Champions Britannia begin Chesterfield Sunday League defence with a win

Lots of hard work behind the scenes at league, County FA and club level has been done to make the resumption of play possible as the season kicked off with a new format, which saw fifty three teams compete across six divisions as opposed to the previous five and a brand new sponsor in the form of H.K.L.

Defending champions Britannia hit the ground running in HKL ONE as Tom Poole was on target twice in their opening day 4-1 win over Doe Lea, Ryan Ordidge and Nico Degirolamo also scoring. A tight game at Hasland WMC saw the hosts share the spoils with visitors New Whitt Social as Jerome Wilks and Matt Bower scored for Hasland, Elliott Nunn and Danny Rigby leveling for New Whitt.

In HKL TWO another close run affair ended honours even with Brampton Moor Rovers sharing six goals and the points with Crown Killamarsh, Matt Brown, Marco Marchetta and Sam Gilthorpe scoring for Rovers, Nathan Fenn, David Sills and Jordan Willis with Crown's goals. Brampton Victoria entertained Glapwell Gladiators and beat them 2-0 with Conor Bendall and Nathan James hitting the winners.

Bolsover Town were thankful for a Aidan McTighe double for their opening day victory. Hepthorne Lane, who had asked for voluntary relegation, started life in the second tier with a steady first half performance but it was Bolsover who looked the more threatening kicking down the slope and it was no surprise that they took the lead on the stroke of half time when McTighe popped up to convert from close range.

The contours of the Station Road pitch combined with a blustery wind were making free flowing football difficult and much as you expected the home side to take advantage of the second half gradient being in their favour it was though Bolsover who continued to threaten and they doubled thier lead after 65 minutes when McTighe cut inside Matt Edinboro to fire home past Jason Gough in the Lane goal.

Hepthorne Lane strove to get back into the game but as the clock wound down they looked a deflated side as a goal that would have set up a grandstand finish alluded them and it would be the finishing and determination of the visitors that would win the day and seal a three-point start for The Rooks.

A seven goal game at Bridge Inn where Pilsley Community provided the opposition went the way of the latter who ran out 5-2 winners. Kane Hempshall got his season off to a flyer, registering a hat trick, Kyle Hempshall and Joe Robb weighing in with a goal apiece.

There were several new clubs in action in the league, Furnace Hill being one of them. They started life on HKL THREE with a 6-0 defeat at the hands of Hollingwood for whom Liggins hit a treble, Sanderson two, Vernon one. Two new sides in HKL FOUR and both started with a victory, Butchers Arms winning 3-2 at Dronfield Town and Tibshelf Community 4-1 at Dronfield Wanderers.

Espial started their HKL FIVE season with an odd goal in nine win at Gate Inn. Logan Mantle scored a hat trick for Gate however is effort was in vain as two goals from Tyler Wapplington plus one each from Craig Marple, Oliver Marshall and Jordan Timmins earned Espial three points. Two of the three new clubs won in HKL SIX, Newbold Community FT Youth 2-1 at Palterton Sporting, Liam Hall and James Sadler with the goals and Contact Club, won 5-2 at Castle, Declan Healey registering the clubs first HKL hat trick, Dale Jones and Lewis Oxley adding goals number four and five. Creswell started disappointingly with a 10-0 reverse at Apollo, Formally Clowne Community. Both Joel Atack and Ethan Marsh scored hat tricks for Apollo, Alex Rice two and Cameron Davis and Kyle Turner one apiece