The following decisions have been made by magistrates at court hearings. In all drink-drive cases the legal limit is 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood or 107 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine. Addresses of defendants published here are taken from the legal records held by the magistrates’ courts.

Spalding Magistrates’ Court

December 19

Richard Collins (34), of Chalk Road, Walpole St Peter. Driving while disqualified (Deeping St Nicholas). 12 week prison sentence, disqualified from driving for 48 months. Sent to prison for further 12 weeks for committing the offence during period of suspended sentence.

Mark Steels (49), of Witham Bank East, Boston. Drink driving (Pinchbeck). Community order made with alcohol treatment requirement, £60 victim surcharge, £45 costs, disqualified from driving for 30 months.

Shane Stone (42), of Kinderley Close, Sutton Bridge. Assault and resisting a police officer. 24 month conditional discharge, £15 v/s, £300 costs.

Boston Magistrates’ Court

December 30

Paul O’Reilly (22), of Little London, Spalding. 2 counts of assault (Spalding). Theft of alcohol belonging to Co-operative Retail (Crowland) and theft of food and alcohol belonging to One Stop (Holbeach). Community order made, £60 v/s, £50 compensation to be paid to both assault victims.

January 2

Janis Kozurkins (24), of Willow Walk, Spalding. Drink driving (Spalding). £250 fine, £25 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 20 months.

Lucy Rogers (30), of Belisana Road, Spalding. Assault (Spalding). £110 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs.

Michael Bradley (63), of Aveland Way, Aslackby. Failing to give driver ID (Nettleham). £400 fine, £40 v/s, £200 costs, 6pts.

Simon Parkin (41), of Albion Street, Crowland. Failing to comply with conditions of shotgun certificate. 6 months conditional discharge, £15 v/s.

Grantham Magistrates’ Court

December 18

Kevin Williams (42), of Skylark Way, Newtown, Powys. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £300 fine, £30 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Kaye Callaway (43), of The Reservoir, Surfleet. Speeding (Pinchbeck). £60 fine, £20 v/s, 3pts.

Paul Day (60), of Pennant Street, Ebbw Vale, Gwent. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £60 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Anthony Green (68), of St Andrews Close, Great Easton, Market Harborough. Speeding (Whaplode). £60 fine, £20 v/s, 3pts.

Julia Swift (51), of The Broadway, Morton. Speeding (Langtoft). £60 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Valius Vasiliauskas (24), of Canada Grove, Bognor Regis. Speeding (Whaplode). £60 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Jayne Usher, of Chapel Gate, Whaplode Drove. 2 charges of failing to notify South Holland District Council of change in circumstances affecting housing and council tax benefit, namely a change in income and employment. 12 month conditional discharge, £15 v/s, £200 costs,

December 20

Ian Stimpson (51), of Deeping Caravan Park, Towngate East, Market Deeping. Speeding (Grantham). £35 fine, £20 v/s, £45 costs, 3pts.

Stephen Elliott, High Road, Newton, Wisbech. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Mark Thorpe (38), of Moss Lane, Worsley, Manchester. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Martin Ward (62), of Farm Close, Kilburn, Belper. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

December 30

Kennie Owen (35), of Deepings Caravan Park, Market Deeping. Theft of furniture worth £145 belonging to Nacro (Grantham) and possession of amphetamine. Community order with requirement to participate in thinking skills programme. £145 compensation, £60 v/s, £20 costs, drugs to be forfeited and destroyed. No separate penalty for interfering with a trailer.

Jason Darby (40), of Crowson Crescent, Northborough. Assault (Deeping St James) and criminal damage. Community order with requirement to participate in alcohol specified activity programme, restraining order not to contact the victim, £60 v/s, £85 costs.

Lloyd Chapman (29), of Coronation Avenue, Throckenholt. Failing to notify transfer of vehicle (Spalding). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Andrew Day (44), of Bridge Road, Long Sutton. Failing to notify transfer of vehicle (Long Sutton). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Susan Foreman (30), of Spalding Common, Spalding. Failing to notify transfer of vehicle (Spalding). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Jake Molsher-Howarth (20), of Livingstone Drive, Spalding. Failing to notify transfer of vehicle (Spalding). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Richard Petheram (42), of Moons Green, Moulton. Failing to notify transfer of vehicle (Spalding). £135 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Casey Robinson, of Cekhira Avenue, Moulton Chapel. Failing to notify transfer of vehicle (Spalding). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Peggy Small, of Churchill Drive, Spalding. Failing to notify transfer of vehicle (Spalding). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Alan Birchell (58), of Main Road, Gedney. Failing to comply with declaration or statement of SORN (Long Sutton). £400 fine, £75 back duty, £90 costs.

Janusi Klosowski (27), of The Pollards, Bourne. Unlicensed vehicle (Bourne). £200 fine, £14.59 back duty, £90 costs.

William Morton, of South Fen Road, Bourne. Failing to return vehicle licence after cheque was subsequently dishonoured (Bourne). £400 fine, £140 back duty, £90 costs.

Lincoln Magistrates’ Court

December 23

Michelle Longman (40), of Abbots Ripton, Huntington. Speeding (Whaplode). £110 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Cameron Moore (66), of Broad Lane, Moulton. Speeding (Spalding). £400 fine, £40 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

December 30

Scott Curtis (35), of Newark Road, Bracebridge, Lincoln. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £60 fine, £20 v/s, £45 costs, 3pts.

In response to Mr MacDonald’s letter about giving money to charity, I totally agree that it is a well worthy thing to donate to charity, but I strongly disagree with him on his views on giving to animal charities. Everyone has very different reasons to donate to charity and they are often very personal ones.

Also animals have no voice of their own and are just as deserving of our help as any living thing is.

It seems that Mr MacDonald does see the importance of charity, but only if he agrees with the cause.

Lucy Bristow

via email

A unique county-wide survey of our historically most important buildings has uncovered a hit list of structures at risk – and many of them are in South Holland.

The very nature of the district means there are more disused windmills and agricultural buildings here than elsewhere in Lincolnshire, which pushed up the “at risk” figures for Grade II listed buildings to ten per cent.

That contrasts with an average of eight per cent across the county and just one per cent in our neighbouring district, South Kesteven, according to Heritage at Risk senior project officer Dr Matthew Godfrey.

Dr Godfrey led the three-year project to train and recruit volunteers to survey every singe heritage asset throughout Lincolnshire. Hundreds of people signed up to be trained to conduct surveys on Lincolnshire’s 9,128 heritage buildings. They included a small sample of archaeological sites; Grade 1, Grade II Star and Grade II listed buildings; locally listed buildings; conservation areas; parish churches; and parks and gardens.

Of all the categories, the largest number of buildings were Grade II listed – 5,719.

Dr Godfrey explained: “The listed buildings are fairly evenly spread throughout the county. Grade 1 and II star are quire rare anyway, and only take up four per cent of the national total of listed buildings.

“Of the Grade 1 and II star in South Holland, those at risk English Heritage already have in their Heritage at Risk register – Crowland Abbey for example. Grade 1 and II star are monitored by conservation officers as well as English Heritage.

“Grade II, which is by far the biggest percentage, are partly monitored by conservation officers, but there’s a vast number out there we didn’t know much about, hence the reason we instigated this project. They are the ones people live in whereas Grade 1 and II star tend to be churches and buildings like Ayscoughfee Hall in Spalding.”

South Holland has 439 Grade II listed buildings. In some cases, owners didn’t want their property included in the survey, but 424 were successfully surveyed.

Of those, 42 – or ten per cent – are at risk and Dr Godfrey says: “It is a cause for concern, but it’s partly to do with the nature of the district as well. Some of them are former windmills or agricultural buildings. Agricultural buildings are one of the biggest problems we have because when a building goes out of use, what else can you use it for?

“In South Holland we have also got seven or eight domestic properties which are vacant and a vacant building is at risk.

“It is only 42 buildings but it is 42 buildings of local or national importance so they are significant buildings.”

The Heritage at Risk exercise has been a useful one, believes Dr Godfrey, because the data allows the various groups concerned with heritage to form a strategy and target specific buildings.

He says: “Each building is a different challenge really because they all have different reasons they are at risk. There is still a lot of work to be done to get the list down, but we now have a hit list of things we can be looking at funding for and start to work on.”

When requesting funding, the first thing that agencies require is evidence: Lincolnshire is now in the unique position of having that in plentiful supply thanks to the team of volunteers who captured that information.

One of the volunteer surveyors was Joyce Stevenson, of Thurlby, which is in the South Kesteven district of the county.

South Kesteven has many more Grade II listed buildings – 1,795 – but Stamford, with 671 sites and Grantham’s 158 inflate that figure.

In fact, there are 114 Grade II listed buildings in the Deepings and 72 in Bourne, and the district as a whole has the lowest incidence of heritage at risk in the county, at one per cent.

A housing company is making a fresh bid to demolish Cowbit’s only pub, the fire-wrecked Ye Olde Dun Cow, and build homes on the site.

Market Homes Ltd say the pub should come down because it’s “not safe” – and has submitted a planning application for its demolition to South Holland District Council.

The application says rubble from the demolition will be “used on redevelopments on the site”.

Last October South Holland District Council refused the company’s application for demolition of the pub and the building of nine houses – and placed the derelict pub on the community assets register.

Gareth Edwards, from the company’s architects Swann Edwards, told the Free Press that Market Homes is “potentially looking at either reapplying or appealing” so it can build houses there.

He said rubble from the demolition would be used for pathways to the houses.

More than 700 villagers last year signed a petition to save the pub and members of the Save Ye Olde Dun Cow Campaign won backing from South Holland and The Deepings MP John Hayes and CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale).

South Holland District Council’s planning committee rejected the original plan, saying the developer hadn’t shown there was no need for a pub in the village.

Jonathan Matthews, spokesman for the Save Ye Old Dun Cow Campaign, was not available for comment this week.

About 300 litres of heating oil was stolen from a house in Dovecote Estate, Rippingale, between Sunday January 5 and last Sunday.

Meanwhile, police are looking for a man who is 5ft 10ins tall, in his early 40s and of medium build in connection with alcohol stolen from Sainsbury’s in Exeter Street, Bourne on Saturday.

Anyone with information should call 101.

A 50-year-old man from Whaplode Drove was flown to hospital by air ambulance after a car crash in Holbeach St Johns on Friday.

Firefighters used hydraulic rescue equipment to free the man who was then taken to Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, after the crash in Jekils Bank at about 1.35pm.

The man is not thought to be seriously injured.

A two-car crash on the A15 Deeping Road, Baston, caused the road to be closed for half an hour on Friday.

It involved a Renault Megane and Volkswagen Passat which collided just before 8.45am, but it is thought no one was seriously injured.

Six proved to be the magic number for Bourne Town Harriers at the Lincolnshire Cross Country Championships.

No less than half of the club’s sizeable contingent placed in sixth spot at Caythorpe last weekend, making it a successful day for the Harriers.

Mick Howells took sixth spot out of the 38 runners in the veterans race, covering three large laps of the course in 41.51 minutes.

Meanwhile, his daughter Beth Howells completed her two laps in 32.44 minutes to come home in the same position for the under-17 women.

The sixth place series was continued by Scott Taylor, who maintained his recent strong performance in the under-15 boys.

He completed one large lap and one small lap in 20.35 minutes.

The ever-impressive Claire Steels also came home in sixth, having polished off her two large and one small lap in 37.02 minutes.

The best place of the day went to Elin James, who came in a fine fifth of 23 in her race.

She clocked a rapid 16.40 minutes in the under-13 girls’, event.

The final three athletes in the Harriers team were Daniel Lawrance, Molly Bennett and Jonathan Palmer.

Lawrance managed to complete two small laps of the under-13 boys’ race in 18.29,

Bennett finished the under-15 girls’ course – one large and one small lap – in 27.03, while Palmer had to do three large laps en-route to a time of 40.26 minutes in the senior men’s event.

Harriers were back in action at the North Midlands Cross Country League in Nottingham on Saturday and the fourth round of the Frostbite Series at March on Sunday.

Spalding Grammar School’s talented under-13 rugby team have marched into the last eight of a national competition.

The lads progressed to the quarter-final of the School Sports Magazine under-13 Rugby Union National Cup after an impressive 38-5 victory over Hymers College from Hull.

It was another fantastic team performance from the Spalding side, with Patrick Harrington, Charles Hughes, William Hughes (2), Ben Mansour and William Wand all crossing the try line.

Harrington calmly added four conversions to put the seal on the victory.

The Spalding team face yet another road trip as they play holders Woodhouse Grove School from Bradford next. That should prove to be an exciting encounter for the team, with Grove having won the competition in each of the last two seasons.

Seventy years ago this month there must have been great excitement as about 250 men suddenly arrived in Spalding, living in accommodation huts on the Grammar School field, the Odeon Cinema and elsewhere.

Nine months later, the men – members of the 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment – disappeared again just as suddenly when they went to one of the famous engagements of the Second World War, the Battle of Arnhem, as part of the British First Airborne Division.

During those months in Spalding the men were busy training in weaponry, first aid, field craft and general fitness because, as chairman of Spalding branch of the Parachute Regimental Association David Allmond says, they were extremely fit, lightly armed and used to fighting in isolation without heavy weapons.

The men clearly had time for socialising though, because a number of them left girlfriends and even wives behind in Spalding when they went to fight in the Netherlands in September 1944.

Tragically, Major Allmond describes the battle as “devastating”, as of the 12,000 or so men who went out, only 2,000 came back – the majority died. Those taken as prisoners of war returned in 1945.

Of those who returned, there is only one man left in Spalding – 91-year-old Gordon Harding, better known as Curly. He is a member of a select band: Major Allmond says there are probably only six or seven members of the 3rd Parachute Regiment still alive in the world.

Curly’s memories of those distant days are now hazy, but his experiences at Arnhem are still distressing. Major Allmond, asked how anyone deals with witnessing the death of friends and colleagues, says: “You look, but you don’t see.”

Curly recalls camping on the Grammar School field in wooden huts, going on runs around the area to keep fit as well as boxing in the Corn Exchange and the Drill Hall.

He says: “We met several young ladies, mostly in the town centre, but we went to dances in the Corn Exchange and the same band leader, Don Luck, came regularly.”

Curly quick stepped a local girl to the altar soon after the war but, unsurprisingly, that marriage foundered, and a second wife died before Curly married Elsie, who also died in 1998.

Curly says the men realised they were approaching the time they would be parachuted into the fighting zone.

He said: “Some were a bit frightened, we all were really until it happened and then you were alright once it started. We lost a lot of good mates. That’s the problem. The Polish airborne lost all their men, or a tremendous amount.”

Major Allmond explains that Curly was able to avoid capture, although it was three weeks after the battle had finished before he and two men from the 9th Battalion were able to get assistance from the Dutch resistance, who gave them shelter and got them to the Allied lines.

There was great secrecy surrounding the 3rd Parachute Regiment’s presence in the town, but by late September and early October, these newspapers were filled with reports of men who had fallen at Arnhem as well as tributes to the “gallant warriors” who made it safely home to Spalding.

“They have come back, but the majority who went from here have not.”

They are the words used in an article in the Lincolnshire, Boston and Spalding Free Press of October 2, 1944, entitled “Men of Arnhem – return of some of the few”.

The journalist wrote: “Those majority are among the killed, the missing, the wounded, and the prisoners.

“Residents here literally lived through the Battle of Arnhem with these officers and men who had become part of the town. Many of them share the sorrows and the glory of this epic, for local girls had become the wives of a large number of the men, and others were engaged.”

Newspapers in the weeks following the conflict were filled with the names of those who had bravely gone off to fight the enemy, but were either missing or dead.

The writer talked about the “gallant warriors” who had arrived back in Spalding a fortnight after leaving for their “glorious and epic battle” in Holland.

Many of those veterans are no longer with us, but their stories have been retained thanks to Bill Morter, a member of the Spalding branch of the Parachute Regimental Association, who has written biographical notes about many of them.

For instance, he records that Gordon Harding, or Curly, lied about his age when war broke out and was only 16 when sent to France. When his age was discovered, Curly was sent back to England and joined reservists in the Royal Artillery. Curly was eventually selected to join the newly formed Airborne Forces. He was sent for Infantry Training and joined the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment soon after gaining his “parachute wings”.

He saw action in North Africa and Italy before being sent to Spalding and then to Arnhem.

Michael Callaghan previews John Paul Ekins

On Saturday at 7.30pm South Holland Concerts have pleasure in welcoming a piano soloist, who is in great demand worldwide, John Paul Ekins, a name to note for the future.

His fascinating programme will include:

Fantasy in C minor (K.396) Mozart,

6 pieces - Opus 117 Brahms, Cantique d’amour Liszt,

Holiday Diary - Benjamin Britten,

Sonata in C major (Opus 53) - the Waldstein, Beethoven

A concert that will be memorable and should not be missed.

High society magazine The Tatler is urging its readers to send their children to Bourne Grammar School rather than exclusive private schools like Eton.

Bourne Grammar – described by the magazine as “educational nirvana” – is the only Lincolnshire school listed among its top 20 state secondary schools.

It says the creme de la creme of state schools give children a better preparation for the real world, “the one where not everything is handed to them on a sterling silver platter”, and when ex-pupils do finally get into the Cabinet “everyone will love you because you didn’t go to Eton”.

Bourne Grammar School headteacher John Maddox said: “The Tatler article, which was based on parental feedback, paints a vivid picture of our school. Anyone associated with the school will know that it rings true.

“It is wonderful to be recognised so publicly as we move into another exciting year of expansion and future improvement.

“Our purpose statement says we are about the best atmosphere, the best support, the best results – that will always be the case as the school expands.”

The Tatler article is quoted in The Times, The Telegraph, The Independent and Daily Mail, all of which mention Bourne Grammar.

The magazine says putting “two children through the private system costs around £600,000 – that’s £1.2million before tax”.

The Tatler’s review was compiled from the views of parents, pupils, teachers and heads, listing attributes such as new buildings, strong discipline, sporting rigour and academic ambition.

It says: “Bourne is very popular: for September 2014 entry, more than 460 pupils sat the 11-plus tests for 224 places.”

The article quotes a mother who says the school caters for children of air vice-marshals to farmers and, rich or poor, all live in harmony “with no snobbery and very little bullying”.

The gulf between the top teams and the strugglers grew even bigger as the Spalding and District Table Tennis League returned from its winter break.

In the first round of fixtures in 2014, the top flight’s heavy hitters enjoyed emphatic wins over the strugglers – with games either finishing 5-0 or 4-1.

Division One leaders Bladerunners extended their advantage to five points with a 5-0 victory over second-from-bottom JAG.

That said, the match wasn’t totally straightforward – with one game going to five ends and two others to four.

South Holland lost ground slightly with their 4 – 1 win over Haz Beans, though the result could have been 3-2 or 5-0.

Two of the games went to five ends with one team trailing by two before pulling back to win.

Third-placed Defenders maintained their position with another 4-1 result.

Their rock-bottom opponents, Outsiders, made up a little ground at the foot of the table thanks to Jon Chesworth’s win, but Alan Fear and Martyn Green took the rest.

In Division Two, leaders Castle Sports had – on paper – their strongest team out, but were forced to work hard by third-placed Insidious for a 4-1 win in a match with seven ‘deuce’ legs.

Only one game went to regulation with the loser’s Gary Simpson coming from 2-11, 6-11 down to gain a superb point.

Second-placed Dark Knights gained a point thanks to a 5-0 win over Mine’s a Pint.

Highlight of the match was the return to action of Phil Chandler after a half-season absence.

A basement battle between Tornados and Casey’s Pingers, meanwhile, saw the former repeat their success from the first meeting with a 4–1 win.

As a result, Tornados leapfrogged from seventh to fifth.

It was also noted that all the juniors playing have shown an improvement since that time.

The other change saw Ha’st move up to third ahead of Insidious thanks to their 5-0 win over Nomads.

Top game here was between Stuart Duffill and Jonathan Black with the lead changing twice over five ends before Duffill won on a deuce.

DEEPING RANGERS 5 OADBY TOWN 1: Delighted Deeping chief Tuncay Korkmaz is hoping for a home tie in the UCL Knockout Cup semi-finals after producing a five-star display to dispatch Division One leaders Oadby on Saturday.

Having fallen behind to Courtney Meade’s 30th-minute opener, Rangers launched a stunning second-half comeback to keep their dream of lifting the trophy for the very first time alive.

Striker Alex Beck levelled on 59 minutes, before defenders Simon Ashton (71), Scott Bogusz (74), Spencer Tinkler (pen 79) and Kevin Gilbert (83) fired the Premier Division high-fliers to glory.

The defeat is Oadby’s heaviest of the season, but Korkmaz felt the tie was tighter than the score suggests and expects to see them in the top flight next year.

“It was a very close game,” said the Rangers supremo. “They are a decent side and caused us quite a few problems – we both had chances.

“I don’t know much about them, but I was impressed.

“Once we got going the chances began to flow and we got the goals our play deserved.

“It’s been a bit of a regular thing for us, we certainly score a lot of goals. We just need to be a little more consistent

“I don’t mind who we get in the semi final, I’d just like a home draw. At this stage of the competition, you have to expect to play the best teams.”

Deeping: Doughty, Flack, Parker, Tinkler, Cartwright (Bogusz 21), Burton-Jones (C Lewis 82), Gilbert, Ginty, Oliver (B Lewis 88), Ashton, Beck.

• Saturday: Harborough v Deeping (3pm).

HOLBEACH UNITED 1 PETERBOROUGH NS 1: Billy Smith’s blistering bolt from the blue denied Holbeach United a winning start to 2014 at a soggy Carter’s Park on Saturday.

Having not kicked a ball since December 21 of last year, the Tigers looked set for all three points against mid-table rivals Star when Tommy Treacher grabbed a 60th minute opener.

Wing wizard Smith had other ideas though, lashing home a fierce near-post drive from well outside the box some 15 minutes from time.

Neither side could argue that they deserved more than a share of the spoils – although Holbeach were left to rue a bizarre refereeing decision in the first period.

Fan favourite Treacher was handed a yellow card for perceived diving in the area, despite being on the receiving end of a clear foul. Sadly for those in attendance, it was the only major talking point of a drab first period.

With both teams a little rusty after rain-enforced lay-offs and the pitch boggy at best, it was never going to be a repeat of the classic reverse fixture which saw the Tigers win 3-2 back in August.

Tigers boss Glen Maddison was happy enough with the draw – but had a few gripes. He said: “I’d have probably taken a draw before the game, but I found myself a bit miffed on Saturday night. We got ourselves ahead and I didn’t feel like we were under any pressure.

“It was a great strike from Billy Smith though and I suppose any neutrals watching would say that they deserved a draw.

“The penalty decision was an odd one. The referee told me at half time that there was contact on Tommy – so how he’s booked him for diving is beyond me. I think the linesman flagged for a penalty too, but the referee overruled.

“If we had gone in at half time ahead, it may have been a different result for us.

“But after three weeks of no action I’m more than happy with the lads. I thought we played some good stuff on a pretty tough surface.”

The hosts were almost given an early gift when the towering Luke Hunnings deflected a cross towards his own goal, but keeper Nick Conroy – and former player of the year at Holbeach – got down expertly to save.

Conroy also kept out a scuffed low drive from Tigers’ leading scorer Tom Waumsley, while the same man lashed an instinctive effort just off target soon after.

City side Star were always a threat and they almost pinched the lead when Matt Sparrow’s cross clipped the top of the bar, while Hunnings also sent a free header over from about eight yards before the half-time whistle.

The second half picked up where its predecessor left off – and the longer the game went on, you felt one goal would be enough for either side. Holbeach sensed that too, so Treacher’s scruffy opener gave them a huge boost.

The workhorse frontman has scored plenty of better goals, but his cross-cum-shot that bobbled past the deceived Conroy and into the corner felt like an important one.

Not content with one, Adam Rothery headed inches wide from a Lewis Sturman cross moments later as Holbeach began to seize control.

But Star were never out of the game and Smith, their best player on the day, rifled an unstoppable effort in via the bar 15 minutes from time to ensure the points were shared.

The draw does, however, leave both side with plenty of work to do if they are to break into the top six come May.

Tigers: Overton, Leggett, Warfield, Murrell, Shipley, Sturman, Law (Sevilha 75), Rothery, Waumsley (Dunn 85), Treacher, Sergeant (Hollingworth 63). Attendance: 106.

• Saturday: Kempston v Tigers (3pm).

SPALDING RFC 27 DRONFIELD RFC 15: A fantastic final ten minutes saw Spalding RFC come from behind to secure a potentially pivotal bonus-point victory over Dronfield on Saturday.

Having trailed 15-5 at half time and 13-15 in the closing stages, title-chasing Town were staring down the barrel at a third Midlands Two East (North) defeat on the bounce.

But they turned it around to haul themselves level with rivals Belgrave at the top of the table and keep their dreams of promotion back to Midlands One East very much on track.

Spalding started pretty well and were soon putting pressure on the Dronfield defence – but they were punished when an intercepted pass by the visitors took play deep into the Spalding half. Although the centre was pursued by the Town three quarters, he was able to touch down – leaving a simple conversion to make it 7-0 after four minutes.

Town bounced back almost instantly, though. Ryan Chappell cut inside to link with Jay Harwood and take the ball within ten yards of the line. Spalding won the scrum and, after some strong defensive play from the visitors, Harry Sharman used his strength and guile to breach their line and score. The conversion failed, but Town were back in the game.

Spalding then thought they’d gone ahead when prop Alex Ioannou crashed over, only to be judged to have not touched down.

Their mood then worsened when Dronfield dispatched a 22-yard penalty to add to their score, before another costly interception allowed their centre to race 70 yards from one end to the other for their second try.

The conversion went wide, but Spalding were left scratching their heads at the half-time scoreline after bossing most of the first period.

Within two minutes of the second period they were back in it, though. After winning a lineout, the ball found its way to Chappell, who breezed through the away defence unopposed for an unconverted try.

Now camped in the Dronfield 22, Town moved within two points of their rivals when James West buried a penalty in front of the posts.

That’s how it stayed up until the final ten minutes, when Town finally got the rewards their performance deserved.

First, Andy Lal gathered the ball from a Dronfield drop and tapped ahead. Using his speed, the winger raced through to touch down for his side’s third try, which West converted to move Spalding 20-15 ahead.

Not done there, they notched a game-clinching try soon after. From a scrum on the 22 metre line the hosts drove for the line, with Ioannou and Josh Finch – who was credited with the score – both going over together.

West duly converted to put the seal on a hugely important Spalding success.

Spalding RFC: Harry Sharman (captain), Alex Ioannou, Jacob Harwood, Pete Waudby, Andy Hoyles, Tim Waltham, Josh Finch, Ed Duerden, Rob Lucas, James West, George Brown, Ryan Chappell, Harry Harrison, Andy Lal, Adam McHugh, Josh Caley, Tom Duerden and Ben Williams.

• Saturday: Kesteven v Spalding RFC (2.15pm).

COGENHOE UNITED 2 SPALDING UNITED 5: Dominant Spalding eased to their most impressive away win of the UCL Premier Division season so far as third-placed Cogenhoe were ruthlessly put to the sword.

Doubles from Dan Cotton (4 & 70) and Lewis Webb (42 & 48) and a sole Sam Mullarkey strike (45) helped maintain the Tulips’ 13-point lead at the summit on Saturday.

Although they shipped two uncharacteristic goals at Compton Park, it’s now looking increasingly likely that Spalding will coast to the title and their ultimate goal of promotion after making it 22 wins from 23 games.

Boss Pat Rayment admits that he’s never been involved with a more dominant side – a view his players are likely to share. He said: “It wouldn’t have flattered us at all if we had scored eight or nine.

“They said as much to us after the game. If I’m honest, I can’t ever remember being involved with a team quite as dominant as this.

“Our performances are just frightening. It’s disappointing that we conceded two goals and didn’t score more, but we’ve got 13 games left now and couldn’t have asked to be in a better position.”

The Tulips couldn’t have made a better start to the big game of the day, with Cotton netting the opener on four minutes after fine play from debutant Jordan Thomas.

Jamie Thurlbourne then rattled the woodwork as Spalding created chance after chance, before Webb notched his first of the afternoon on 43 minutes after Chris Hall’s pass.

Cogenhoe did reduce the arrears when Rob Foster (45) netted just before the interval, but Mullarkey went straight up the other end to restore the Tulips’ two-goal advantage.

Another man making his Spalding bow, defender Ross Watson, was involved in goal number four, which was dispatched by man-of-the-match Webb three minutes after the interval. A rifled Cotton strike on 70 minutes then sealed the points for the Tulips, making Jack Bowen’s late effort mere consolation.

Next up for the Tulips is a hotly-anticipated trip to Stamford in the quarter-finals of the Lincs FA Senior Trophy tonight (7.45pm).

The Daniels are two steps higher in the non-league ladder than Spalding, making this a real test of their credentials. It’s been a very one-sided rivalry in recent years, with Stamford usually running out emphatic winners.

But Rayment, a former player and assistant manager with the Daniels, expects that to change tonight.

He added: “Stamford are a very good club. I only had a short time there, but they do things the right way.

“It’s a great test for us against a step three side – and I expect us to give a good account of ourselves. I’m aware that playing Spalding has been something of an easy fixture for them over the years, so it’s up to us to show them that things have changed here.”

The cup-tied Mark Jones and injured Andrew Tidswell, Jon Fairweather and Thomas miss the game. But Lee Beeson is fit to start and Danny Steadman is back in the squad.

Tulips: Duggan, Fairweather (Watson 20), Jackson, Stevens, Stainfield, Webb, Cotton, Hall, Jones, Thomas (Mullarkey 27), Thurlbourne (Beeson 68). Not used: Hussey, Roberts.

The Hurst Children’s Theatre Group presents Puss in Boots at South Holland Centre in Spalding next Friday, January 24 (7pm) and Saturday, January 25 (2pm and 7pm).

Entry is £8.50 for adults and £6.50 for children.