Yaxley break long losing streak, King Leon shoots Stamford AFC to crucial win, but Spalding United beaten and Bourne Town blow a handy lead
Yaxley ended a run of nine straight defeats to ease their relegation worries in United Counties Premier Division South.
It’s been a turbulent season on and off the pitch for ‘The Cuckoos’ but they delivered an excellent display to see off Newport Pagnell 3-1 at Leading Drove on Saturday.
Ben Skellett scored twice and Kobie Smith was also on target for Yaxley who are six points clear of the relegation places albeit having played more games than the teams below them.
March Town are second in the same section, a position they maintained comfortably with a 3-0 home win over relegation-haunted Easington Sports. Rio Henson, Matthew Foy and Sam Green scored for ‘The Hares.’
In the Premier Division North there were defeats for Blackstones and Deeping Rangers, but Wisbech Town claimed a 1-1 draw at Heanor courtesy of a 92nd minute Sam Bennett goal.
Stamford AFC secured a vital win on the road to boost their bid to escape relegation from the Southern Premier Division Central. ‘The Daniels’ won 3-1 at fellow strugglers AFC Sudbury to move to within two points of safety.
An early goal from Leon Lobjoit gave Stamford the perfect start in Suffolk, but the hosts equalised early in the second-half. Kai Sanchez-Tonge shot Stamford ahead again on 74 minutes before Lobjoit scored again in added time.
Stamford are also two places from safety, but they have games in hand over Barwell and St Ives Town, the two teams directly above them.
It wasn’t such a good day for leaders Spalding United as their advantage at the top was cut to a single point by rivals Harborough Town. ‘The Tulips’ went down 2-0 at Needham Market, while Harborough beat Worcester City 1-0. Harborough will go top with a win at Bishop’s Stortford on Tuesday (March 10), one of their three games in hand.
Bourne Town will be kicking themselves after failing to record a third straight win in the Northern Premier Midlands Division. ‘The Wakes’ led 2-0 after 23 minutes thanks to goals from Lewis Darlington and Robbie Ellis, but the hosts hit back with two second-half goals to force a 2-2 draw. Bourne remain a point and a place shy of safety.
In Thurlow Nunn Division One, fourth-placed FC Peterborough were beaten 2-1 at sixth-placed Stanway Pegasus and Whittlesey Athletic drew 0-0 at home to fifth-placed Wroxham Reserves despite playing most of the second-half with 10 men.
Peterborough Sports lost their National League North match 1-0 at home to Southport to remain deep in relegation trouble.
Saturday results
National League North: Peterborough Sports 0, Southport 1.
Southern Premier Division Central: AFC Sudbury 1, Stamford 3 (Lobjoit 2, Sanchez-Tonge); Needham Market 2, Spalding Utd 0.
Northern Premier Midlands Division: Coventry Sphinx 2, Bourne Town 2 (Darlington, Ellis).
United Counties Premier Division North: Blackstones 0, Belper Utd 1; Clay Cross Town 4, Deeping Rangers 2 (Lockie, Randall); Heanor Town 1, Wisbech Town 1 (Bennett).
United Counties Premier Division South: March Town 3 (Foy, Green, Henson), Easington Sports 0; Yaxley 3 (Skellett 2, Smith), Newport Pagnell 1.
Thurlow Nunn Division North: Holbeach Utd 2 (West Wright), Dussindale & Hellesdon 1; FC Parson Drove 1, AFC Sudbury Res 1; Stanway Pegasus 2, FC Peterborough 1; Whittlesey Athletic 0, Wroxham Res 0.