FC Peterborough put down a huge marker ahead of the play-offs, Blackstones recovery continued, Bourne Town held at home in key game
FC Peterborough have put down a big marker ahead of their expected appearance in the Thurlow Nunn Division One North play-offs.
The city side came back from 3-0 down with 25 minutes to go on Easter Saturday to win 4-3 at Framlingham Town. As things stand Framlingham are third in the table and FC Peterborough are fourth and if it stays like that for the rest of the season they would meet in a play-off semi final.
The local lads were 2-0 down at the break and 3-0 behind a minute into the second-half before man-of-the-match Aziz Mhamdi, Derrick Dadzie, Vitor Vaz and Joe Halfhide all netted to deliver an unlikely away victory.
Whittlesey Athletic were 3-2 winners over Needham Market Reserves at this level, but there were defeats for Holbeach United and FC Parson Drove.
The remarkable recovery of Blackstones in United Counties Premier Division North continued. Stones looked certainties to go down after an 11-game run without a win, but they recorded a third straight success today, 3-0 at home to Gresley, to burst out of the relegation zone. All three goals arrived in the first 10 minutes of the second half with Andrew Irvine netting two of them. Cameron Harris also scored.
Stones are one of four teams within three points of the drop, including Deeping Rangers who were duffed up 4-1 at home by Eastwood CFC. Deeping only have two games left, the first of them on Monday when they host ninth-placed Hucknall. Stones, who have three games to play, are at home to 13th-placed Melton Town.
Wisbech Town are only a point above Deeping after a 3-1 home defeat at the hands of AFC Mansfield. The Fenmen had led at the interval.
Yaxley have three home games left to maintain their place in the Premier Division South. They have a three-point buffer to the bottom two after a 3-0 loss at ON Chenecks today, while the team just below them, Bugbrooke St Michaels, were losing 4-0 at play-off bound March Town. March scored three times in the final 10 minutes with Dan Cotton claiming two goals.
Bourne Town missed a great chance to move closer to safety in the Northern Premier Midlands Division. They led at home to fellow strugglers Bedworth United through an early Robbie Ellis goal, but the visitors forced a 1-1 draw with a deflected equaliser 20 minutes from time.
“The Wakes’ have four games in which to bridge a three-match gap to safety starting with a trip to Corby Town on Monday.
Peterborough Sports drew their Good Friday National League North game with King’s Lynn Town. Spalding United won their Southern Premier Division Central match, but there was a defeat for Stamford AFC in the same division.
RESULTS
National League North: Peterborough Sports 2 (Miller, Oakley), King’s Lynn Town 2.
Southern Premier Division Central: Halesowen 3, Stamford AFC 1 (Cavallo); Spalding United 3 (White, Fowkes, Taroni), Stourbridge 1.
Easter Saturday
Northern Premier Midlands Division: Bourne Town 1 (Ellis), Bedworth Utd 1;
United Counties Premier Division North: Blackstones 3 (Irvine 2, Harris), Gresley 0; Deeping Rangers 1 (Randall), Eastwood CFC 4; Wisbech Town 1 (Falcao), AFC Mansfield 3.
United Counties Premier Division South: March Town 4 (Cotton 2, Allen, Marshall), Bugbrooke St Michaels 0; ON Chenecks 3, Yaxley 0;
Thurlow Nunn Division One: FC Parson Drove 0, Holland 1; Framlingham 3, FC Peterborough 4 (Mhamdi, Vaz, Halfhide, Dadzie); Holbeach Utd 1, Halesworth 3; Whittlesey Athletic 3, Needham Market Res 2.
MONDAY FIXTURES
National League North: Oxford City v Peterborough Sports.
Southern Premier Division Central: Barwell v Spalding United; Stamford AFC v Quorn.
Northern Premier Midlands Division: Corby v Bourne Town.
United Counties Premier Division North: Blackstones v Melton; Deeping Rangers v Hucknall; Wisbech Town v Clay Cross.
United Counties Premier Division South: Yaxley v March Town.
Thurlow Nunn Division One: Dussindale & H v Whittlesey Athletic; Haverhill v FC Parson Drove.