A bad day in the FA Vase, former Peterborough United youngsters haunted Spalding and Stamford, Bourne and FC Peterborough returned to form
Local interest in the FA Vase ended on Saturday as Whittlesey Athletic and March Town were both beaten by Essex Senior League opponents.
Jack Carter equalised an early goal from Whittlesey’s table-topping opponents Soul Tower Hamlets, but the visitors were back in front before the break and clinched the win in the second-half from the penalty spot, after they had been reduced to 10 men.
March took a second-half lead at Saffron Walden through Ben Tait, but the hosts hit back to win 2-1.
It was a terrible day for Spalding United and Stamford AFC in the Southern Premier Division Central. Spalding lost at home for the first time, 3-2 to St Ives Town and lost top spot to Harborough Town as a result, and Stamford were beaten 3-1 at home by Real Bedford and have now returned to the bottom of the table.
Spalding looked to have recovered from the loss of early goal when two goals in four second-half minutes from Alfie Bendle and Yusifi Ceesay put them 2-1 in front, but former Peterborough United youngster equalised and St Ives then grabbed an injury time winner.
Stamford were 3-0 down to promotion-chasing visitors before Kai Sanchez-Tonge pulled a goal back with 20 minutes to go. Another former Posh youngster Archie Jones was among the Bedford scorers. Stamford can get off the bottom again if they beat Worcester City at the Zeeco Stadium on Tuesday (7.45pm).
There was a welcome Northern Premier Midlands Division win for Bourne Town as Zac Allen scored twice and Aaron Eyett netted in a 3-1 win over Rugby Town at the Abbey Lawn.
For the second weekend running Josh Randall scored a late winning goal in a United Counties Premier Division North away game. Deeping won 1-0 at Harrowby, while Wisbech Town were held to a goalless draw at Newark.
Deeping (8th), Wisbech (9th) and Blackstones (10th) are all together in the table. Stones were in Hinchingbrooke Cup first round action today and beat Baldock 5-1 as William Bestwick struck twice.
Yaxley were bashed 5-2 at Hinckley in the Premier Division South. It was 5-0 until Tommy Dear and Kaylum Timberlake struck late for ‘The Cuckoos.’
FC Peterborough returned to winning form by seeing off Wivenhoe 5-2 on their own patch in Division One North of the Thurlow Nunn League. The home side took the lead, but the fifth-placed city side took control with top scorer David Yisah netting twice.
Peterborough Sports were beaten 1-0 in their National League North game at Spennymoor Town.
RESULTS
FA Vase second round: Whittlesey Athletic 1 (Carter), Soul Tower Hamlets 3; Saffron Walden 2, March Town 1 (Tait).
National League North: Spennymoor Town 1, Peterborough Sports 0.
Southern Premier Division Central: Spalding United 2 (Ceesay, Bendle), St Ives 3; Stamford AFC 1 (Sanchez-Tonge), Real Bedford 3.
Northern Premier League Midlands Division: Bourne Town 3 (Allen 2, Eyett), Rugby Town 3.
United Counties Premier Division North: Harrowby 0, Deeping Rangers 1 (Randall); Newark 0, Wisbech Town 0.
United Counties Premier Division South: Hinckley 5, Yaxley 2 (Dear, Timberlake).
Thurlow Nunn Division One North: Wivenhoe 2, FC Peterborough 5 (Yisah 2, Musa, Sanha, Augusto).
Hinchingbrooke Cup: Blacktones 5 (Bestwick 2, Rudman, Barrett, Rankin), Baldock 1.