ROUND-UP: Yaxley continue to move up, Holbeach lose ground, Star beaten, dramatic draw for Pinchbeck at Bourne, Stones held

The Cuckoos moved up to second with a hard-fought 2-0 win at Sileby thanks to goals from Dan Cotton and Ross Watson. It’s now 14 wins from 16 competitive matches for Yaxley since manager Andy Furnell took charge.

Yaxley’s forward momentum was helped by the postponement of the scheduled match between the division’s top two Newport Pagnell and Wisbech, and the game involving Deeping Rangers, who started the day in the third, at Leicester Nirvana.

Yaxley are four points behind leaders Pagnell with a game in hand. Wisbech and Deeping are a point further back, but both have a game in hand on Yaxley.

Holbeach switched their match from Desborough to Carter’s Park because of pitch conditions and probably wished they hadn’t bothered as they lost ground on the title chasers with a 3-1 reverse.

Peterborough Northern Star also lost 3-1. They were beaten at home by Daventry after conceding twice in the opening half an hour. James Hill-Seekings did pull a goal back early in the second-half, but the visitors sealed their success 10 minutes from time.

In Division One leaders Pinchbeck United maintained their long unbeaten run, and a seven-point advantage at the top, in dramatic style in the A151 derby at Bourne.

Bourne twice led by two goals only for Pinchbeck to battle back with two goals in injury time to claim a 4-4 draw. Richard Nelson and an own goal from Pinchbeck number one Dan Swan saw Bourne 2-0 up, but strikes from Andrew Tidswell and Ollie Matlby soon had Pinchbeck level.

Goals from Adam Rothery and Jezz Goldson-Williams looked to have sealed a Bourne win, but Tyler Wright and Jack Smith struck late in the day to extend Pinchbeck’s unbeaten run to 16 games ahead if a home clash with second placed Raunds next Saturday (February 3).

Blackstones drew 1-1 at Melton to stay in the top six.

The struggles of March Town United and Wisbech St Mary continued in Division One of the Eastern Counties League. March went down 3-2 at Sudbury Reserves, while Wisbech St Mary were beaten 4-2 at Holland.

RESULTS


Saturday, January 27

UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE

Premier Division: Holbeach United 1, Desborough 3; Northampton Sileby Rangers 0, Yaxley 2 (Cotton, Watson); Peterborough Northern Star 1 (Hill-Seekings), Daventry Town 3.

Postponed: Leicester Nirvana v Deeping Rangers, Wisbech Town v Newport Pagnell Town.

Division One: Bourne Town 4 (Nelson, Rothery, Goldson-Williams, og), Pinchbeck United 4 (Tidswell, Maltby, Wright, Smith); Melton Town 1, Blackstones 1.

Postponed: Lutterworth Athletic v Huntingdon Town,

EASTERN COUNTIES LEAGUE

Division One: AFC Sudbury Res 3, March Town United 2; Holland FC 4, Wisbech St Mary 2.