Spalding’s Christmas Lights Switch On took place on Sunday, organised by Jan Whitbourn on behalf of the Spalding and District Chamber of Commerce.

Thanks to Spalding and East Elloe Classic Car Club, Boston Classic Car Club and other local enthusiasts who brought their treasured vehicles into Sheep Market; it was wonderful to see so many cars on the street at a time when most are safely tucked up in their winter quarters.

Younger members of the community were able to have their faces painted, while the adults were able to start their Christmas shopping early in the local shops and on the special Christmas market, all while enjoying the entertainment on offer.

As ever the pet show was very well supported and with two classes – Best Dressed and Behaved and Best Trick – spectators were treated to superb displays of obedient dogs.

The main stage in Hall Place saw Tulip Radio compering and broadcasting throughout the day, with entertainment from a variety of performers.

Many local schools took part in the ever popular School Choirs Competition, won by St John’s School, Spalding.

The finale saw Spalding Marching Ambassadors announce the arrival of Santa, who joined MP John Hayes and Spalding Flower Queen Inca Honnor to switch on Spalding’s new bigger and brighter lights, with singing from Major Dennis Hannant. The day was rounded off by carols and prayers.

All in all Sunday was a day packed with an eclectic mix of entertainers all culminating in a spectacular visual finish with lights being illuminated and fireworks to finish. Thanks to all who attended.

If you see cows walking along the edge of a dyke look closely and you may see yellow wagtails following them.

The bird – down in numbers by 71 per cent since 1970 – is particularly interested in the insects that live in cow poo.

The reasons the yellow wagtail is in decline are varied, but modern farming methods have not helped.

They are not alone: the tree sparrow, corn bunting, grey partridge, turtle dove and many other once commonly seen farmland birds are all in decline.

However, some farmers are trying to halt that trend, such as Andrew and Judith Jacobs, who farm land between Crowland and Deeping St James.

Andrew and Judith run Moor Farm, a mixed farm, with cattle and sheep as well as wheat, sugar beet, barley, oil seed rape and mustard crops.

They are part of the RSPB’s Thorney Farmland Bird Friendly Zone, which is essentially giving nature a home.

“People used to have birds all over their cut wheat and when I was a boy grain stores used to be filled with sparrows,” says Andrew. “Now, through hygiene, we are required to shut birds out of sheds that have crops in.”

The RSPB’s Jane Andrews-Gauvain says: “Barn owls used to roost in grain sheds and that’s another bird made homeless. Mixed farming is better because that still has open shed for barn owls.”

In fact, barn owls are in good health on Andrew and Judith’s farm, as are tawny, little and short eared owls, as a result of steps that have been taken to create habitats for them.

Currently, about ten per cent of the land is used for wildlife conservation as opposed to farming. There are pollen and nectar areas providing wild bird food; grass margins and field corners left for insects; hedgerows have been planted around the farm; and owl boxes put up.

Andrew and Judith’s is one of 17 farms in the Thorney Farmland Bird Friendly Zone and Jane Andrews-Gauvain explains: “It’s really important to have the farms connected and we are looking to connect up habitats where we can.

“If there is a population that is isolated and there is a lack of food, they can’t move out of that area so it is essential to have these corridors to move them to an area which might be more beneficial. Birds can move more than other animals, but even so because of a national lack of hedgerows there was a noticeable number of species starting to drop.”

There are financial benefits to setting aside land for conservation, and Andrew admits that was the motive when he began ten years ago. However, now he says: “I get paid to put these things in. I am not going to claim I did them voluntarily. But, having gone into it, I am now involved a bit more ethically.”

Deeping St Nicholas residents – particularly older ones such as Doreen Hare and her 92-year-old sister Doris – have to rely on a butcher and a milkman making deliveries in the village now there is no shop.

Otherwise, it’s a five-mile journey for shopping... although there is a lifeline available at Vine House Farm shop for those who want essentials.

The farm, famous for its acres of beautiful sunflowers grown for organic bird feed, is run by Nicholas Watts, who is also parish council chairman.

Nicholas says: “What concerns us here in Deeping St Nicholas is the proposed rail hub. We don’t want a big industrial development in this village and if we do get it Spalding will suffer as well as nearly everything that arrives at the hub will go to Warden Tree Lane.

“If they decide to build more development at the rail hub that will make even more traffic on the Spalding bypass because there will be a lot of to-ing and fro-ing between Warden Tree Lane and the rail hub.

“The western relief road is not due to be completed until 2030 and in the meantime there will be 6,000 houses built in Spalding so we can expect the traffic to get worse around Spalding.”

At six miles long, Deeping St Nicholas makes claim to being the longest village in the county – and possibly in the UK.

Mysteriously, it contains a small hamlet within it, Hop Pole, and a relatively “modern” church, the beautiful St Nicholas Church, built in 1867, where the Rev Peter Garland is minister.

As with many villages, Deeping St Nicholas also contains a small band of dedicated residents who go the extra mile to improve life for everyone.

One of them is Sue Titcombe who, together with Sue Steele, acts as churchwarden. Sue Steele’s husband David is deputy churchwarden and Robert Vann is treasurer.

Sue Titcombe says it’s a pretty active church, although she says: “We are struggling because we have had to spend a lot of money getting the church up to scratch.”

Part of the motivation for all the work to the building is to make it a warm and comfortable community space that any group can use.

Sue says: “Having lost all six pubs – the last of them, The Plough, closed 18 months ago – and the Jubilee Hall at Hop Pole closed last November, we feel we are being left behind a bit actually.

“The pub had a Thursday over 60s luncheon and we could do that here if we got our heating up to scratch. There are all sorts of things we could do, such as Citizens’ Advice drop in centre, get the children back in once a week. If the church isn’t used for that sort of activity during the day it will not survive for the occasions when people want to use it, for weddings, baptisms and funerals. We have to use it as a community building.”

They may have temporarily lost their village over-60s lunch venue, but the older people of the village have been looked after for the past 35 to 40 years by an informal committee calling itself the Plough Inn Old People’s Club.

The committee of four organises fortnightly whist drives in church to raise money towards food parcels that are delivered each year.

Around 145 parcels will be distributed this year, among them one to 86-year-old Doreen Hare, who has lived in the village all her life.

Doreen, of Chappell Road, says: “We have nothing in the village now. Once we had two shops and six pubs but we have nothing now.” Doreen, chairman of the Ladies’ Guild, keeps fit with regular walks with a group of friends.

The women of Deeping St Nicholas might choose to support the village’s Royal British Legion Women’s Section at its monthly meetings, the Ladies’ Guild, or the WI.

WI press officer Angela White says the 18 members recently commemorated a big event – the 65th anniversary of the founding of the group.

It was celebrated with a party at the chapel, at which the Spalding Ukulele Orchestra entertained and guests enjoyed nibbles and cakes.

Otherwise, members get involved in things such as farm visits, craft evenings and talks from visiting speakers.

However, both men and women may be interested in taking part in workshops organised by mosaic artist Fiona Gurney, of Box of Frogs Mosaics.

Fiona is well-known to many people throughout South Holland as a result of the Olympic torch relay community mosaics she has been involved in.

About a thousand people in Whaplode, Moulton, Holbeach, Long Sutton and Spalding took part in public workshops to create lasting art work following the Olympics.

Fiona has other projects on the go now, such as working with Ayscoughfee School pupils to create a First World War centenary piece that will be taken to Lincoln Cathedral for the official commemorative event.

Otherwise, Fiona runs workshops both at Unique Cottage Studio in Spalding and at her own studio in Deeping St Nicholas.

Find out more at www.boxoffrogsmosaics.co.uk

Energy giant EDF is now seeking formal Government consent to build a gas-fired power station power station at Sutton Bridge.

Plans for Sutton Bridge B – which will go next to the existing power station – were first drawn up in 2005, but the design has been updated.

A public exhibition was held in the village two months ago.

EDF’s power origination and asset development manager, Jeremy Bush, said: “It was good to have the opportunity to meet with the local community around Sutton Bridge in September and provide further information on the proposed project.

“The UK needs massive investment in new power generation to keep the lights on in the coming years. Efficient gas-fired stations can play a role in meeting that need as part of a diverse mix of energy sources, including nuclear and renewables.”

The company is aiming to secure all the necessary consents before making an “investment decision” to build the plant.

Scores of schools, businesses and voluntary groups were busy piling up the pounds for Pudsey on Friday.

Sir John Gleed School in Spalding hosted a huge talent show – Gleed’s Got Talent – and the grand total raised so far is £1,200 and rising.

Just like Britain’s Got Talent, there was a boot camp and the eagle-eyed judges the youngsters had to impress were Frederica Clarke, Christine Ringrose, Daisy Ivatt and headteacher Will Scott.

All pupils at William Stukeley School, Holbeach, had a chance to ditch their uniforms and become super heroes for a day and that meant everyone from Bob the Builder to Batman was in class.

Spalding Rock Club reunited for a night time gig at the town’s grammar school and, on Saturday, the team from Spalding Renaissance hair salon got on board with some glorious dressing up for their Geek Day.

Spalding’s U15 team put on their best performance of the season to beat their Melbourne counterparts 14-12 in this much-anticipated, and at times controversial, NLD group match.

After an even start, two Spalding players were harshly sin-binned for separate incidents and Melbourne scored in the corner and followed up with a fine conversion.

More misfortune hit Spalding when another player was controversially sin-binned and they were down to 12 men, but they hung on to only be 7-0 down at the break.

Spalding were truly up against it when Melbourne scored another try, missing the conversion, but they were soon back to 15 men and the game turned.

A fine move saw Jupp cross the line. He was in the act of trying to get closer to the posts when he was deliberately tripped by a Melbourne player. The referee awarded a penalty try, Johnson provided the conversion and Spalding were back in the game.

After a series of penalty offences, Melbourne were then reduced to 14 playersand this told when Hendy was high-tackled and the referee gave another penalty try.

Johnson added the conversion and Spalding were deservedly in the lead with only seconds of the game left.

After this fantastic battling performance, the Spalding lads must now win the final group game against Ilkeston to ensure passage to the semi-final.

Spalding: James Sharpe, Fraser Leiper, Elliot Kulliside, Luke Jones, William Fletcher, Corey Lewis, Harry Wilkinson-Roberts, Tom Birdseye, James Thomas, Oliver Johnson, Jack Whadcock, JJ Faulkner, Mark Hendy, William Jupp, Adam Castle, Andrew Eggleton, Alex Worth, Chris Emery, John McManus, Jordon Lakey.

Jason Green (O56) hit a tremendous 95 break in his 130 total as division one leaders Pyramid B disposed of Holbeach D in round two of the Knockout Cup.

Alfonso Palumbo (O42) recorded a 27 break and Spencer Dawkins (O49) a 23 as Pyramid went through 4-1.

But when the Holbeach B team met the Pyramid A outfit it was different, with the third division side pulling off a shock result to beat their division one opponents.

Holbeach top their division with nine wins out of ten this season and got off to the best possible start when Phil Coaten (O7) eased past Victor Rouse (R14) of mid-table Pyramid.

Dean Cole (O7) levelled things for the visitors but further wins for Reg Walmsley (O7) and Cameron Haynes (R7) sealed a memorable win.

Bourne Snooker Club B, also riding high in division three, sprung another shock when they knocked out second division Consti I 3-2.

Crowland A may be struggling in division two this season, but they put that form behind them when they beat division one side Holbeach A in a real thriller.

Jem Merrison (O35) gave Holbeach the lead, only for Gez McCormick (R7) and Paul Cook (scr) to put the underdogs back in front.

A black ball finish by Mark Hubbard (O14) made it 2-2 before Danny Rose (R14) won the final frame to claim victory for Holbeach.

In the battle of the division three strugglers, Consti C’s passage through against Pyramid E was a lot harder than the 4-1 scoreline suggests.

Three of Consti’s winning frames were decided on the black ball, with Pat Bowman (R21), Chris English (R14) and John Batterham (R14) being the victors.

Barry Malthouse (scr) recorded a 32 break as second division Boundary A beat third division Donington D.

Pyramid B go top of division one after a 5-1 victory over Long Sutton B, Jason Green hitting breaks of 32 and 28.

In division two, leaders Consti F didn’t play, allowing Services C to go level on points after beating Whittlesey B 4-2.

There was a black ball re-spot in the opening frame as Services’ Jordan Philpott (R14) edged past Kay Skutela (R21) and Nigel Cherry (O7) won the deciding frame with a terrific 32 break.

Pyramid C keep in touching distance of the leaders after beating Crowland A 4-2, Matt Allen (O42) getting a 54 break.

Leaders Holbeach B didn’t play in division three, but second place Bourne SC B failed to close the gap by losing 5-1 to Donington B, Tony Scully (scr) recording a 24 break during his frame two win.

If an artist improves only by putting brush to canvas on a regular basis then Moulton painter Mo Teeuw should be at her peak.

In September, Mo rose to an international online challenge to produce a piece of work every day and show it to other artists on the Internet.

About 400 artists initially took up the challenge, but about half fell by the wayside as ordinary life – or perhaps lack of inspiration – cooled their enthusiasm.

However, Mo, who has a studio at her home in High Street, persevered, painting a picture every day for 30 days.

“It motivates you, makes you go into the studio every day, and the only way an artist is going to improve is by painting on a regular basis,” said Mo.

Most of that work will be on display to the public when Mo holds her Open Studio and Christmas Sale next Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 29 and 30 and December 1 (11am to 4pm each day) – complete with mulled wine and mince pies.

Mo, who paints in both oil and watercolours, will also be selling Christmas cards taken from six scenes she painted during that month and the proceeds of those will go to the Birthmark Support Group.

Also on sale will be unframed pieces, ex-gallery work and probably art that has come out of an impromptu artists’ group that arranged to meet up to paint together in Norfolk.

Mo says: “That was as a result of someone on Facebook throwing out an invitation to anyone who wanted to meet up in Norfolk. On average there are ten people I have never met before and we paint and then go for lunch.”

When not working in the UK, Mo leads her own painting trips to France, and plans for next year include expeditions to both Morocco and Greece.

Also opening her studio to the public next weekend is artist Louise Stebbing, of Skylark Studios at Tydd Gote.

Louise, who has been printmaking for over 30 years, will be demonstrating lino cutting and etching on Saturday and Sunday, November 30 and December 1 (11am to 4pm both days).

People will also be able to see lots of Louise’s work, particularly local landscapes, and find out about her workshops. She has permanent drawing and painting classes in term time as well as occasional printmaking workshops – one is planned for the New Year.

• Skylark Studios, Hannath Road, Tydd Gote PE13 5ND, open November 30 and December 1 (11am-4pm).

• Mo Teeuw, 20 High Street, Moulton, open November 29 and 30 and December 1 (11-4pm).

There is a chance for visitors to watch the entire stained glass-making process in action next weekend.

Gillian Wing, whose Strawberry Glass studio is at Unique Cottage Studios in Spalding, is opening her studio on Saturday and Sunday (10am to 4pm).

A beginner is having a go all weekend, so it’s an ideal opportunity to watch the fascinating process.

Gillian said: “She will be exploring lead work. It’s what you would use when making a stained glass window using lead cane to make a framework to fit around the pieces of glass you have cut to your design. The glass comes in sheets and is already coloured.

“Then you solder the lead, putty it to make it waterproof and polish it – then the student will have a piece to take home.”

Textile artist Angela Daymond is opening her studio on Friday and artist Carolyn Goodwin opens on Friday and Saturday, both at Unique Cottage Studios, Spalding.

Eleven members of South Lincs Competitive Swimming Club collected an impressive haul of 38 medals between them at the Major Oak Open Meet (level 3) in Mansfield.

Swimmers Samantha and Matthew Millington, and Amelia Fovargue, enjoying their first competition here.

Head coach Callum Lawson, who was supported by Michelle Elliott and Nicky Mitchell, said: “There were great swims, lots of skill and plenty of speed.”

Medal table: Girls 10 years: Amelia Fovargue bronze in 50 freestyle, 50 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke.

Girls 11 years: Emily McCann gold in 50 freestyle, 200 IM, silver in 50 breaststroke, 100 breaststroke.

Boys 12 years: Luke Blanchard silver in 50 backstroke, bronze in 50 butterfly.

Girls 13 years: Alice Gowling gold 200 butterfly, bronze 50 freestyle, 50 backstroke.

Boys 13 years: Matthew Gray gold 200 backstroke and 100 backstroke, silver in 200 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 100 breaststroke, bronze in 200IM.

Girls 14 years: Eleanor Templer gold in 400 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 200IM, 100 backstroke; Gemma Baker silver in 200 backstroke, bronze in 50 breastroke, 200 freestyle.

Boys 14 years: Luke Elliott gold in 100 IM, 200 fly, 100 fly, 200 freestyle, 100 backstroke.

Boys 15 years: Tom Mitchell gold 200 backstroke, 100 backstroke, silver 50 backstroke, bronze 400 freestyle, 200IM.

n The club recently hosted four galas at Spalding pool. Covering 19 events, swimmers from all squads competed fiercely with some senior swimmers achieving their Midland Short Course qualifying times.

Thanks to all volunteers and helpers that made these competitions so successful.

Round seven of 15 in the Bourne Town Harriers Junior Winter Series took place on Sunday at the Lincs League Cross Country event at Riseholme, with eight athletes competing.

For the boys, Inigo Gillick and Matthew Colman ran in the under 11 race, both dealing well with the terrain to finish third and fifth respectively.

Daniel Lawrance ran next as an under 13 and sprinted up the finishing straight for 11th place.

The final race for the boys was the under 15s in which Cameron Everist and Scott Taylor ran. Both boys did superbly, Cameron coping well with a tight finish to win. Scott was only seconds behind in fourth.

Cameron now moves up to lead the Harriers boys series, having overtaken his brother Toby, who was unavailable to run, and Daniel Lawrance remains third.

For the girls, Elin James was first off in the under 13s and maintained the good speed she has shown all series to finish fifth and see her remain second in the Harriers series.

Molly Bennet in the under 15s gave a determined run to move up to third in the series.

Last to go was Beth Howells, who competed in the under 17 race, and whose sixth place allows her to continue to lead the girls junior Harriers series nearing the half way point.

Although not included in the Harriers Senior Winter Series, Mick Howells represented the club in the senior men’s race, while Claire Steels maintained her sequence of good results by finishing second in the women’s race.

Deeping Rangers beat Sleaford Town for the fourth time this season on Tuesday evening, 2-0 in the quarter final of the Lincolnshire Senior Trophy.

Ondre Odain gave Rangers a 20th minute advantage but the outcome remained in the balance until David Burton-Jones added a second two minutes from the end.

Second-place Rangers travel to sixth-place Wellingborough in the UCL Premier Division this Saturday.

The RSPCA is calling on South Holland residents to contact MEPs urging them to add their signatures of support for clearer labelling so shoppers know how their meat was killed.

A Written Declaration (WD) has been tabled in the European Parliament calling for compulsory method of slaughter labelling on meat and poultry products where the animals have not been pre-stunned.

If method of slaughter labelling becomes a requirement within the EU, it will provide consumers with clearer information about how animals are treated at the end of their life.

South Holland has several abattoirs in the district supplying meat to butchers and supermarkets.

A spokesman for the RSPCA said: “We would rather see all animals pre-stunned before they are killed.

“However, consumers have the right to choose whether or not they wish to buy meat from animals slaughtered without pre-stunning.”

Readers who would like to contact their MEPs about this issue, should visit www.rspca.org.uk/labelling

If you’re a regular user of unusual herbs such as tangerine sage or berries and cream mint you have David Nieburg to thank.

The massive growth in interest in fresh herbs, and in unusual varieties, may be driven by TV chefs and gardening programmes.

However, it depends on people like David to meet that growing demand for those sometimes tender varieties.

David runs Country Herbs & Plants Ltd at Pode Hole, supplying over 2.5million pots of herbs in something like 200 varieties.

The company has recently completed a major redevelopment, replacing an old poly tunnel with a new greenhouse so create something approaching an acre-and-a-half of glasshouse space.

David said: “When you have a few small things you reach a tipping point that pushes you to take a bigger step. It’s been a bit of a re-development phase for us and we have taken a long term view. For us, it’s a major redevelopment to build this.”

Varieties such as banana, chocolate, eau de cologne and pineapple mint, blackcurrant or pineapple sage and lemon curd thyme are growing in little pots alongside their more traditional relations.

It wasn’t always like this at the site. David’s father Matt, who still puts in a couple of days a week at the nursery, began the business growing African Violets as houseplants.

David had begun growing herbs on a spare piece of land at home as a sideline, and realised that the fresh herb sector was on the rise while the indoor plant industry was shrinking.

David said: “We came together and this thing about fresh herbs took off and now we are pure herbs. I think it’s here to stay.”

Some of the mint goes to Lincolnshire Herbs at Bourne, but the rest of the product goes to one or two local wholesalers and, increasingly, garden centres. Trays of plants are also delivered nationwide, anywhere from the south coast up to Scotland.

Many of the plants are currently over-wintering. A lot of the delicate varieties, such as salad rocket, tarragon and pineapple and tangerine sage, start to grow in the spring and are kept in heated glasshouses at about 13-150C.

An elderly woman has been fined for her involvement in a road crash which injured a mother and her 14-year-old son.

Melva Kaye (80) of Lowgate Lane, Bicker, admitted driving without due care and attention to Spalding magistrates who dealt with the case in her absence last Thursday.
Kaye lost control of her Peugeot 306 on Holland Market car park in Spalding on August 29 and hit two people before her car smashed into a parked taxi.
Victim Beverley Thompson (50) suffered an injured back and ear while her son suffered minor injuries. 
Magistrates fined Kaye £195 and ordered her to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

HOLBEACH UNITED 1, SPALDING UNITED 2

Battling Holbeach pushed their high-flying neighbours all the way in this Lincolnshire Senior Cup quarter-final match at Carter’s Park this evening.

The Tulips had thrashed the home side twice already this season but it was clear from the start of their third encounter that Glen Maddison’s side were going to be a different prospect this time.

Spalding led 2-0 early in the second half, but the Tigers battled back and in the end were perhaps unlucky not to push this end-to-end game into extra time.

Holbeach went at Spalding straight from the kick-off and striker Pedro Sevilha set up midfielder Adam Rothery, whose shot was deflected into keeper Michael Duggan’s arms.

At the other end centre back Joe Braithwaite made a great interception as Tulips’ top scorer and former Holbeach hero Andy Tidswell waited to turn in Dan Cotton’s cross after the winger had gone on a blistering run. From the resultant corner winger Cotton blasted just over.

Back came Holbeach and when veteran marksman Ian Dunn expertly headed back left back Matt Warfield’s long ball into the box Duggan pounced on the ball in front of the waiting Sevilha.

But Spalding are a class act and opened the scoring in the 13th minute when tricky winger Jamie Thurlbourne switched to the right wing and put in a super cross that was headed home powerfully by centre half Nathan Stainfield.

With Holbeach on the ropes, the visitors quickly looked to add to their tally and forward Sam Mullarkey forced Lee Overton into a great save after he was expertly teed up by the unselfish Tidswell.

Sevilha, starting because Tom Waumsley had a back strain, then hit a speculative 25-yarder than was gathered well by Duggan before at the other end Cotton waltzed past three defenders and saw his stinging effort ricochet off the post from 20 yards.

Tidswell wasn’t seeing much of the ball but his quality was showing when he did get it and shortly before the break he set up Mullarkey again, but this time his fellow front man curled a side footer inches wide.

The final chance of the half fell to Holbeach’s right winger Andy Law, but his fierce drive was deflected to make an easier save than keeper Duggan may have expected.

Holbeach minds still seemed to be in the dressing room as the second half started and within seconds Tidswell had latched on to a left wing cross to smash a volley against the outside of the post. Seconds later the prolific striker raced on to a long ball, rounded Overton and slotted in from an angle and it seemed game over in the 51st minute.

Indeed, it took a brilliant block from right back Ashley Murrell to stop Tidswell making it three two minutes later and then Thurlbourne, recalled on dual registration from Newmarket Town, fired a free kick just past the post.

It seemed a matter of time before the next Spalding goal, but a rare foray into their half forced a corner and when Luke Hollingworth’s cross was not properly cleared, Law superbly volleyed home from 20 yards to give the home team a lifeline with 24 minutes remaining.

Holbeach sensed their chance and threw on Waumsley for Dunn, who had worked so hard with little reward.The home side continued to press and the Tulips defence started to give away some uncharacteristic free kicks as they defended more deeply.

And then, with just two minutes left on the clock, the Tigers nearly did it. Hollingworth whipped in a superb cross from the left, Waumsley got in front of Stainfield and his flicked header somehow went over the bar. It looked in all the way.

Typical of this cracking derby, Spalding then pushed straight up the other end and Cotton saw another effort fizz just over the bar, before the referee’s whistle ended an enthralling contest.

Spalding’s class shone at times and they were certainly without key players, but, apart from a 20 minute spell after the break, Holbeach caused them plenty of problems and should be proud of their part in an exciting match.

Holbeach: Overton, Murrell, Warfield, Sturman, Braithwaite, Shippley, Law, Rothery, Sevilha, Dunn (Waumsley 74 mins), Hollingworth.Subs (not used): Bishop, Relf, Hewitt.

Spalding: Duggan, Stevens, Jackson, Lowery, Stainfield, Webb (Steadman 45 mins), Cotton, Hall, Mullarkey, Tidswell, Thurlbourne. Subs (not used): Ebdon, Drury.

A woman (34) charged with a robbery of £50 cash in Spalding is to face a crown court hearing next year.

Zena Lunness, now of no fixed address, is due to appear before Lincoln Crown Court on February 14 2014 charged with a robbery that took place on Winsover Road on August 14.

She was given conditional bail at a crown court hearing on November 13.

Meanwhile, a Donington man charged with attempted robbery and possessing a knife will face a trial at Lincoln Crown Court next month.

Jack Simon Hempsall (24) of Park Lane is accused of trying to rob 78-year-old Edgar Hunter of cash on Quadring Road, Donington, last Friday and also possessing an offensive weapon on the same day.

Hempsall was remanded in custody by Grantham Magistrates on Monday for trial at Lincoln Crown Court on December 2.

Two women were taken to hospital after a two-car collision in Spalding this morning.

A Vauxhall Zafira and Saab collided on New Road at about 8am and the women were taken to Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, as a precaution.

Meanwhile, a man had to be given oxygen after an MG car he was driving went off Stamford Road, Market Deeping, at about 6pm on Tuesday.

Paramedics treated the driver while firemen from Market Deeping made the car safe.