Spectacular Spalding United comeback, awayday joy for Stamford AFC, FC Peterborough win again, but a lot of UCL disappointment for local clubs
Spalding United delivered a breathtaking late comeback to keep their Southern Premier Division Central title bid on track.
‘The Tulips’ looked dead and buried when reaching the final four minutes 3-1 down at Quorn, but Maniche Sani struck twice before Jack Roberts smashed home a winning goal seven minutes into added time after a Sani shot had been saved.
Spalding were 1-0 behind at the break, but quickly equalised when a Yusifu Ceesay cross was diverted into his own net by a defender.
But the hosts, who started the day in third place, restored their lead within two minutes and went 3-1 up with 20 minutes to go. It was a vital win for Spalding as sole title challengers Harborough Town won 3-1 at lowly AFC Sudbury so the gap between the top two remains six points. Harborough have three games in hand.
Stamford AFC host Sudbury on Tuesday (Jan 20, 7.45pm kick off) when they will hope to build on an excellent 1-0 win at Worcester City today. A goal from returning striker Jack Duffy two minutes after the re-start settled the contest. Stamford remain bottom, but the gap to safety has closed two points to nine points.
‘The Daniels’ will climb off the bottom of the table with a point on Tuesday. Bourne Town remained in the Northern Premier Midlands drop zone after a 1-0 loss at Shepshed Dynamo. The winning goal arrived seven minutes before the break and Bourne skipper Zac Allen saw a shot cleared off the line seven minutes from time.
FC Peterborough look certainties to finish in a play-off place in Division One North of the Thurlow Nunn League. A 4-2 win over AFC Sudbury Reserves at the MIllfield Autoparts Stadium left them in fourth with an eight-point gap to those outside the play-off places, but the city side are also eight points off third place.
Junior Augusto, Vitor Vaz, Derrick Dadzie and David Yisah scored the goals for FC Peterborough who are the joint second highest scorers in the division with 52 goals from 23 matches.
Local clubs Blackstones, Deeping Rangers and Wisbech Town all lost their United Counties Premier Division North games without scoring a goal. All are too close to the relegation places for comfort. Stones lost 5-0 at home to Clay Cross who started the delay below their hosts.
It was a similar tale of woe in the Premier South Division as second-placed March Town went down 3-1 at ON Chenecks and Yaxley lost 3-0 at home to Godmanchester. Yaxley now have only three teams below them, but are 10 points clear of the drop zone.
Peterborough Sports went down 2-0 in their National League North game at Merthyr Town.
RESULTS
National League North: Merthyr Town 2, Peterborough Sports 0.
Southern Premier Division Central: Quorn 3, Spalding United 4 (Sani 2, Roberts, og), Worcester City 0, Stamford AFC 1 (Duffy).
Northern Premier Midlands Division: Shepshed Dynamo 1, Bourne Town 0.
United Counties Premier Division North: Blackstones 0, Clay Cross Town 5, Eastwood CC 3, Wisbech Town 0; KImberley Miners Welfare 1, Deeping Rangers 0.
United Counties Premier Division South: ON Chenecks 3, March Town 1 (Green); Yaxley 0, Godmanchester Rovers 3.
Thurlow Nunn Division One North: FC Peterborough 4 (Augusto, Vaz, Dadzie, Yisah), AFC Sudbury Res 2; Halesworth Town 1, FC Parson Drove 2; Holbeach Utd 4 (Shenille, Oldham, Kacirek, og) Diss Town 6; Whittlesey Athletic 0, Haverhill Borough 3.