Football round-up: Impressive wins for Spalding United and Holbeach United, Pinchbeck United into Shield final

Both Spalding United and Holbeach United enjoyed impressive wins on Saturday, while Pinchbeck United reached a cup final.

Starting with Spalding, they eased past Sheffield FC 3-0 at in Evo-Stik NPL First Division South to give their play-off hopes a major boost.

A first-half stunner from Leon Mettam (30) gave Chris Rawlinson’s side a 1-0 half-time lead against the world’s oldest football club.

Two more goals followed after the break – although the scorer of the second goal remains unclear.

A Sheffield player appeared to head a Lee Beeson corner into his own net, but Brad Wells is claiming he got a touch on the line. To make matters more confusing, Kern Miller was announced as the scorer of the 53^rd-minute effort.

There was no doubting that super-sub Conor Higginson grabbed goal number three, expertly finishing after a clever Wells pass on 78 minutes some 60 seconds after coming on for Cenk Acar.

The victory keeps Spalding second in the table, but they are now ten points clear of AFC Rusden and Diamonds in the final play-off place.

Holbeach, meanwhile, bounced back from last week’s humbling at Kirby Muxloe to beat high-flying Eynesbury Rovers 2-0 at Carter’s Park.

After a goalless first period in the ChromaSport UCL Premier Division clash, second-half efforts from Jake Clitheroe and Charley Sanders, the latter making his second Tigers debut, got the job done for Seb Hayes’ side.

Elsewhere, Pinchbeck United came back from 1-0 down to beat Ketton 2-1 and book their place in the final of the ChormaSport PDFL President Premier Shield.

Ian Dunn’s side are bidding to defend the trophy they won last season and were inspired by goals from Tyler Wright and top scorer Ollie Maltby.

In the Premier Division, the South Holland derby between Moulton Harrox and Crowland Town was postponed, with the latter unable to raise a side.

Holbeach United Reserves went down 4-2 at Deeping Rangers Reserves in the other top flight clash.

In Division One, Moulton Harrox Reserves were 2-0 winners at Netherton United Reserves to make it 21 wins from 22 games.

Second-placed Sutton Bridge United thrashed Stamford Belvedere 6-1, while basement boys Spalding United Reserves made it back-to-back wins by seeing off hosts Riverside 5-2.

More football online at www.spaldingvoice.co.uk throughout the week and in Thursday’s edition of The Spalding and South Holland Voice.

RESULTS

Evo-Stik NPL

First Division South: Basford United 3 AFC Rushden and Diamonds 0; Belper Town 3 Rugby Town 0; Carlton Town 2 Newcastle Town 2; Chasetown 1 Stamford 2; Loughborough Dynamo 0 Witton Albion 4; Market Drayton Town 3 Bedworth United 2; Romulus 1 Leek Town 2; Shaw Lane AFC 5 Gresley 3; Spalding United 3 Sheffield FC 0; Stocksbridge Park Steels 0 Kidsgrove Athletic 2.

ChromaSport UCL

Premier Division: Harborough Town 2 Boston Town 0; Holbeach United 2 Eynesbury Rovers 0; Kirby Muxloe 6 Harrowby United 1; Northampton ON Chenecks 1 Yaxley 3; Northampton Sileby Rangers 0 Leicester Nirvana 0; Oadby Town 1 Newport Pagnell Town 5; Peterborough Sports 2 Desborough Town 0; Rothwell Corinthians 1 Peterborough Northern Star 1; Sleaford Town 3 Huntingdon Town 0; Wellingborough Town 2 Deeping Rangers 4; Wisbech Town 5 Cogenhoe United 0.

ChromaSport PDFL

Premier Division: AFC Stanground Sports 1 Uppingham Town 2; Deeping Rangers Res 4 Holbeach United Res 2; Leverington Sports 1 Wisbech Town Res 1; Sawtry 0 ICA Sports 4; Stilton United 1 Langtoft United 2; Thorney 2 Peterborough Sports Res 4.

President Premier Shield: Semi-final: Ketton 1 Pinchbeck United 2.

Division One: Baston 1 Warboys Town 6; Netherton United Res 0 Moulton Harrox Res 2; Peterborough Polonia 5 Wittering Harriers 1; Riverside 2 Spalding United Res 5; Sutton Bridge United 6 Stamford Belvedere 1.

PFA Challenge Cup: Crowland Town Res 4 Glinton & Northborough 2; Long Sutton Athletic 1 Oakham United Res 3; Whittlesey Athletic Res 2 Ramsey Town 0.

Division Two: AFC Stanground Sports Res 4 Ketton Res 1; Langtoft United Res 5 Leverington Sports Res 1; Stamford Lions Res 3 Netherton United A 0; Tydd St Mary 2 Spalding Town 2.

Division Three: Bretton North End 11 AFC Stanground Sports A 0; Farcet United 3 Eye United 2; Stamford Belvedere Res 2 Sawtry Res 4; Whittlesey Athletic B 6 Thorpe Wood Rangers 2.

PFA Junior Cup: FC Peterborough 4 Brotherhood Sports 2; Oundle Town Res 2 Rutland DR 0.

Division Four: AFC Stanground Sports B 4 Whittlesey Athletic C 3; Holbeach Bank 2 Feeder 6; Stamford Lions A 2 Cardea 3; Whaplode Drove 4 Huntingdon Rovers 2; Wittering Harriers Res 2 Netherton United B 0.

Division Five A: Eunice Huntingdon 2 Glinton & Northborough Res 0; Feeder Res 0 Ramsey Town Res 3.

PFA Minor Cup: British School of Sport 2 Holbeach United A 2 (pens 5-4).

Division Five B: AFC Orton 4 Riverside Res 0; Kings Cliffe Res 5 Leverington Sports A 0.