Spalding United's magnificent seven-goal win sent them top, March Town keep up their title chase and Yaxley draw a thriller

The huge road win against a team who started the day in the play-off places propelled Spalding back to the top of the table. Previous leaders Harborough Town finished with nine men as they drew at Barwell. Spalding are a point clear, but have played two more games than their unbeaten title rivals.

Top scorer Jack Roberts scored twice in Redditch, set another one up for Maniche Sani and won the penalty that Bart Cybulski converted. Josh McCammon, Dion Sembie-Ferris and Lewis White also scored. On-loan Posh defender Noah Freeman played the final 10 minutes of the game.

At the other end of the table rock bottom Stamford AFC are 11 points from safety after losing 2-0 at Banbury United, their 12th defeat in 18 matches.

Bourne Town fought hard at home to second-placed Belper Town in a Northern Premier Division Midlands fixture at the Abbey Lawn, but went down 2-0 to two second-half goals.

A straight red card for experienced centre-back Richard Jones on 35 minutes didn’t help, but a Dan Swan plenty save was a bonus before Belper took charge. Swan had come out of retirement to cover for injured ‘keeper Will Lakin. Bourne are now third from bottom, but only a point from safety.

A single goal from Flo Tsagium was enough to beat Hinckley 1-0 and keep March Town in second place in the United Counties Premier Division South, while Yaxley fought out a 4-4 draw at GNG Oadby Town towards the bottom of the division.

Yaxley struggled before the break, but kept coming back to claim a point as Frankie Webster, Spencer Haskins, Jezz Goldson-Williams and Tommy Dear all scored and Max Rigby saved a penalty.

There was disappointment for play-off chasing FC Peterborough as they went down 1-0 at Long Melford in Division One North of the Thurlow Nunn League. Holbeach United drew 1-1 at Halesworth Town after taking the lead through Callum Wright and then suffering a red card to Oli Williams.

Peterborough Sports saw their scheduled National League North game at South Shields postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.

Sports dropped a place to 20th, one spots outside the relegation zone. They are back in action at relegation rivales Hereford United next Saturday (December 6).

RESULTS

National League North: POSTPONED South Shields v Peterborough Sports

Southern Premier Division Central: Banbury Utd 2 Stamford AFC 0; Redditch Utd 0, Spalding United 7 (Roberts 2, Cybulski, McCammon, White, Sani, Sembie-Ferris).

Northern Premier Midlands Division: Bourne Town 0, Belper Town 2.

United Counties Premier Division North: POSTPONED Deeping Rangers v Newark & Sherwood Utd; Gresley Rovers v Blackstones; Wisbech Town v Clay Cross Town.

United Counties Premier Division South: GNG Oadby Town 4, Yaxley 4 (Webster, Hankins, Goldson-Williams, Dear); March Town 1 (Tsagium), Hinckley AFC 0.

Thurlow Nunn Division One North: Halesworth Town 1, Holbeach Utd 1 (Wright); Long Melford 1, FC Peterborough 0; POSTPONED: FC Parson Drove v Holland FC; Whittlesey Athletic v Diss Town.