Cuckoos enjoy a flying start in step four, Lewis seals Peterborough Sports success, Stanley starts in style for Stamford, Tulips held, Wisbech beaten

The Cuckoos despatched Barton Rovers 4-1 at I2itive Park in the first step four game in the club’s history thanks to two goals from Matt Sparrow and strikes from Phil Stebbing and Dan Cotton (penalty).

Stebbing fired Yaxley ahead early on before Barton equalised on 20 minutes, but Sparrow struck twice before the break before Cotton wrapped the points up with a 56th-minute penalty. Only 98 spectators attended the game.

Peterborough Sports also started with a win. They saw off newly-promoted Berkhamsted 1-0 courtesy of Lewis Hilliard’s 27th-minute goal.

In the East Division of the Northern League Stamford AFC started their season in style with a 4-2 win at Stocksbridge Park Steels. Last season’s play-off finalists conceded a first-minute goal, but Stanley Mugisha equalised in the third minute.

Mugisha added a second goal after the break and after Bradley Fortnam-Tomlinson and Jordan Cooke had put the Daniels in charge. Stocksbridge completed the scoring in the final 10 minutes.

Spalding United were denied a first-day win by a Cleethorpes equaliser 12 minutes from time. Summer signing George Zuerner had fired the Tulips ahead just after the half hour mark.

But Wisbech lost their first match following promotion from the United Counties Premier Division, 1-0 at home to Frickley Athletic in front of 271 at the Fenland Stadium.

RESULTS

Saturday, August 18

EVO STIK LEAGUE

Northern League

East Division: Cleethorpes 1, Spalding United 1 (Zuerner); Stocksbridge Park Steels 2, Stamford AFC 4 (Mugisha 2, Fortnam-Tomlinson, Cooke); Wisbech Town 0, Frickley Athletic 1.

Southern League

Division One Central: Berkhamsted 0, Peterborough Sports 1 (Hilliard); Yaxley 4 (Sparrow 2, Stebbing, Cotton), Barton Rovers 1.