000.

Brothers Phil and Richard Layton notched two of Bidford's goals but they were indebted to an own goal to give them a more comfortable cushion.

Results

Journal Premier Division: FISSC 1, Badsey Utd 0.

Herald Division One: Badsey Rgrs 4, FISSC Res 0; Arrow Valley 2, Quinton 0; Claverdon OB 3, Welford 4.

Cutler Division Two: Alcester 2000 1, Bidford BC Res 3; Badsey Utd Res 2, Spartak Park 3; Railway Lions 2, Henley Forest Res 1.

Fixtures for Saturday

Journal Premier Division: Halfords v FISSC, Bretforton OB v Bretforton Spts, Badsey Utd v Henley Forest.

Herald Division One: FISSC Res v Campden Tn.

Cutler Division Two: Alcester Lions v Shipston Excelsior Res.

RM Smith Trophy preliminary round: Tysoe Utd v Bidford BC Res, Studley v Badsey Utd Res.

Alun Rees Trophy preliminary round: Arrow Valley v Quinton, Spartak Park v Campden Tn Res. First round: Henley Forest Res v Alcester 2000, Railway Lions v Long Compton, Welford v Claverdon OB.

Current standings

Journal Premier Division

P W D L F A Pts

Shipston Excelsior 9 7 0 2 36 13 21

Bretforton Spts 7 5 0 2 22 9 15

Studley 7 5 0 2 22 12 15

Henley Forest 8 5 0 3 12 16 15

FISSC 9 4 1 4 19 20 13

Halfords 7 3 0 4 9 9 9

Badsey Utd 8 3 0 5 13 16 9

Bidford BC 5 1 1 3 7 13 4

Bretforton OB 8 0 0 8 9 41 0

Herald Division One

P W D L F A Pts

Badsey Rangers 11 9 1 1 34 11 28

Campden Town 9 8 0 1 26 9 24

Long Comp Rvrs 11 7 2 2 30 15 23

Welford 10 4 4 2 31 23 16

Arrow Valley 9 3 4 2 20 19 13

Tysoe United 11 3 1 7 22 34 10

FISSC Res 12 2 3 7 13 35 9

Quinton 10 0 3 7 11 27 3

Claverdon OB 9 0 2 7 7 21 2

Cutler Division Two

P W D L F A Pts

Railway Lions 9 9 0 0 37 9 27

Spartak Park 9 7 0 2 37 17 21

Bidford BC Res 7 5 0 2 19 16 15

Badsey Utd Res 7 4 1 2 17 16 13

Alcester Lions 8 3 0 5 17 28 9

Henley Forest Res 9 2 1 6 23 30 7

Alcester 2000 6 2 0 4 9 13 6

Shipston Exc Res 8 2 0 6 11 22 6

Campden Tn Res 9 1 0 8 16 35 3