Buntingford Town 3 Sandridge Rovers 0 TOWN S 12th successive victory put them within touching distance of the Herts County League championship on Saturday. A point against London Lions on Saturday will seal the title of Paul Attfield s team, but Whitewebb

Buntingford Town 3 Sandridge Rovers 0

TOWN'S 12th successive victory put them within touching distance of the Herts County League championship on Saturday.

A point against London Lions on Saturday will seal the title of Paul Attfield's team, but Whitewebbs would have to go goal-crazy to deny Town the title if they lose this week's game.

This was never going to be an easy game in the exceedingly hot conditions with Town coming off the back of a tough outing versus Met Police Bushey on Thursday evening.

Both teams had early chances when Mark Wright headed a long throw inches over in the third minute and the visitors had their best chance of the game in the sixth minute when defender Neil Cannon headed over from a corner.

Town's best first half chances came from set play routines with Wright heading a Tom Malins free-kick inches wide and Malins himself clipping the outside of the post with another kick as Town gained the upper hand.

They took the lead in the 27th minute when Luke Robins curled an exquisite 25 yard free kick around the wall and past the helpless keeper.

Damion Williamson saved well from Alex Elliott when advancing on goal after a rare Town defensive lapse but Robins was unlucky not to double his tally just before the interval when he beat two defenders but passed his shot the wrong side of the left post with the keeper narrowing the angle well.

The visitors played better in the second half and upped the tempo of their game but could not breakthrough an excellent Town defence.

Town's crucial second goal arrived in the 55th minute when Mark Wright reacted on a disastrous short free-kick take by the visitors around their area and after side footing the full back rolled the ball under the advancing keeper.

The hot conditions and the demands of Thursday nights game then easily took their toll on their players as Town were happy to soak up any pressure the visiting side could muster but always looked more likely to score on the break themselves.

With 10 minutes left Robins again curled another sublime free kick over the wall that came back into play via the underside of the crossbar and the inside of the post.

The scoring was completed five minutes from full time when referee Smith harshly adjudged a Sandridge defender of handling in the box from a corner and Luke Robins converted the resulting penalty kick.

Robins could have completed a well deserved hat-trick late on with an audacious 45 yard chip in open play that the back-tracking keeper did marvellously to tip onto the crossbar and Ricky Young brought another superb save from the visiting stopper after volleying Chris Hardy's cushioned header towards goal but the points were all but wrapped up by then.

Town: D Williamson, L Endacott, D Chaffey, D Easley, J Babbage, C Hardy, M Smith, T Malins, W Turl (R Young), M Wright (G Christie), L Robins. Unused subs: J Stephens, L Beaumont, J Morris.