Three weeks into the season and it is business as usual for Spraire. Last night they beat Brinkburn 3-2 in the first round of the First Division Cup and on Sunday they beat Second Division champions Nestfield Club.

Spraire may be the early pacesetters, but they were made to work hard for the three points against a Nestfield Club side that were left to rue their hard luck. As it was, Richie Hindle's early goal, and an unlucky own goal were too much for Nestfield who grabbed a goal through Graham O'Neill, but hit the bar twice as they lost 2-1.

Meanwhile, Coundon Forrester's are looking as unstoppable as last season, and The Northern Echo just couldn't compete with them as they were swept aside 8-1 - particularly disheartening for the Echo as they had lost 7-1 midweek against Newton Aycliffe Sports Club in the first division cup. Coundon's scorers were Darren Wilson (4), Rob Mazur (2), Steven Butler and Ben Reid, whilst Graham bagged the Echo's consolation.

The Brinkburn showed The Echo how to recover from such a drubbing. Coundon Forrester's eased past them 7-1 in midweek, but the Brinkburn picked themselves up, and shocked East End WMC - running out as 4-2 victors over a side that big things are expected of.

Elsewhere, Hoppers Transport now know that they have a battle on their hands, as they succumbed to a defeat to a Springfield side that were claiming their first three points of the season.

The evergreen Darren Tate hit a cracker to get Springfield on their way against a Hoppers side that started with only ten men, but Chris Jordan brought the scores back level after some fine dribbling took him past several Springfield defenders before he showed marvellous composure to chip the keeper from fully 30 yards. This only served to kick-start Springfield, however, and they hit four goals through Dominic Rich, Kev Stewart, Danny Connoly and a Simon Hullah own goal, before Ian Thompson grabbed another for Hoppers to make the final score 5-2.

In the remaining first division games, Newton Aycliffe Sports Club swept Green Dragon aside 6-0 thanks to goals from Lee Bonas (2), Chris Postle, Paul Stout, Paul Hind and Aron Robson, while The Speedwell beat Team Scania 16-3. Shaun Collings hit an awesome seven goals for the Speedwell, whilst John Banks was close behind with five and Stuart Cottam grabbed a hat-trick. James Shoulder hit the final Speedwell goal, whilst Hammond, Appelby and Lawson got on the scoresheet for Scania.

In Division Two Jack Horners are yet to concede a goal, and that run continued as they beat a much improved Northern Spirit 3-0. However, Spirit, still missing several of their attacking players, rarely threatened to break through the Jack's defence - whilst it took an unfortunate keeping error for James Cosgrove to give Jack's a 1-0 lead on the stroke of the hour. Two further defensive mix-ups from the Spirit defence allowed Richard Miller and Andrew Vernon to get on the scoresheet, but the Jack's defence will face many more fierce attacks through the course of this season.

One of those attacks will belong to the Allstars who have proved to be too much for all the sides they've encountered this season. Sunday saw them rack up their biggest victory of the season, however, as they knocked 21 goals past a Smith & Allan side that have conceded 41 goals in their last two games - the other game being a midweek 20-0 defeat against Bishop Auckland Cricket Club. In the only other second division fixture, Copper Beech DCS took their first points of the season with a victory over a Bishop Auckland Derby side that were coming off the back of a 5-1 midweek cup defeat against Shuttle & Loom. The Beech took the lead against the Derby through an Alan Curry penalty, and they must have thought that they were on their way to an easy victory as Neil Murphick put them 2-0 up with a superb strike. However, the Derby drew level through Darren Dye and Wayne King before Kevin Myers shot Copper Beech into a 3-2 lead. Once more the Derby hit back - this time through Kevin McCormick, but Adie Pape and Murphick restored the lead late in the second half to give the Beech a deserved 5-3 victory.

In Division Three, AFC Orange remain unbeaten thanks to a 10-1 victory over Newton Cap, and Canney Hill got back to winning ways with a 6-2 victory over a Nestfield Seconds side that are yet to pick up a point in their first season in the league.

Yates' Wine Lodge picked up their second victory in a row with a good 5-1 away win over Faverdale. Man of the match Graham Keay notched two headers and was unlucky not to grab a hat-trick as he tested the keeper from long-range on a couple of occasions. Yates's other goals came courtesy of Chris Chadwick and substitutes Martin Hogg and David Aiken. Aaron Radstock grabbed Faverdale's consolation just after half-time. Last night Yates' won 7-2 at Bishop Auckland Derby.

Falchion picked up an impressive 6-1 victory over a Hogans side that finished bottom of Division Two last season. The Falchion went in 2-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Dean Bates and Mal Hardy, but Hogans got one back though man of the match Matty Ironside straight after the break. However, Hogans were then reduced to ten men as Peter Irvin was given his marching orders, and The Falchion ran riot as Mike Layton bagged a hat-trick and substitute Richard Young also got on the score-sheet.

Biglins News are also looking vastly improved on last season, and they hammered AXA Insurance 8-0, whilst Pizza Perfekt and Royal British Legion played out a 2-2 draw.

l secretaries should note the next league meeting will now take place on Wednesday, September 12, at 7.30pm at the RA ground, and not on Sunday as originally planned.

Divisional Cup, first round results, Division One: Team Scania 7, Springfield 0; Green Dragon 0, Speedwell 1; NA Sports Club 3, East End WMC 0.

Division Two: BA Derby 6, Copper Beach 1; Hurworth Albion 5, Sadberge 0.

Division Three: Falcion 0, Biglins News 3; AXA 2, Faverdale; Nestfields Seconds 1, Pizza Perfekt 5; BA Newton Cap 2, Yates' 7