Saturday football: Late Mettam double fires Tulips to win, Tigers smash seven and Pinchbeck held

A last-gasp Leon Mettam penalty gave Spalding United a surprise 2-1 win over Belper Town on Saturday, while Holbeach United romped to a 7-0 victory at Wellingborough Whitworth and Pinchbeck United drew 2-2 at Wellingborough Town.

Starting with Spalding, two goals in the final seven minutes from Mettam gave them an unlikely Evo-Stik NPL East Division win at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field.

It looked like high-flying Belper would take the points for a long period when Nathan Curtis headed home an early corner.

But Mettam’s stunning overhead kick levelled for the Tulips on 83 minutes, setting the stage for the substitute to bury an injury-time penalty after Kegan Everington had been brought down.

The welcome win sends Matt Easton’s side up to 15^th place in the table.

In the Future Lions UCL Premier Division, Holbeach ran riot against basement side Whitworth.

James Tricks opened the scoring early on, before Josh Ford netted number two with a finish from inside the penalty box.

Billy Smith then made it three just before the break, with Will Bird netting number four early in the second period. Tricks hit a second to take the score to five, before Jack Smith and Ford rounded off the rout.

The Tigers remain third after the victory – and are just three points off second-placed Rugby Town.

Two points back in fifth are Pinchbeck United, who were held to a 2-2 draw by hosts Wellingborough.

Lloyd Buckby gave the hosts the lead with a close-range effort at the Dog and Duck, but Pinchbeck were back level before half-time thanks to an own goal from Lee Beeson’s cross.

The Knights then went ahead when a low Tyler Wright finish found the corner from the edge of the box, but Justin Dowling’s strike restored parity once more.

Meanwhile, Moulton Harrox are four points clear at the top of the ChromaSport PDFL Premier Division after winning 4-0 at Peterborough Sports Development.

Long Sutton Athletic also beat Oakham United 3-2 and Tydd walloped basement side Peterborough Polonia 6-1.

But Holbeach Reserves lost 3-1 at home to Whittlesey Athletic and Sutton Bridge United went down 5-2 at home to Stamford Lions.

More football in Thursday’s Spalding Voice.

RESULTS

Evo-Stik NPL

East Division: Carlton Town 2 Marske United 2; Frickley Athletic 3 Loughborough Dynamo 2; Gresley 0 Pontefract Collieries 4; Lincoln United 0 Tadcaster Albion 2; Morpeth Town 2 Cleethorpes Town 4; Ossett United 3 Stocksbridge Park Steels 0; Sheffield FC 1 Brighouse Town 2; Spalding United 2 Belper Town 1; Stamford 2 AFC Mansfield 0.

Future Lions UCL

Premier Division: Eynesbury Rovers 1 Cogenhoe United 1; Harborough Town 0 Daventry Town 1; Leicester Nirvana 5 Oadby Town 2; Peterborough Northern Star 3 Boston Town 2; Rothwell Corinthians 2 Northampton ON Chenecks 2; Rugby Town 1 Deeping Rangers 1; Sleaford Town 1 Desborough Town 5; Wellingborough Town 2 Pinchbeck United 2; Wellingborough Whitworth 0 Holbeach United 7.

ChromaSport PDFL

Premier Division: Holbeach United Res 1 Whittlesey Athletic 3; ICA Sports 0 Leverington Sports 0; Langtoft United 3 Ketton 6; Long Sutton Athletic 3 Oakham United 2; Netherton United 2 Thorney 1; Peterborough Sports Development 0 Moulton Harrox 4; Sutton Bridge United 2 Stamford Lions 5; Tydd 6 Peterborough Polonia 1.

Division One: Crowland Town 6 Whittlesey Athletic Res 0; Eye United 2 Stamford Belvedere 2; FC Peterborough 1 Oundle Town 4; Kings Cliffe 1 Bretton North End 4; Moulton Harrox Res 0 Uppingham Town 3; Spalding Town 1 Wittering Harriers 3.

Division Two: Feeder 1 Warboys Town 2; Netherton United Res 3 Cardea 3; Stamford Lions Res 2 Rippingale & Folkingham 3; Stilton United 4 Langtoft United Res 1.

Division Three: Holbeach Bank 0 Peterborough NECI 8; Leverington Sports Res 3 Thorpe Wood Rangers 3; Oundle Town Res 3 Farcet United 2; Stamford Belvedere Res 4 Long Sutton Athletic Res 2; Uppingham Town Res 2 Huntingdon Town Res 2; Whittlesey Athletic A 6 FC Peterborough Res 0.

Division Four: FC Parson Drove Res 3 Hampton 3; Ramsey Town 5 Netherton United A 2; Wittering Harriers Res 7 Kings Cliffe Res 1.

Division Five: Eunice Huntingdon Res 0 Cardea Res 6; Gunthorpe Harriers 2 Peterborough City 1; Hampton Res 2 Thurlby Tigers 6; Stanground Sports 0 Casterton 6.