UCL Premier Division leaders Holbeach United produced one of their best performances of the season as they romped to a 6-1 win at Huntingdon Town on Saturday, while Spalding United eased to a 3-0 home win over Shepshed Dynamo and Deeping Rangers were held 1-1 by Yaxley.
Billed as one of the toughest games in their run-in, Holbeach would perhaps have been happy to return home from Jubilee Park with a point.
But a devastating display, inspired by a second-half hat-trick from leading scorer Andrew Tidswell, keeps the Tigers 11 points clear at the summit.
They couldn’t have made a better start, with Wes Lewis tapping in a third-minute opener after a cracking run and cross from Craig Parker.
Huntingdon were always a threat in the first period though – and they levelled when Declan Rogers curled a stunning free kick into the top corner on 45 minutes.
It failed to derail John Chand’s side however, with Tidswell netting his first from a Dan Flack cross ten minutes into the second period.
Tidswell’s second was the pick of his trio, racing down the left to lob home superbly in the 68th minute. He then wrapped up his hat-trick with a penalty (73) after winning the spot-kick himself.
With Holbeach now in dream land, a Lewis delivery allowed Mitch Griffiths to cap a super individual showing with a clinical fifth (75) before Craig Parker completed a remarkable display with the sixth direct from a corner in the final minute.
With second-placed St Ives Town mauling Blackstones 8-3, it’s as you were at the top ahead of the Easter Monday football.
Spalding, who host Holbeach on Monday, kept their outside chances of landing the title alive with a comfortable success over Shepshed at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field.
Skipper Lee Canoville, TJ Nightingale and the on-song Dan Cotton notched the goals to keep Pat Rayment’s men 17 points off top spot with four games in hand.
Meanwhile, Deeping were held by rivals Yaxley at Outgang Road. Tom James gave Tuncay Korkmaz’s charges a 15th-minute advantage from the penalty spot, only for veteran Ricky Hailstone to level matters late in the first half (44).
Down in UCL Division One, Bourne Town needed a last-gasp John Currall strike to rescue a 3-3 draw with Rothwell Corinthians. Dan Smith and Tom Waumsley had put the Wakes 2-0 ahead in the Abbey Lawn clash.
In the Peterborough and District League, Moulton Harrox moved level on points with leaders Peterborough Sports with a 2-0 win at Kings Cliffe. They was hot on the heels of Thursday’s 6-0 win at Ramsey Town.
Pinchbeck United were also winners in the top flight, seeing off Leverington Sports 3-1 at home.
Down in Division One, Long Sutton Athletic’s title hopes took a massive hit after a 5-1 battering at Thorney.
More football in Tuesday’s Lincolnshire Free Press.
RESULTS (Saturday, March 30)
• UCL Premier Division: Boston Town 2 Cogenhoe United 0; Deeping Rangers 1 Yaxley 1; Harborough Town 1 Peterborough Northern Star 1; Huntingdon Town 1 Holbeach United 6; Quorn 2 AFC Kempston Rovers 0; Spalding United 3 Shepshed Dynamo 0; St Ives Town 8 Blackstones 3.
• UCL Division One: AFC Rushden & Diamonds 2 Oadby Town 2; Bourne Town 3 Rothwell Corinthians 3; Eynesbury Rovers 4 Bugbrooke St Michaels 2; Northampton Sileby Rangers 2 Harrowby United 0; Northampton Spencer 2 Raunds Town 1; Potton United 2 Burton Park Wanderers 0; Wellingborough Whitworth 2 Rushden and Higham United 4; Wootton Blue Cross 2 Thrapston Town 6.
• Peterborough & District League: Premier Division: Kings Cliffe United 0 Moulton Harrox 2; Pinchbeck United 3 Leverington Sports 1; Ramsey Town 0 Parson Drove 5; Riverside Rovers 4 Whittlesey United 4; Whittlesey Blue Star 2 Coates Athletic 3.
Division One: Ketton 2 Hampton Sport 2; Moulton Harrox Res 0 Langtoft United 2; Netherton United Res 4 Farcet United 1; Ryhall United 1 Maccasports 1; Sutton Bridge United 0 Sawtry 8; Thorney 5 Long Sutton Athletic 1.
Division Two: Guyhirn 4 Peterborough ICA Sports Reserves 1; Peterborough Rovers Post 2 Deeping Rangers A 2.
Division Three: Baston 2 Peterborough ICA Sports A 1; Coates Athletic Reserves 5 Parkside 1; Netherton United A 5 Alconbury 3.
Division Four: Farcet United Reserves 4 Sawtry Reserves 3; Leverington Sports A 7 Wittering 2; Parkway Eagles 0 Ryhall United Reserves 1; Stamford Belvedere Reserves 0 Stilton United Reserves 1.
Division Five: Gaultree 0 Holbeach United A 3; Hampton Sport Reserves 1 AFC Peterborough 2; Ryhall United A 2 Glinton United 0.
• The Intermediate Shield: Oundle Town 3 Pinchbeck United Reserves 0; Whittlesey United Res 2 Crowland Town Res 0.
• The League Shield: Ketton Reserves 0 Riverside Rovers Reserves 1; Peterborough Giants 2 Thorney Reserves 4; Peterborough Sport Parkway A 2 Oakham United A 3.
• Boston & District League: Premier Division: Benington 0 Old Leake 3; Billinghay Athletic 5 Old Doningtonians 0; Fishtoft 1 Swineshead Institute 1; Spilsby Town 1 Wyberton 2.
Divison One: Spalding Town 0 Spalding Harriers 3; Wainfleet Utd 4 Billinghay Ath Res 3; Woodhall Spa Utd 1 Coningsby 3; Wyberton Res 1 Wrangle Utd 3.
Division Two: Coningsby Res 3 Old Doningtonians Res 3; Fosdyke 1 Kirton Town Res 1; Mareham Utd Res 1 Leverton 2; Nelson 6 Fishtoft Res 0; Ruskington Rovers 6 Park Utd 1; Sutterton 2 Westside Rangers 0.
Division Three: Burgh Utd 4 Benington Res 3; Spilsby Town Res 1 FC Hammers 0; Swineshead Res 8 Tulip 1.