THEIR league campaign is taking them right to the wire after Colney Heath kept alive their hopes of a top-four finish by beating arch-rivals Harpenden Town 3-1 last Wednesday, April 16, although a 3-1 loss to runaway leaders Pitstone & Ivinghoe on Saturday slowed their momentum somewhat.

After capitulating to a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Town just a few weeks ago, Colney Heath were anxious to erase memories but, 20 minutes into the game and trailing 1-0, their work was cut out.

"We were always confident we could beat them," insists Magpies manager Geoff O'Vell.

However, they required a slice of good fortune to force their way back into the game. They trailed to a scrappy goal and levelled with one shortly afterwards as Harpenden defender Matt Gauthier appeared to slice a clearance into his goalkeeper's arms. A slightly dubious free-kick provided Colney Heath with a way back, which they took with alacrity.

O'Vell, who claimed not to have seen the incident which led to free-kick, commented: "I think it was just through pressure that we got the free-kick. Sometimes when you do that you get the rub of the green."

Dean Parratt was the scorer but, if there was an element of fortune surrounding the equaliser, the identity of the second scorer was anything but lucky.

Giles Arthur, since earning a promotion to the first side, has now scored eight times in five appearances, a sequence which has prompted O'Vell to call him the find of the season.

"He has just improved every game he's played," said the manager.

Arthur's bullet header made it 2-1 minutes before the interval, and the game was virtually wrapped up midway through the second half when Scott Lacey scored a goal out the blue to make it 3-1.

Harpenden did have chances in the second half, with Paul Barnes and David Bounds both squandering one on one's, while Darren Shepherd managed to put a header over the bar from almost under the cross-bar.

Their best opportunity came late in the game though, when Barnes, from the penalty spot, fired straight at Stuart Amey.

"I thought we were in control after 20 minutes, and they were there for the taking," said Harp co-manager Gordon Guile. "But their goal to make it 1-1 changed the momentum of the match and they were the better side after that."

However, it was a different story against Pitstone & Ivinghoe four days later. The injuries that have plagued Colney Heath lately reached epic proportions and, while striker Scott Lacey had to play at the back in recent games, the shortfall was at the front against the leaders, where centre back Graham Garrett joined midfielder Chris Ingham in attack.

"I felt we needed to go there and try to win the game," O'Vell explained. With the Reserve team assistant manager standing in for Amey in goal, they were always going to battle but were still in the game at half-time, trailing by just the solitary goal.

But 1-0 became 2-0 when an offside decision went against them and, while that goal effectively killed off Heath's challenge, a third minutes later made the game safe.

Parratt again popped up with a goal towards the end but, despite late pressure, they were not able to claw themselves back into genuine contention.

After hosting Cockfosters on Saturday, Colney Heath travel to Tring Athletic on Wednesday before concluding their league season with a trip to New Bradwell.