Knights sunk after avoiding washout

Bad weather left Spalding United and Holbeach United kicking their heels but Pinchbeck United will have been wishing their games had also been called off after suffering two defeats.

On Saturday the Knights fell to a 2-0 Thurlow Nunn League Division One North reversal at high-flying Framlingham Town and then crashed out of the Lincolnshire County FA Senior Trophy on Tuesday, going down 5-0 at home to Bourne Town.
In Suffolk there was a debut for goalkeeper Toby Arkle, on loan from King’s Lynn Town Academy, with defender Dan Abayomi returning after a spell away.
Josh Lucraft put the hosts 1-0 up from the spot just before half-time.
Flynn Slater missed a golden chance to score for the visitors and, although the Knights created plenty of chances after the break, they could not find the net. The Castlemen wrapped up the points in the last minute when substitute Kian Wilson grabbed their second goal.
Squad rotation saw only five players keep their starting berths from three days earlier for the visit of Bourne to the Sir Halley Field.
Two good saves from Ben Martin on his return between the posts kept things level before Will Bird put the United Counties League title chasers ahead five minutes before the break.
Slater put a chance wide early in the second half, with Martin again on top form to keep the visitors out.
However, Bird doubled his tally on the hour-mark and it was game over four minutes later when Zac Allen found the net.
Salt was rubbed in home wounds in the closing stages with a further brace of goals from substitute James Hill-Seekings.
Hopes of a late consolation were dashed by the referee when Slater was felled on the edge of the penalty area but, with Knights players appealing for a penalty, he awarded a free-kick just outside the box, which went to waste as Bourne went through to a semi-final home meeting with Blackstones.
Knights v Framlingham: Arkle, Kacirek, Balding, Stevens (Ward), Brooks, Abayomi, Howlett, Panton (Melson), Slater, Cullen, Gagyi.
Attendance: 65
Knights v Bourne: Martin, Jaine, Balding, Melson, Brooks, Cranfield (Abayomi), Howlett, Stevens, Slater, Cullen, Ward. Subs: Gagyi, Kacirek, Panton, Kiss.
Attendance: 125.
l It was a bad day for Spalding United. Not only was their scheduled home match against Stourbridge postponed because of a waterlogged pitch but they dropped into the relegation places in the Southern League’s Premier Central Division. Three of the teams below them all won, leaving the Tulips in the bottom four, having also played a game more than their closest rivals.
l Holbeach United were left fixtureless too after their Thurlow Nunn League Division One North match at Harwich & Parkeston fell foul of the wet weather.

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