Spalding United moved 16 points clear at the top of the UCL Premier Division after a scrappy 1-0 win over Cogenhoe United on Saturday, while Deeping Rangers won 2-1 at Harborough Town and Holbeach United lost 5-3 at Kempston Rovers.
It was far from pretty at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field, but runaway leaders Spalding got the job done to complete back-to-back league wins over one of their title rivals.
Cogenhoe, wounded from a 5-2 home reverse the week before, started the better of the two teams and went close when talented striker Tom Liversedge fired an outside of the boot effort wide early on.
Michael Duggan was then forced to deny Chris Griffin with an instinctive low save as the visitors threatened to go ahead.
But it was the Tulips who broke the deadlock on 15 minutes - and their goal just about summed up the game overall.
A blasted Jamie Thurlbourne free-kick was gathered by Nathan Stainfield, who dug out a low drive that somehow squirmed under the body of Matt Finlay and into the net.
Spalding enjoyed their best spell of the entire game after grabbing the opener, with Mark Jones unable to convert a geat near-post opportunity and Lewis Webb seeing a fine effort saved by Finlay.
It was even quieter after the break, with chances at a premium. Jones did see a 25-yard effort palmed away by Finlay, while Stainfield headed a presentable chance from a corner over.
Cogenhoe carried a threat for much of the half, but failed to convert any of their possession in chances as Spalding saw the game out pretty comfortably.
It’s now 23 wins out of 24 games for Pat Rayment’s side, who are back in Sir Halley Stewart action against Boston Town in the UCL Knockout Cup on Tuesday night (7.45pm).
Elsewhere, Deeping moved back into third place with a hard-fought success at basement boys Harborough.
A Spencer Tinkler penalty (11) and a Dan Flack strike (23) were enough for Rangers, who shipped a consolation in the final minute.
Deeping now look forward to hosting Grantham Town in the quarter-finals of the Lincs FA Senior Trophy on Tuesday night (7.45pm).
Holbeach, meanwhile, suffered their first loss in exactly a month and slip to tenth in the table, with conquerors Kempston leapfrogging above them.
The Tigers trailed 3-1 at half-time, having levelled through an own goal on 31 minutes.
Tommy Treacher (51) did make it 3-2 early in the second half, before two more Rovers efforts put the hosts out of sight.
There was a late consolation for Ian Dunn when he buried a Frazer Bayliss cross, but it mattered little for Glen Maddison’s men - who are next in action at home to Desborough Town next Saturday (3pm).
In UCL Division One, Bourne Town’s date with Wellingborough Whitworth was one of a number of games to fall victim to the wet weather.
There was more postponements in the ChromaSport Peterborough League, with the Premier Division games involving Moulton Harrox, Pinchbeck United, Crowland Town and Deeping Rangers Reserves all off.
The Division One match between Sutton Bridge United and Langtoft United did go ahead, with visitors Langtoft claiming a 1-0 success.
See Tuesday’s edition of the Lincolnshire Free Press for more on the weekend football.
RESULTS
• UCL Premier Division: AFC Kempston Rovers 5 Holbeach United 3; Boston Town 0 Huntingdon Town 5; Harborough Town 1 Deeping Rangers 2; Newport Pagnell Town 3 Long Buckby 2; Northampton Sileby Rangers 1 Stewarts & Lloyds Corby 1; Peterborough Northern Star 2 Sleaford Town 3; Spalding United 1 Cogenhoe United 0; Yaxley 2 Desborough Town 0.
• UCL Division One: Harrowby United 5 Blackstones 1; Oadby Town 9 Buckingham Town 1; Olney Town 3 Bugbrooke St Michaels 2; Rushden and Higham United 5 Woodford United 0.
• FA Vase (selected): AFC Rushden & Diamonds 0 St Andrews 2; Ashington AFC 1 Wisbech Town 2.
• ChromaSport Peterborough League: Premier Division: King’s Lynn Town Res 7 Sawtry 0; Netherton United 3 Leverington Sports 2.
Division One: AFC Stanground 2 Ryhall United 0; Sutton Bridge United 0 Langtoft United 1.
Division Two: Baston 3 Ramsey Town Res 1; Crowland Town Reserves 1 Pinchbeck United Reserves 1; Long Sutton Athletic Res 1 Oakham United Res 2.
Division Three: Stilton United Res 2 Ryhall United Res 1; Thorney Reserves 1 Parkway Eagles 0.
Division Four: AFC Peterborough 1 Glinton United 3; Stamford Belvedere Res 2 Pinchbeck United A 3; Tydd St Mary 2 Spalding Town 5.
Division Five: Oundle Town Res 2 Rutland DR 2; Parkside Athletic Res 1 Bretton North End 11; Parkway Eagles Res 0 Huntingdon Sun 6; Thorpe Wood Rangers 3 Powerleague 4.
• PFA Senior Cup: Whittlesey United 4 Uppingham Town 1.
• PFA Challenge Cup: Langtoft United Res 1 Warboys Town 1 (pens 5-4); Peterborough ICA Sports Reserves 1 Netherton United Res 1; Guyhirn 6 Whittlesey United Res 2.
• Intermediate Shield: Parkside 0 Peterborough ICA Sports A 6.
• PFA Junior Cup: Warboys Town Res 0 Ketton Reserves 6.
• PFA Minor Cup: Ryhall United A 0 Eye United 6.
• Boston and District League: TBC