Vital victory for Bourne Town, impressive wins for FC Peterborough, Whittlesey Athletic and March Town, but Stamford AFC stumbled
Bourne Town blew the United Counties Premier Division North title race wide open by beating leaders Eastwood CFC 1-0 at the Abbey Lawn on Saturday.
A rocket from Robbie Ellis 13 minutes from won the day in front of a cracking crowd of 625. Bourne are now a point off top spot and level on points with third-placed Lincoln United after their 2-1 win at Kimberley Miners Welfare. Deeping Rangers picked up a useful point in this division with a 1-1 draw at home to play-off chasing Boston Town who needed a late equaliser to cancel out Dan Dougill’s goal.
March Town maintained their place in the Premier Division South play-offs with a comfortable 4-1 win at home to Easington Sports, while struggling Yaxley drew 3-3 at home to Sileby Rangers. Toby Allen scored twice for March with Kye Andrews, Adrian Bilicz and Ethan Young netting for the Cuckoos who are just four points above the drop zone after rivals Oadby’s win at bottom club Godmanchester.
FC Peterborough claimed superb 4-2 win over runaway Thurlow Nunn Division One North leaders Haverhill Rovers at the Millfield Autoparts Stadium. The visitors needed to win to seal the title, but were 3-0 down after half an hour after goals from Vitor Vaz (penalty), Ruben Sanches and David Yisah. Haverhill pulled it back to 3-2 with a goal either side of the break, but Vaz hit his second from long range to seal the points. It was just a second defeat of the season for the champions-elect. The city side are seventh and six points outside the play-off places.
There was a surprise win for Whittlesey Athletic at this level, 2-1 at second-placed Stanway Pegasus. Joe Graham and Isaac Jobling scored the goals.
Stamford AFC lost their big game in the Southern Premier Division Central 4-0 at Bedford Town. All the goals for the team in second arrived in the second-half and the defeat knocked ‘The Daniels’ out of the play-off places, albeit only on goal difference.
Spalding United are a further four points back after scrambling to a 3-2 win at home to next-to-bottom Hitchin Town. It looked plain sailing for ‘The Tulips’ after goals from James Clifton, Sam Cartwright and Jack Roberts gave them a 3-0 lead after 22 minutes, but the visitors had reduced the arrears to one goal by the break.
Peterborough Sports were beaten 2-1 at Marine in the National North League.
FIXTURES
National League North: Marine 2, Peterborough Sports 1 (Gash).
Southern League Premier Division Central: Bedford Town 4, Stamford AFC 0; Spalding United 3 (Roberts, Clifton, Cartwright), Hitchin Town 2 .
United Counties League
Premier Division North: Bourne Town 1 (Ellis), Eastwood CFC 0; Deeping Rangers 1 (Dougill), Boston Town 1.
Premier Division South: March Town 4 (Allen 2, Foy, Escorcio), Easington Sports 1; Yaxley 3 (Andrews, Bilicz, Young), Sileby Rangers 3.
Division One: POSTPONED (waterlogged pitch)Blackstones v Clifton All Whites.
Thurlow Nunn League
Division One North: FC Parson Drove v Wivenhoe; FC Peterborough 4 (Vaz 2, Sanchez, Yisah), Haverhill Rovers 2; Haverhill Borough 2, Pinchbeck United 2 (Stevens, Cranfield); Leiston Under 23s 2, Holbeach United 2 (Carter, og); Stanway Pegasus 1, Whittlesey Athletic 2 (Jobling, Graham).