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.
