Late goals helped Spalding United and Deeping Rangers beat Quorn and Kempston Rovers 3-2 and 4-2 respectively in the UCL Premier Division on Saturday, but leaders Holbeach United went down 2-0 at Cogenhoe United.
Starting with the Tulips, an 89th-minute header from TJ Nightingale earned Pat Rayment’s side a vital victory at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field.
Illness and suspension meant Spalding were without nine players, but they handed debuts to new signings Dave Kilby (Peterborough Northern Star) and Chris Gray (Quorn), while veteran Martyn Cundy was an emergency substitute.
Pat Rayment’s side flew out of the traps and went ahead when Dan Cotton fired home a superb near-post opener into the top corner on two minutes.
Quorn came back into the game though and levelled when Kadeem Price finish clinically just before the half hour.
That’s how it stayed up until the 57th minute, when Nightingale headed a Chris Hall cross into the top corner to put Spalding back ahead.
That didn’t deter the away side though – and they deservedly pulled level when Denis Noran raced clear to dink past Lee Drury 13 minutes from time.
Hall ballooned a great chance as the Tulips searched for a winner, before Nightingale met a Cotton cross to earn a potentially vital win for the hosts.
It was equally dramatic at Outgang Road, as Deeping came from 2-0 down to avenge an early-season loss against Kempston.
Drew Phillips (2 & 20) struck twice to put Rovers 2-0 ahead at the break, but Ash Stevens (65 & 75) notched twice to haul Tuncay Korkmaz’s side level.
Phil Stebbing (89) and Alex Beck (90) then struck in the dying seconds to complete an amazing comeback.
But it wasn’t such a good day for Holbeach, as they slipped up for the first time in 11 league matches.
Josh Urquhart (6) and a late Karl Bates effort sunk the Tigers, who remain 15 points clear of second-placed St Ives. But the Saints have five games in hand, meaning they’d draw level with Holbeach if they win all of them.
Tigers chief John Chand said: “You can’t waste ten clear chances and not score. They took their only real chances – it was just like our last defeat at Blackstones.”
Down in UCL Division One, Bourne Town earned an impressive 3-0 success at Thrapston Town, with Jonny Currall among the scorers.
Elsewhere, Moulton Harrox beat Skegness United 3-1 in the Lincs Junior Cup to reach the last four, while Pinchbeck United smashed Deeping Rangers Reserves 6-3 in the Peterborough and District Premier Division.
More football in Tuesday’s Lincolnshire Free Press.
RESULTS
• UCL Premier Division: Cogenhoe United 2 Holbeach United 0; Deeping Rangers 4 AFC Kempston Rovers 2; Long Buckby 1 Boston Town 2; Newport Pagnell Town 5 Blackstones 1; Shepshed Dynamo 4 Irchester United 1; Sleaford Town 2 Desborough Town 2; Spaldin g United 3 Quorn 2; Wellingborough Town 3 Peterborough Northern Star 0; Yaxley 4 Harborough Town 3.
• UCL Division One: Bugbrooke St Michaels 2 Eynesbury Rovers 1; Burton Park Wanderers 0 Northampton ON Chenecks 5; Oadby Town 5 AFC Rushden & Diamonds 1; Potton United 1 Harrowby United 3; Raunds Town 0 Northampton Sileby Rangers 8; Rushden and Higham United 0 Wellingborough Whitworth 1; Thrapston Town 0 Bourne Town 3; Wootton Blue Cross 1 Rothwell Corinthians 2.
• Peterborough & District League: Premier Division: Crowland Town 4 Riverside Rovers 1; Kings Cliffe United 2 Whittlesey United 1; Netherton United 6 Oakham United 1; Peterborough ICA Sports 8 Whittlesey Blue Star 1; Peterborough Sport Parkway 4 Coates Athletic 1; Pinchbeck United 6 Deeping Rangers Reserves 3; Stilton United 3 Parson Drove 1; Uppingham Town 1 Leverington Sports 0.
• Division One: Holbeach United Reserves 2 Ketton 1; King’s Lynn Town Reserves 6 Netherton United Reserves 2; Maccasports 4 Long Sutton Athletic 4; Ryhall United 1 Langtoft United 2; Sawtry 8 Farcet United 1; Stamford Belvedere 3 Hampton Sport 0; Sutton Bridge United 1 Moulton Harrox Reserves 3.
• Division Two: Deeping Rangers A 2 Peterborough ICA Sports Reserves 4; Langtoft United Reserves 3 Pinchbeck United Reserves 0; Leverington Sports Reserves 3 Gedney Hill2; Oakham United Reserves 1 Warboys 3; Oundle Town 6 Crowland Town Reserves 2; Peterborough Rovers 2 Peterborough Sport Parkway Reserves 4.
• Division Three: Baston 4 Kings Cliffe United Reserves 0; Long Sutton Athletic Reserves 4 Alconbury 3.
• Division Four: Leverington Sports A 1 Sawtry Reserves 5; Parkway Eagles 1 Ketton Reserves 5; Warboys Town Reserves 1 Stamford Belvedere Reserves 0; Wittering 6 Stilton United Reserves 0.
• Division Five: AFC Peterborough 1 Pro Evo 10; Gaultree 3 Sutton Bridge United Reserves 2; Pinchbeck United A 0 Ryhall United A 0.
• PFA Minor Cup: Glinton United 1 Peterborough Sport Parkway A 5; Hampton Sport Reserves 5 Tydd St Mary 6; Holbeach United A 3 Peterborough Giants 1; Oakham United A 0 Baston Reserves 3.
• Boston & District League: Premier Division: Benington 1 Swineshead Institute 1; Fishtoft 3 Billinghay Athletic 3; Old Doningtonians 1 Kirton Town 5; Old Leake 7 Skegness Town Reserves 1.
• Division One: Mareham United 1 Skegness United Reserves 1; Pointon Reserves 4 Spalding Harriers 2; Wainfleet United 1 Coningsby 2; Woodhall Spa United 0 Wrangle United 5.
• Division Two: Park United 2 Leverton 2; Ruskington Rovers 4 Old Doningtonians Reserves 0; Westside Rangers 3 Fosdyke 2.
• Division Three: Fosdyke Reserves 4 FC Kirton 3; Friskney 3 FC Hammers 2; Spalding Harriers Reserves 2 Tulip 1; Sutterton Reserves 2 Holbeach Bank Reserves 1; Swineshead Reserves 2 Pointon A 1.
• Main Ridge Take Away Reserve Cup: Quarter-finals: Billinghay Athletic Reserves 2 Spsilsby Town Reserves 3; Freiston Reserves 12 Mareham United Reserves 0; Kirton Town Reserves 2 Coningsby Reserves 4; Wyberton Reserves 3 Benington Reserves 1.
• Mason Bros Lincolnshire Junior Cup: Quarter-finals: Ruston Sports 2 Wyberton 1; Moulton Harrox 3 Skegness Utd 1.