Holbeach United launched a fine comeback to beat previously unbeaten Northampton Sileby Rangers 3-1 on Saturday, while Spalding United went down 1-0 at home against Leek Town to end their unbeaten start to the league season.
Starting with the Tigers, an early Brian Farrell put Sileby ahead at Carter’s Park – a lead they held all the way up until half time.
Striker Josh Ford was brought on during the break and it took him less than two minutes to lash home a leveller for Tom Roberts’ charges.
A mass brawl then erupted, with the away side seeing two players sent off. That gave Holbeach the lift they needed and goals from Aaron Eyett (83) and Spencer Tinkler (87) clinched a fine three points.
The home success leaves the Tigers fifth in the table ahead of Tuesday night’s trip to leaders Peterborough Sports, who won by a whopping 12-2 margin at Kirby Muxloe.
Over at the Sir Halley, Spalding lost both their unbeaten record and top spot thanks to Toby Mullarkey’s 30th-minute header.
In a game that was lacking spark, Leek were the better side in the first half and were only denied by the heroics of Michael Duggan, who made three super stops to deny dangerman Tim Grice.
New signings Conor Higginson and Danny Durkin both started – and it was the latter who had Spalding’s best chance to level, only for his strike to be superbly blocked by Darren Chadwick.
Leek skipper Niall MaGuire was sent off in injury time following a scuffle, but Spalding couldn’t pinch a late leveller.
Shaw Lane Aquaforce are the new leaders, but Spalding are only one point behind them with a game in hand.
Down in the ChromaSport PDFL, it was good day for three of the four South Holland sides in the Premier Division.
An Ollie Maltby treble fired in-form Pinchbeck United to a 6-0 home success over Wisbech Town Reserves, with Liam Ogden and Tom Panton also on-target at Knight Street.
Ian Dunn’s side are now sixth, eight points off top spot with two games in hand.
Moulton Harrox, meanwhile, bounced back from last weekend’s loss to Pinchbeck by winning a thriller at Stanground Sports 4-3. They stay second, a point off top spot.
Also winners were Crowland Town, who climbed up to 12th with a 4-2 victory over Stilton United at Snowden Field.
But Holbeach United Reserves were tonked 6-1 at Peterborough Sports Reserves.
In Division One, Moulton Harrox Reserves made it nine wins fron nine by seeing off Oakham Reserves 5-1 at Broad Lane.
Long Sutton Athletic also earned a fine 3-1 win at Glinton and Northborough to go eighth, but Spalding United Reserves remain bottom and winless after a 7-0 beating at Warboys.
RESULTS
Evo-Stik NPL
First Division South: AFC Rushden and Diamonds 2 Sheffield FC 1; Basford United 1 Romulus 0; Bedworth United 0 Witton Albion 4; Carlton Town 0 Kidsgrove Athletic 2; Loughborough Dynamo 0 Shaw Lane AFC 3; Market Drayton Town 1 Belper Town 0; Newcastle Town 3 Gresley 0; Northwich Victoria 2 Chasetown 3; Spalding United 0 Leek Town 1; Stocksbridge Park Steels 0 Rugby Town 0.
Emirates FA Cup (selected): Stamford 1 Wrexham 1; Lincoln United 0 Spennymoor Town 3.
ChromaSport UCL
Premier Division: Boston Town 2 Leicester Nirvana 2; Cogenhoe United 0 Deeping Rangers 2; Eynesbury Rovers 2 Sleaford Town 1; Harborough Town 1 Newport Pagnell Town 1; Harrowby United 1 Rothwell Corinthians 3; Holbeach United 3 Northampton Sileby Rangers 1; Huntingdon Town 1 Wellingborough Town 0; Kirby Muxloe 2 Peterborough Sports 12; Oadby Town 1 Yaxley 3; Peterborough Northern Star 0 Northampton ON Chenecks 2; Wisbech Town 2 Desborough Town 4.
ChromaSport PDFL
Premier Division: AFC Stanground Sports 3 Moulton Harrox 4; Crowland Town 4 Stilton United 2; Leverington Sports 1 Langtoft United 2; Peterborough Sports Res 6 Holbeach United Res 1; Pinchbeck United 6 Wisbech Town Res 0; Thorney 0 Netherton United 4; Uppingham Town 0 Peterborough ICA Sports 6.
Division One: Glinton & Northborough 1 Long Sutton Athletic 3; Moulton Harrox Res 5 Oakham United Res 1; Riverside 3 Oundle Town 3; Warboys Town 7 Spalding United Res 0; Whittlesey Athletic Res 1 Peterborough Polonia 0; Wittering Harriers 8 Kings Cliffe 2.
Division Two: AFC Stanground Sports Res 2 Tydd St Mary 2; Langtoft United Res 1 Crowland Town Res 3; Parkway Eagles 4 Stamford Lions Res 2; Peterborough ICA Sports Res 3 Leverington Sports Res 0; Ramsey Town 5 Netherton United A 0; Spalding Town 2 Whittlesey Athletic A 2.
Division Three: Oundle Town Res 3 Stamford Belvedere Res 4; Rutland DR 2 Whittlesey Athletic B 3; Sawtry Res 1 FC Peterborough 4; Thorpe Wood Rangers 0 Farcet United 4.
Division Four: FC Peterborough Res 1 Holbeach Bank 3; Long Sutton Athletic Res 4 Huntingdon Rovers 4; Tydd St Mary Res 10 Wittering Harriers Res 1; Whaplode Drove 1 AFC Stanground Sports B 3; Whittlesey Athletic C 0 Feeder 3.
Division Five: Feeder Reserves 8 Riverside Re 0; Holbeach United A 2 Glinton & Northborough Res 0; Kings Cliffe Res 5 Leverington Sports A 2; Parson Drove 2 AFC Orton 0; Wisbech Town Acorns 0 British School of Sport 5.
