Stamford win derby with a goal in the 18th second, international call-up for Spalding player, six in a row for Smith as Peterborough North End jump six places, hat-trick for a Bourne Town star playing below his usual standard

Duffy’s first-time shot took a wicked bobble to beat the impressive Michael Duggan in the Spalding United goal and it turned out to be the only goal of the game, even though both teams had chances.

Indeed Stamford ‘keeper Dan Haystead had to save well to thwart Ben Seymour-Shove and Gregg Smith in the final stages, while skipper Sean Wright cleared another effort off the line.

Duggan also made good saves to deny Jonathan Margetts in front of a bumper crowd of 669 at the Zeeco Stadium.

Spalding were without talented forward Ben Starkie who was called up for the full Tanzania international squad and top scorer Jordan Macleod who dropped down a couple of levels to score a hat-trick for Bourne in a United Counties Division One game.

Stamford remain fourth and six points behind top two Ilkeston and Halesowen, but they have closed the gap on third-placed Chasetown to three points.

Next-to-bottom Wisbech twice led Cambridge City through Sam Bennett goals, but they went down 3-2. The Fenmen had Nathan Kelly sent off late on.

Inconsistent Yaxley lost 3-1 at home to Loughborough Dynamo.

Peterborough North End jumped up five places to sixth after a 3-1 home win over the University of East Anglia. Nathan Smith scored twice to make it six scoring appearances in a row (seven goals) for the city side and Joe Graham also netted.

Whittlesey Athletic’s play-off challenge has faltered in recent weeks and they were held to a 0-0 draw at Huntingdon on Friday night. Whittlesey are level on points with Norwich CBS who sit in the last play-off place with a game in hand a better goal difference.

Macleod’s treble helped Bourne to beat lowly Graham St Prims 4-2 at the Abbey Lawns, but there were UCL defeats for Deeping Rangers, Holbeach, Pinchbeck and BLackstones. Deeping crashed 6-0 at third placed Anstey Nomads.

RESULTS

Friday March 18

Thurlow Nunn Division One: Huntingdon 0, Whittlesey 0.

Saturday, March 19

Northern Premier Midlands Division: Stamford 1 (Duffy), Spalding 0; Wisbech 2 (Bennett 2), Cambridge City 3; Yaxley 1, Loughborough Dynamo 3.

United Counties Premier Division: Anstey Nomads 6, Deeping Rangers 0; Heather St Johns 3, Holbeach 0, Pinchbeck 1, Heanor 2.

United Counties Division One: Bourne 4 (Macleod 3, Ven Der Drift), Graham SP 2; Hucknall 4, Blackstones 1.

Thurlow Nunn Premier Division: March 0, Wroxham 3.

Thurlow Nunn Division One: Debenham LC 0, FC Parson Drove 0; Peterborough North End 3 (Smith 2, Graham), UEA 1.