NETHERTON B have emerged as genuine Division Two title contenders after beating leaders Langtoft 5-2 despite losing defensive lynchpin Ravi Patel early on in the game.

Patel was stretchered from the pitch after sustaining knee ligament damage in a 50/50 tackle after just 20 minutes.

A lengthy delay then followed before Patel was taken to hospital where it was confirmed that he is likely to miss the rest of the season.

But instead of letting the incident get to his players, Netherton boss Marco De Cotis urged his lads to go out and 'win it for Ravi' - and they did just that with Ben Cullen smashing a hat-trick while Nicky Bewick and Josh Bell also got their names on the score sheet.

"It was a nasty injury but it was a fair tackle and sometimes these things happen in football," said De Cotis.

"Hopefully Ravi will be fine but we will miss him for the rest of the season as he has been excellent for us.

"All the lads were upset but we knew he would not have wanted us to lose this game and we made sure we went out there and got the job done in tough circumstances.

"The result means we now have a really good chance to win this league as we also have second-placed Coates still to play which means we can take points of all our rivals.

"Obviously we would rather have the points on the board than the games, but it is in our own hands now and I know I have the players here who can give it a real go."





DEEPING's bid to end their Division One campaign in second place took a knock as Rob Jerram's side missed a hatful of chances in their 1-1 draw at Netherton A.

After turning their noses up at a number of gilt-edged chances, Deeping could only muster a single goal through Lee Verrall which may have earned his side a point but left Jerram cursing his side's luck.

"Netherton are a good side but I thought we were much better than them on Sunday and a win would naturally have taken the pressure off us in the battle for second place," he said.

"We had enough chances to clock up a rugby score but, as so often has been the case this season, we were made to pay for not sticking them away.

"It's frustrating because we have won five games, drawn four and lost two this season and in all honesty, apart from the draw with Yaxley, and a defeat at PSV, we should have won every match.

"It is our failure to kill-off teams that will ultimately cost us the title and the lads know that we must take second place for me to be anywhere near happy with how we've done this season."