It kicked off before kick off and then Spalding and Marcus Maddison delivered the mother of all late comebacks to beat Stamford, hat-trick for Peterborough North End, milestone match for Yaxley stalwart in heavy defeat, March march on

Spalding skipper Gregg Smith, a former Stamford player, and Daniels manager Graham Drury were the men given the earliest of baths after some pre-match banter turned into some push and shove in the tunnel before the game had started. Kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes, possibly because the officials were checking to see whether or not Spalding could bring on a sub for the suddenly unemployed Smith.

They could, but it looked for 85 minutes like Drury, a man in no need of megaphone to get a point across to his players, would have the last laugh. His side were comfortable defensively and in Cameron Johnson and Cosmos Matsawa they had the two liveliest forwards on the pitch, even after ex-Posh star Marcus Maddison was introduced at the break.

Johnson scored with a cracking 20-yard curler before Maddison appeared and Matsawa buried a fine strike for 2-0 just past the hour mark. Spalding huffed, puffed and hurled long throws into the area without ever threatening a comeback.

Drury felt so secure he withdrew his goalscorers, but with that he lost the pace that had continually stretched a defence that included former Posh centre-back Sam Cartwright on debut which enabled Spalding to generate some late pressure.

It still looked a consolation when Chris Assombalonga headed home in the 85th minute, but then Maddison came to the party. He often looked a forlorn figure out wide and he employed his trademark exaggerated falls with only a 50 per cent success rate early in the second-half, while occasionally showing moments of pace and quality.

Not enough to worry Stamford unduly, but it was Maddison’s little pass which freed full-back Glenn Yala to equalise in the 92nd minute and remarkably three minutes later the maverick talent dug out a brilliant right-footed cross which Bailey Baker nodded home to complete an amazing turnaround.

The Spalding fans in a bumper crowd of 482 celebrated with the staff and players. Half of Spalding appeared to be on the pitch at the final whistle.

Spalding moved up to fifth, one place below Stamford on goal difference, but Gaby Zakuani’s Tulips have a game in hand.

Spalding: Duggan, Yala, Hugo, Bucciero (sub Baker), Cartwright, Ward, Floyd (sub Maddison), Clarke, Macleod, Broccoli, Assomblonga. Subs not used: Goff (GK), Mucklin.

Stamford: Haystead, Wright, Armstrong, Vince, Blunden, Cook (sub Challinor), Butterworth, Duffy, Chitiza, Johnson (sub Siddons), Matwasa (sub O’Hare). Subs not used: Goncalves, Hicks.

Liam Hook netted a late penalty in his 300th game for Yaxley, but the Cuckoos lost their Midlands Premier Division match 6-1 at Loughborough Dynamo.

Wisbech Town travel to Cambridge City for a Midlands Premier Division game tomorrow (September 8).

Peterborough North End are up to seventh after a third straight win in Division One North of the Thurlow Nunn League. They brushed aside bottom club Wsbech St Mary 4-0 at the Bee Arena tonight with new signings Connor Pilbeam and Jake Sansby among their scorers. Bogdan Masnita, with a bullet, and John Yambasu also scored in front of 110 spectators.

March Town made it back-to-back wins in the Premier Division. They crushed bottom club Swaffham 6-0, but Blackstones are still pointless in United Counties Division One after a 2-0 defeat at Holwell Sports.

RESULTS

Northern Premier Midlands Division: Loughborough Dynamo 6, Yaxley (Hook); Spalding United 3 (Assombalonga, Yala, Baker), Stamford 2 (Johnson, Matsawa).

Thurlow Nunn League

Premier Division: March Town 6 (Alsop, Gibson, Emmington, Friend, Gillies, Saunders), Swaffham 0.

Division One North: Peterborough North End 4 (Pilbeam, Sansby, Yambasu, Masnita), Wisbech St Mary 0.

United Counties Division One: Holwell Sports 2, Blackstones 0.