PETERBOROUGH LEAGUE FOOTBALL: Fox in the box leads a top-flight goal spree

AFC Stanground led the way with an 11-0 massacre of city rivals Riverside. It was just Stanground’s fifth win of their debut season in the top flight and the crushing defeat left Riverside seven points adrift at the bottom of the tabale.

Eight players found their way onto the scoresheet led by midfielder Martyn Fox who bagged four goals. The others were scored by Tom Staggs, Josh Staggs, Grant McClean, Daniel Stephens, Jamie Stephens, Shane Cooke and Klodjan Memaj.

Unbeaten leaders Moulton Harrox weren’t far behind as they smashed Sawtry 9-0 to maintain their three-point advantage at the top. Ollie Maltby was the four-goal star for Moulton with Ian Bradbury, Ashley Coddington, Daniel Lambe-Hyner, Louis Steadman and Joe Townsend also on target.

Netherton United managed a ’mere’ seven goals without reply against a fading Holbeach United Reserves side. The city side are playing catch-up with their fixtures, but they’ve lost just twice this season and fancy their chances of a top-three finish. Tom Randall hit a hat-trick against Holbeach with Steve Mastin (2), Adam Scott and Lee Clementson completing the scoring.

Pinchbeck overcame the loss of star man Dan Woods - he’s returned to March Town United - after a short stay in the Peterborough League by ending the unbeaten run of Uppingham in fine fashion. The Rutlanders hadn’t lost any of their previous nine league matches, but a strong second-half showing saw Pinchbeck run out 5-1 winners.

Strikes from player-manager Ian Dunn, Ryan Leggett, Ashley Murrell and Liam Ogden were supplemented by an own goal as Uppingham finished the game with nine men following red cards for Tom Hubbard and Jordan Spencer.

There were also two red cards in the Friday night (February 19) clash between third-placed Peterborough Sports and fourth-placed Ketton. Sports’ Gary Gibbs picked up two yellow cards from referee Stewart Francis, while Ketton’s Matthew Woodman received a straight red card in the 1-1 draw.

Dan Fountain equalised for Sports in the second-half after Alex Sismore had fired Ketton ahead before the break. Ketton are now unbeaten in their last 13 matches, but Sports have fallen six points behind Moulton who have played one fewer match.

Second-placed Whittlesey had to work hard before beating improving Crowland 3-1 at Snowden’s Field. Crowland led through Connah Hunt before Liam Harrold levelled before the break for the title chasers. Harrold completed his hat-trick in the second-half to deliver a valuable three points for Whittlesey.

Michael Fox and Danny Dance scored the goals that gave ICA Sports a 2-0 win at Langtoft in a mid-table battle, while lowly Leverington scored a shock 3-2 win at Thorney. Maruisz Kudyba scored twice for a team tasting victory for just the third time this season.

RESULTS

CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES PETERBOROUGH LEAGUE

Premier Division

AFC Stanground 11 (Fox 4, Mclean, J. Staggs, T. Staggs, D. Stephens, J. Stephens, Cooke, Memaj)

Riverside 0

Crowland Town 1 (Hunt)

Whittlesey Athletic 3 (Harrold 3)

Langtoft United 0

ICA Sports 2 (Dance, Fox)

Netherton United 7 (Randall 3, Mastin 2, Scott, Clementson)

Holbeach United Res 0

Peterborough Sports Reserves 1 (Fountain)

Ketton 1 (Sismore)

Pinchbeck United 5 (Dunn, Leggett, A. Murrell, Ogden, og)

Uppingham Town 1

Sawtry 0

Moulton Harrox 9 (Maltby 4, Townsend, Steadman, Lambe-Hyner, Coddington, Bradbury)

Thorney 2

Leverington Sports 3 (Kudyba 2, og)