But the title-chasing men needed 39 minutes to finally hit the front against their lowly visitors.

Kevin Ainslie broke the deadlock after good work from Andy Boome and the provider turned scorer when doubling the Stones lead in stoppage time.

Ainslie delivered for Liam Harrold to effectively end the contest three minutes into the second half and Richard Jones added a fourth with 20 minutes to go.

First team coach Bob Green said: "It was nothing more than we expected, but pleasing all the same.

"We were preparing to give the lads a rocket at half-time because they looked asleep for 25 minutes, but then we got the goals and things changed.

"It was a good response from the players at the start of a run of games we have to win and it was pleasing to have Danny Hussey back.

"He is nowhere near being fully fit yet, but it was great to see him out there with a smile on his place as I feared he might not play again."

The experienced defender has been out with serious facial injuries sustained in Stones' defeat at title rivals Stotfold back in November.

Blackstones: Flavell, Blowers (Hussey), Lodge, Sheehan, Jones, Boome, D. Cotton, Kuhne, Harrold (A. Cotton), Stebbing (Doyle), Ainslie.

COGENHOE 1
BOURNE 1

CARETAKER boss Darren Munton is convinced Bourne will avoid the drop if repeating this level of performance.

Munton, who was player-boss for two-and-a-half years earlier in the decade, has taken charge following the sudden departure of manager Glenn Notley last week.

And he felt the Wakes deserved to take maximum points from his first match back at the helm. Bourne led through an early Liam Palmer striker until Cogenhoe levelled 10 minutes from time.

Munton said: "At the end of a turbulent week we have to be happy with a point, but I really was gutted not to get all three after seeing the lads play so well and lead for so long.

"All I am interested in is getting the club back to where it should be and that is nowhere near the relegation zone in this league.

"We have some tough fixtures ahead but we won't have a problem with commitment like I saw on Saturday."

Palmer and lively strike partner Alex Harrison impressed for Bourne along with 17 year-old debutant Alex Robinson who is normally part of Munton's successful reserve side.

Bourne: Bellairs, Walklin, Holland, Sparks, Ridout, Currall (Schiavi), Barrick, G. Staffieri, Robinson, Palmer, Harrison (Stainsby). Unused: Munton.

DEEPING 1
S & L CORBY 0

ASSISTANT boss Dave Simpson reckons Deeping displayed all the hallmarks of a good team on Saturday.

A Michael Stevenson penalty after 25 minutes earned Rangers the points to keep them in the thick of the title race, but they had to survive a torrent of S & L pressure before coming through unscathed.

Simpson, in charge with manager Tuncay Korkmaz on holiday, said: "It was a very decent day's work to pick up the three points and keep a clean sheet.

"It is the sign of a good side to get through a game like this without conceding.

"We thought we had a penalty just before we actually got one because the referee pointed to the spot, but his linesman over-ruled him and he gave a drop-ball instead.

"But there was no debate when their keeper brought Danny Matson down."

It might have been easier for Deeping had Andy Ellis converted a rebound from eight yards after David Cobb hit the post, but the ball came at him quickly and he steered it over.

Deeping: Lowndes, Duncliffe, Woods, Porter, Goode, Weston, Ellison, Stevenson (Challinor), Cobb, Matson, Ellis. Unused: Thompson, Kingston.

YAXLEY 2
HOLBEACH 2

THE derby honours ended even at Leading Drove.

But there was plenty of drama as visitors Holbeach struck twice in the space of a minute before Lee Blewitt earned Yaxley a point in the dying moments.

"Having got ourselves in front, we should have hung on," said Holbeach boss Shaun Keeble. "But a draw was probably the fair result.

"There were plenty of positives for me as we created more chances than in the past two games put together."

Yaxley led through a first-half strike from the recalled Dan Fountain but things quickly changed when Ian Dunn and substitute Lee Orrey transformed the game inside 60 seconds.

But Holbeach's hopes of a victory were ended when Blewitt swept in a Teddy Rimmell delivery to restore parity in the nick of time.

Yaxley boss Gary Clipston claimed: "We definitely deserved the draw, especially as their second goal looked miles offside."

And Clipston has been buoyed by the news that his star striker Mark Paul has not left Leading Drove after all.
"Mark played for Ely last weekend and got injured, but he tells me he will definitely be back," added Clipston.

Yaxley: Feetham, Steward, Parrott, Gospel, Russell, Fountain (Crick), Rimmell, Blewitt, Hailstone, Salerno, Edge. Unused: Curtis, Palazzo.
Holbeach: Conroy, Coupland, Thompson, Elston, Jackson, Treacher (Orrey), Warfield, Joof, Pascu, Dunn, Childs. Unused: N. Keeble, S. Keeble, Barnes.

RIDGEONS LEAGUE
First Division

MARCH 1
THETFORD 2

THE Hares again fluffed their lines in front of their home fans.

Boss Brett Whaley was targeting this match as the perfect opportunity to improve their disappointing record at the GER, but his hopes were dashed by the men from Norfolk.