SPALDING 2nd 4 LONG SUTTON 2nd 0: SPALDING took the local bragging rights as they sealed a double over chief rivals Sutton in Division 4NW on Saturday.
It wasn’t long before Spalding took the lead, with Graham Doades converting a close range effort.
With the midfield of Smith-Hughes, Callow and Gavahan playing the ball about quickly, it wasn’t long before Doades notched his second.
Spalding then piled on the pressure and they were awarded a penalty flick when McKenna was taken out in full flight.
The ever-reliable Rob Tilbrook calmly stepped up to put the ball into the top left corner.
With Sutton determined to to ship any further goals, only one more Spalding strike was added as Glen Perkins set up the unstoppable Doades for yet another hat-trick.
LONG SUTTON 1st 3
LETCHWORTH 1st 5
TWO late goals denied Sutton a share of the spoils in a thrilling Premier B contest.
Sutton started the brighter and opened the scoring with some great work by Will Cook and Ben Smith allowing Gary Hales to finish – only for Letchworth to level immediately.
After the break, Sutton started at a very leisurely pace and allowed the way side to take the lead. But a perfect short corner routine saw Danny Sisson square things up again.
Letchworth soon took the lead again from a good corner routine, only for Hales to lash home his second of the game.
Sutton then had some golden chances to win it, but two breakaway goals killed their hopes at the death.
CAMBRIDGE SOUTH 2nd 0
SPALDING 1st 5
DANNY Shardlow hit a treble as Spalding retained second place in the league with a five-star win.
Playing in tough conditions, the Hills sponsored side went in 2-0 up at the break through Shardlow and Pete Wright.
Spalding bagged another three goals during the second half, with Shardlow notching twice and Rob Dalton also on the mark.
ST IVES 4th 0
SPALDING 3rd 3
HIGH-FLYING Spalding made light work of mid-table opposition to stay in touch with Division 5NW leaders.
Stuart Perkins helped himself a hat-trick converting a short corner, a cheeky tap in and a spectacular lob over the Saints’ man-mountain of a keeper. The youngsters in the side are all developing rapidly.
LONG SUTTON 3rd 2
HORNCASTLE 2nd 1
SUTTON edged a tight tussle between two of the promotion-chasing Division 6NW (N) sides.
They had man-of-the-match Albert Slator to thank for keeping the score goalless at the interval.
It looked like Sutton would suffer defeat as Horncastle grabbed the opener five minutes from time, but Michael Blom crossed the ball to Alex Canham to fire a leveller into the corner of the goal from the top of the D.
This lifted Sutton and they won it when Andy Clarke crossed for Josh Fyson to clinically score with the last shot of the game.
LEADENHAM 1st 3
LONG SUTTON 4th 1
ON a miserable afternoon, Sutton pushed their hosts all the way.
Despite some solid defending from Jeremy Smith, Sam Grey and Calvin Bishop, Leadenham found themselves 2-0 up at half time.
They added another in the second period, but Sutton did score when Ian White produced some fancy skills to beat a defender and send a rocket into the bottom corner.
SPALDING 4th 10
SPALDING 5th 1
THE score was harsh on youthful Spalding 5th as their club rivals smashed them for ten.
It was always going to be a tough ask, but the 5th team did race into an early lead when Willem Borst marked his debut with a fine opener.
It was soon level though – and by half time Spalding 4th opened up a 4-1 lead in what was an otherwise end-to-end game.
Bolstered by the return of the enigmatic Steve Rogers, the fifth team continued to make chances during the second half and were unlucky not to reduce the arrears, as their experience opposition team went onto score five more times.
Scorers for the fourth team were George Swindell (2), Henry Gibbons (2), Darren Willson (2), Keith Stennett, Connor Wilson, Dom Uglow and Richard Gater.
HUNTINGDON 1st 6
SPALDING POACHERS 2nd 2
DEPLETED Poachers were hit for six in their first match of 2012.
Missing several regulars, the Spalding slumped to a first loss of the campaign. They were 4-0 down at the break, with the league leaders dominant.
They improved after the break, a great goal from top of the circle by Rachel Perkins, followed by some excellent work from midfielder Amber Wild, enabled Kate Woolley to pull the score back to 5-2. A fightback failed to materialise though, as Huntingdon added a sixth late on.
LONG SUTTON LADIES’ 1st 1
CAMBRIDGE UNI 2nd 1
REBECCA Kierman’s goal earned Sutton a draw in an entertaining contest.
Playing some good attacking hockey, Kierman opened the scoring when she lifted the ball over the keeper.
There was an element of controversy about the Cambridge leveller, as they scored from a short corner that appeared to not leave the D before the shot was put away.
SPALDING POACHERS 3rd 2
ST NEOTS 3rd 1
POACHERS moved up to second in the table after seeing off one of their chief rivals.
After a goalless first half, St Neots took the lead against the run of play.
But some battling midfield play from Sam Maltby and Phelicia Moore allowed Elaine Allen the chance to fire Spalding level.
It was end-to-end stuff, but Poachers grabbed the winning goal when excellent passing from Frances Dalton and Sam Campbell picked out Beth Devey, who hammered home her first ever league goal.