The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Both Spalding United and Holbeach United earned important wins on the final Saturday of football action before Christmas.
The Tulips made it nine Evo-Stik League First Division South wins from ten games as they edged out Loughborough Dynamo 2-1 at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field, while Holbeach United moved up to second in the UCL Premier Division with a 3-0 victory at Cogenhoe United.
Starting at the Sir Halley, Mitch Griffith’s 78th minute winner helped Pat Rayment’s in-form side close the gap on leaders Sutton Coldfield to just 12 points – with Spalding having FIVE games in hand.
After a goalless first period, Jack McGovern’s close-range opener (46) was immediately cancelled out by Matt Langham’s clinical finish two minutes later.
That’s how it stayed until 12 minutes from time when Griffiths collected a clever Jordan Hempenstall pass and rounded the keeper before coolly firing home the winner.
Down a level to the ChromaSport UCL Premier Division, Lee Beeson’s brace steered Holbeach to one of their best results of a fine season so far.
Winger Beeson played a part in all three goals, with his corner turned into the Cogenhoe net for an opener early in the second period.
He then scored a super solo strike to make it 2-0, before a late penalty completed a good day at the office for John Chand and Graham Drury’s side.
And, with leaders AFC Rushden and Diamonds beaten 2-1 at Thurnby Nirvana, the Tigers are only eight points off top spot having played three games less.
In the ChromaSport Peterborough Premier Division, Moulton Harrox picked up a 4-2 home win over Uppingham Town, while Holbeach Reserves went down 2-1 at home to Coates Athletic.
There was a very welcome win for Crowland Town, though, as they saw off Peterborough Sports Reserves 3-2 at Snowden Field.
More football online at www.spaldingvoice.co.uk throughout the week.
SATURDAY’S RESULTS (December 20)
Evo-Stik League: First Division South: Brigg Town 0 Mickleover Sports 5; Chasetown 1 Sutton Coldfield Town 1; Goole AFC 1 Coalville Town 2; Kidsgrove Athletic 0 Norton United 2; Lincoln United 2 Sheffield FC 1; Rainworth Miners Welfare 1 Stocksbridge Park Steels 2; Romulus 2 Newcastle Town 2; Spalding United 2 Loughborough Dynamo 1; Stafford Rangers 4 Market Drayton Town 1; Tividale 1 Gresley FC 3.
ChromaSport United Counties League: Premier Division: Boston Town 1 AFC Kempston Rovers 2; Cogenhoe United 0 Holbeach United 3; Deeping Rangers 4 Desborough Town 0; Eynesbury Rovers 6 Northampton Sileby Rangers 0; Long Buckby AFC 1 Newport Pagnell 4; Oadby Town 4 Harborough Town 2; Peterborough Northern Star 3 Harrowby United 2; Thurnby Nirvana 2 AFC Rushden & Diamonds 1; Wellingborough Town 3 Sleaford Town 5; Wisbech Town 2 Huntingdon Town 1.
ChromaSport Peterborough League: Premier Division: Crowland Town 3 Peterborough Sports Res 2; Holbeach United Res 1 Coates Athletic 2; Leverington Sports 1 Deeping Rangers Reserves 2; Moulton Harrox 4 Uppingham Town 2; Oakham United 0 Stilton United 0; Riverside Football Club 2 Peterborough ICA Sports 8.
Division One: Coates Athletic Res 3 Ryhall United 1; Langtoft United Res 3 Oundle Town 5; Long Sutton Athletic 3 AFC Stanground 4; Netherton United Res 6 Moulton Harrox Res 1; Peterborough ICA Sports Res 2 Kings Cliffe 2; Sutton Bridge United 3 Baston 5; Whittlesey Blue Star 0 Wisbech Town Res 3.
Division Two: Coates Athletic A 2 Spalding United Res 6; Netherton United A 0 Leverington Sports Res 2; Parkside 1 Thorney Res 1; Parkway Eagles 2 Crowland Town Res 1; Pinchbeck United Res 2 Sawtry Res 2; Stamford Belvedere 1 Peterborough ICA Sports A 3; Wittering 1 Oakham United Res 3.
Division Three: Baston Reserves 2 Ryhall United Res 3; Farcet United 2 Hampton Sport 2; Ramsey Town 3 Peterborough Sports A 3; Stilton United Reserves 2 Riverside Res 0; Tydd St Mary 1 Spalding Town 1; Uppingham Town Reserves 2 Coates Athletic B 5.
Division Four: Eye United 6 Leverington Sports A 1; Holbeach Bank FC 1 Bretton North End 8; Oundle Town Res 2 Stanground Sports 1; Peterborough ICA Sports B 3 Rutland DR 5; Thorpe Wood Rangers 10 Long Sutton Athletic Res 0; Warboys Town Reserves 2 Stamford Belvedere Res 1.
Division Five: AFC Stanground Reserves 5 Holbeach United A 0; Coates Athletic C 0 Whaplode Drove 7; FC Peterborough 2 Tydd St Mary Res 2; Netherton United B 5 Parkside Res 2; Parkside A 1 Parkway Eagles Res 2; Ryhall United A 2 Sawtry A 2.
