Yaxley go marching on with fifth consecutive win against spirited Wisbech, Stamford win big, disappointing draw for Spalding and a Covid postponement

Goals from Matt Sparrow, Harmeed Ishola and Dan Cotton sealed a 3-0 victory in what was a professional performance from Andy Furnell’s side.

The win also saw the Cuckoos pick up from exactly where they left off in 2021, after going to whole of December unbeaten, recording victories over Sutton Coldfield Town, Spalding, Sporting Khalsa and Stamford. The points have seen Yaxley catapult themselves up to 12th in the standings, on 28 points, and well clear of any relegation danger.

The match will also be remembered for the fact Kyle Nolan came off the bench in the second half to make his 300th appearance for the club.

The gap to the Wisbech, who currently occupy the relegation play-off spot, has now stretched to 13 points. The visitors are only two points adrift of Daventry Town, however, in 17th and tasted defeat for the first time under interim manager Chris Lenton today after he got off to a winning start against Soham Town Rangers on Monday (December 27).

The Fenmen were afforded plenty of time on the ball throughout the match, but they were often too reliant on long hopeful balls and only began to really test Posh loanee ‘keeper Will Lakin when the score line was already 3-0. Yaxley, in comparison, made the most of their openings and were clinical when they came.

The warning signs were there within the first three minutes for Wisbech as Spencer Tinkler saw his header from Cotton’s corner clatter off the post. It was a stop-start opening on the whole though with neither side able to settle quickly. In fact, the busiest men on the pitch were the two physios, owing to a series of combative challenges from both sides.

Wisbech threatened to break the deadlock first when Dylan Edge’s cross towards Sam Bennett fell to Brody Warren on the edge of the box. His shot saw second Posh loanee Connor Peters produce a sensational low headed block off the line; only for the whistle to be blown anyway for a foul on Lakin in the build-up.

Just minutes later, and on the 30-minute mark, Yaxley had the lead through Sparrow. He had drifted into space just around the six-yard box and buried Floran Tsaguim’s neat cutback with power.

Wisbech seemed to deal with the setback well but were undone again on the stroke of half-time when Yaxley sprung a break on them from their own corner. Peters picked up the ball deep in his own half, drove forward and into the opposing half. He was supported by third Posh loanee Ishola, who received the well-timed pass from Peters, brought the ball into the box and poked past the on-rushing Luke Pearson with remarkable calmness.

Lakin had to beat away a Bennett shot from a tight angle in the dying seconds of the half and did so well. Wisbech’s sprits took a further knock just three minutes into the second half as well when Tsaguim again produced some good skill out wide and this time he fed the ball to the feet to Dan Cotton in the box to allow him to pick his spot and make the points safe.

From then on, Yaxley seemed to take their foot off the gas slightly and were happy to see the game out. Again, Wisbech saw the majority of the ball but there was never the sense that they possessed the quality to break Yaxley’s stubborn defence down. Lakin was called into action to stop a low Dylan Edge shot and tip over a Liam Marshall corner that may well have been dropping in and did so well.

The failure to reduce the deficit seemed to break the spirit of the visitors as the game went on and the contest fell rather flat in the final stages, allowing Yaxley to coast to another pleasing win.

Yaxley: Lakin, Duncliffe, Smith, Tinkler, Garner, Peters, Sparrow, Hook, Ishola, Cotton, Tsaguim. Subs used: Nolan, Hales, Rowell.

Wisbech: Pearson, Hart, Marshall, Wilson, Keeble, Murphy, Gascoigne, Draper, Edge, Bennett, Warren. Subs used: Allen, Maddison, Ellis.

In the same division, Spalding were left to rue missed chances and only took a point at second-bottom Histon after falling behind. Ben Seymour-Shove equalised on his Spalding debut. Stamford won convincingly, 4-0, after goals from Jack Duffy (2), Cameron Johnson and Jake Duffy. That moved Graham Drury’s side into the final play-off spot in fifth thanks to Coleshill’s defeat at home to Sutton Coldfield.

Peterborough Sports were forced to call off their Southern League Premier Division Central match at Hitchin off after a number of Covid cases and injuries left them unable to field a side.