THE New Year started with four of the top six in the Notley's Lowestoft League first division all picking up wins.Leaders Hearts of Oak beat Kirkley and Pakefield A 3-1 to remain seven points clear, a defeat that sees Kirkley slip two places to fifth.

THE New Year started with four of the top six in the Notley's Lowestoft League first division all picking up wins.

Leaders Hearts of Oak beat Kirkley and Pakefield A 3-1 to remain seven points clear, a defeat that sees Kirkley slip two places to fifth.

Norton Athletic remain in second after narrowly beating Spexhall 2-1 whilst Pot Black are up to third following their 4-1 victory at Blundeston Magpies who seem to have lost their way after a promising start to the season.

FC Hearts are now fourth after comfortably beating Caxton Reserves 7-2 whilst the biggest winners of the day were Wrentham who thumped Oxford Arms 7-0 to move into sixth place.

The second division saw the top three in Primary Cup action and as such the congestion in third place mounted up as Bungay Town A, Pakefield Re-United and Hopton White Hart all join third place Norton on 22 points following their wins.

Bungay defeated LIFC 3-0, Pakefield Re-United beat Waveney Gunners 2-0 and Hopton White Hart came back from Oxford Arms Reserves. with a 4-1. Crusaders also won 4-1 at Ellingham and sit seventh just a further point back.

The final match in the division saw a thriller as Oulton Broad and Notley's Reserves beat Corton A 4-3 which included a hat-trick for Steve Rigby and as such they are eighth.

The third division saw Suffolk Punch move to within a point of the leaders as they beat Earsham 4-1 whilst Harleston Town Reserves move to within three points following their 5-1 victory against Blundeston Magpies Reserves.

Kirkley and Pakefield B lost a seven-goal thriller to White Horse Seltic Reserves whilst Marquis of Lorne and Lake Lothing shared the points following their 1-1 draw. They sit eighth and ninth respectively.

Spexhall Reserves won their local derby with Westhall 4-1 and as such climb to fourth place whilst Waveney A beat Factory Arms 7-2 and climb to sixth place.

In the Norfolk Primary Cup there was disappointment for Great Yarmouth Town Hall who lost 3-1 to Docking Rangers. By all accounts Town Hall missed many chances and were beaten by an average side.

Norton Athletic Reserves keep the league's flag flying though as they needed extra-time to beat previously unbeaten Barney United, eventually winning through 3-2.

In the Suffolk Primary Cup only one of the four sides progressed and that was Ole Frank who beat Clare Town 4-3. Waveney Reserves were surprisingly heavily beaten 8-2 at Albion Mills, White Horse Seltic slipped out 2-1 against Stanton and Salvation Army were 3-0 winners at Tudor.

This week it's KO Cup with all ties being played to a finish.

Results

Division One: Blundeston Magpies 1, Pot Black 4; FC Hearts 7, Beccles Caxton Res 2; Hearts of Oak 3, Kirkley and Pakefield A 1; Norton Ath 2, Spexhall 1; Oxford Arms 0, Wrentham 7. Barsham v Sole Bay Utd Res postponed.

Division Two: Bungay Town A 3, LIFC 0; Ellingham 1, Crusaders 4; Oulton Broad and Notleys Res 4, Corton A 3; Oxford Arms Res 1, Hopton White Hart 4; Pakefield Re-United 2, Waveney Gunners 0.

Division Three: Earsham 1, Suffolk Punch 4; Harleston Town Res 5, Blundeston Magpies Res 1; Kirkley and Pakefield B 3, White Horse Seltic 4; Marquis of Lorne 1, Lake Lothing 1; Spexhall Res 4, Westhall 1; Waveney A 7, Factory Arms 2.

Norfolk Primary Cup, fourth round: Barney Utd 2, Norton Ath Res 3 (aet); Gt Yarmouth Town Hall 1, Docking Rgrs 3.

Suffolk Primary Cup, fourth round: Albion Mills 8, Waveney Res 2; Clare Town 3, Ole Frank 4; Corton White Horse Seltic 1, Stanton 2; Tudor FC 0, Salvation Army 3.