City of Peterborough Ladies have one hand on a trophy, men unlucky to lose to leaders, Under 16 Boys deliver a superb comeback

City beat St Neots 9-0 last weekend to move to within three points of the East Division One title with three games to play. Those points should arrive on Saturday as they host lowly Ipswich seconds at Bretton Gate (1pm start).

City were relentless once they got going in St Neots scoring three times before the break and six times in the second-half. Lily Craven and captain Hope Elkins both bagged hat-tricks with Breesha Foxton scoring twice and Claire Bowtell completing the scoring.

The leaders have now scored 90 goals in their 19 games and conceded just eight to take a seven-point lead at the top.

In the same section Wisbech went down 4-3 to Norwich City after fighting back to draw level on three occasions, while Spalding lost 5-2 at home to Sudbury.

Standings (all played 19): 1 City of Peterborough 52pts, 2 Norwich Dragons 45pts, 3 Cambridge City IV 43pts, 4 Cambridge South 40pts, 5 Sudbury 39pts, 6 Norwich City 30pts, 7 Spalding 18pts, 8 Ipswich II 16pts, 9 Dereham II 15pts, 10 Wisbech 14pts, 11 University of East Anglia 12pts, 12 St Neots 12pts.

City of Peterborough led unbeaten National Midlands Conference leaders Leek for 50 minutes at Bretton Gate on Sunday before conceding twice in four minutes in the final quarter to lose 2-1.

It was an unfortunate loss for City who peppered the visiting goal in the final stages, but ran into a goalkeeper in inspired form. The hosts also started the game well taking the lead in the ninth minute through Matt Porter and then hitting the post through Nathan Foad after a superb breakaway.

Leek also struck the post, while both teams failed to convert numerous short corners in a testy contest which featured several visiting players trotting off to the sin bin for dissent offences.

The leaders have won many games by a single goal this season and they equalised on 59 minutes with a goal City felt should have been disallowed before winning the match in the 62nd minute with a fierce close-range strike after home ‘keeper Cam Goodey had pulled off a fine save.

City, who fielded emerging teenage talents Oliver Drake and Josh Harriss against Leek, remain fourth ahead of a trip to second-placed Oxford Hawks on Sunday (March 8). Drake is just 15.

Standings (all played 14): 1 Leek 34pts, 2 Oxford Hawks 30pts, 3 St Albans 25pts, 4 City of Peterborough 20pts, 5 Norwich City 19pts, 6 University of Nottingham II 18pts, 7 Banbury 17pts, 8 Barford Tigers 13pts, 9 University of Birmingham II 8pts, 10 Stourport 7pts.

Back in the East League prolific Phil Martin took his Division Five goals tally to 42 as leaders City sixths beat Wisbech thirds 4-1 and James Mallett struck a hat-trick as Wisbech firsts beat Cambridge University thirds 4-2.

Oundle Ladies clinched the Division Five title with a 4-2 win over City of Peterborough fifths. Unbeaten Oundle have won 16 of their 17 matches.

Selected East League results

Men: City 2nds beat Harleston 4-1 (Cole Bowtell, Alex Boxall, Danny Needham, Tom Seaton); City 3rds lost to St Ives 2-3 (Josh Morley, Isaac Charles); City 4ths beat Wisbech 2nds 5-3 (Craig Petrie 2, Oli Daniels, Tom Wilson, Max Cave); City 5ths lost to Kettering 1-4 (Chris Hastings); City 6ths beat Wisbech 3rds 4-1 (Phil Martin 4; Jerome Lawrence); City 7ths beat Pelicans 3-1 (Max Hawtin 2, James Cooper); Bourne Deeping 3rds drew with Cambs South 1-1 (Aaron Waters); Bourne Deeping Development beat Wisbech Development 2-0 (Rupert Thorp, Eoghan Davies); Wisbech 1sts beat Cambridge University 4-2 (Jason Mallett 3, Jonny Garner); Wisbech 4ths drew 1-1 with Spalding (Finley Morby-Jones).

Ladies: City 2nds drew 4-4 v Cambridge University (Annie Chan 2, Rhianne Saunders 2); City 3rds lost to St Ives 0-2; City 4ths drew 1-1 with Spalding 2nds (Hannah Hughes); City 5ths lost to Oundle 2-4 (Neve Poroniuk 2); Wisbech 2nds lost to Cambridge University 2-3 (Lou Sandall, Lily Cooper); Wisbech 3rds beat Huntingdon 8-2 (Fiona H-P 2, Becky Allen 2, Laynie Thompson 2, Elana Freedman, Charlotte Holt); Wisbech 4ths beat Newmarket 4-3 (Annabelle McGregor 2, Bailey Hanrahan, Sian Spear).

City of Peterborough Under 16 Boys delivered a superb comeback in their Tier 2 National Plate quarter-final at Saffron Walden. The hosts were 3-0 up early in the second half before goals from Dylan Hardy, Harry Ingram and Harry Sutterby took the game to a penalty shuffle shootout which the visitors won 2-1 with successes from Sutterby and Harry Raybould. City goalkeeper Bradley Smith made some great saves.

Wisbech men reached an over 35 quarter-final with a thrilling 5-4 win over Norwich City. They had to survive a late comeback after easing into a 5-1 lead, Dan Martell scored twice.

Wisbech Ladies Over 35s went out of their cup competition. Georgie Dunn scored a consolation goal in a 2-1 loss to Norwich Dragons.

Cup results

Men: Wisbech over 35s beat Norwich City 5-4 (Dan Martell 2, Luke Jackson, Charlie Bester, Dominic Stannard); City Under 16s beat Saffron Walden 2-1 on penalty shots after a 3-3 draw (Dylan Hardy, Harry Ingram, Harry Sutterby).

Ladies: Wisbech Over 35 lost to Norwich Dragons 1-2 (Georgie Dunn).