Spalding United hit the top after narrow win over bottom club Yaxley, Stamford AFC bounce back to form, 10-man Whittlesey Athletic win derby game

It looked plain sailing for the unbeaten Tulips when Stefan Broccoli fired them into an 11th minute against a team with just one point from their first 21 games this season.

But the Cuckoos fought hard and, while rarely looking like scoring in front of 268 fans – more than four times the usual home game at the TOOJAYs Stadium - they also kept the new league leaders at arm’s length.

Spalding have now played 20 games in a tough league without defeat.

A 2-2 home draw for Halesowen meant Spalding moved above the Midlanders. Brett Whaley's men are a point clear of Halesowen and Stamford AFC who bounced back after two straight defeats to beat Corby 2-0 in front of a bumper crowd of 884 at the Zeeco Stadium.

The hosts dominated the entire match but had to wait until the 88th minute to make the three points safe.

The fact Corby ended the match with nine men made little impact on the result given the visitors were unable to muster a single shot of note on the Stamford goal throughout.

Corby, who began the day in sixth, were able to get to the break level, as Stamford were unable to convert their overwhelming possession into chances in a frustrating first half.

Graham Drury's men kicked up a gear in the second half though and almost scored from four corners in quick succession.

Two goalmouth scrambles, a Rob Morgan flick-on saved well down low and a Joe Burgess headed chance from a couple of yards all came and went before Morgan slammed in a loose ball at the back post at the fifth time of asking.

Ollie Brown-Hill and Jonathon Margetts were both left to rue big chances to put the game to bed either side of a horror two-footed challenge from Curtis Burrows on Burgess.

The red card was out immediately. but fortunately Burgess was able to get to his feet and walk off even though he could not continue.

If anything, that led to the most urgency Corby showed in the match but they were unable to build any kind of pressure and Stamford finally made it safe two minutes from time when Margetts scored a classic poachers goal. He slid in on the line to make sure Morgan’s toe-poke past the keeper made it into the net.

To finally compound the day, Corby ended with nine men when a mindless kick out by substitute Scott Floyd earned him the second red card of the day.

Holbeach United saw their four-match winning run in the Thurlow Nunn League Division One North ended after a 2-1 away defeat at Whittlesey Athletic.

John Yambasu had given the Tigers a first half lead before Whittlesey scored twice in the second half through Kieran Hibbins and Ollie Gale despite having Matt Carter sent off.

Holbeach have now dropped out of the play-off places into sixth place. Whittlesey are ninth, two points behind the Tigers with a game in hand.