East Div 3NW

Spalding 2nd XI (0) v Market Deeping 1st XI (3)

Deeping were inebriated with the exuberance of their own virtuosity for the first half of this game and while they attempted to play total hockey they seemed to forget to shoot when in the Spalding D. As their efforts grew ever more ornate, they pushed up too far and started to get caught at the back. Keeper Jason Purllant found himself facing one-on-one situations and even two-on-ones and Deeping were lucky to escape as Spalding usually know how to finish.

As often happens after a half-time talk sanity returned eventually and Paul Tancred opened the scoring from a short corner. He doubled the lead shortly afterwards, after hitting the keeper's pads, the post and finally the back of the net.

Andy Kind got the third to make the points safe. Deeping stay third as the break approaches and will have to beat Cambridge City and Peterborough next year to have hopes of promotion.

East Div 5NW

Market Deeping 2nd XI (8) v Horncastle 2nd XI (1)

Despite the score Deeping started this game unpromisingly, when the usually immaculate Jeremy Phipps banged a free hit straight to the opposition centre forward, who ran back into the D and blasted it past keeper Ray Isaacs. Phipps promptly went back down the other end and netted the first of his two goals from a short corner. The goal machine Steve Waters was destined not to add to his healthy season's total in this game, but he did take advantage of some excellent umpiring to bounce through two lethal-looking high tackles before pulling the ball back for Paul Byrne to score in an open net.

Deeping now ran riot, taking advantage of some superb passing from midfielder Graham Barnes. Skipper Mike Gregson finished off a slick move by lifting over the prostrate keeper, and Phipps struck a second short corner goal. Then it was Magnus Windsor's turn to shrug off the stick tackles before passing to Gregson in loads of space. His soft but accurate shot trickled past a jumping Muddy Waters into the net. The stroke of half time saw another short corner awarded, and the defence came up to join the attack. Dan Medd pounced on Phipps' shot and deflected it in.

Deeping went to sleep a little in the second half, and Isaacs came steaming out to win a one-on-one with a Horncastle winger.

Deeping gradually regained control but with Phipps resting a twisted ankle, they couldn't score from a succession of short corners. Gregson finally completed his hat trick tidying up a messy goalmouth scramble by flicking over the keeper again, and Paul Byrne smashed home his second from the top of the D. Deeping go back to top of 5NW but have a huge game with second-placed Peterborough Town next week.

East Div 7NW

March Town 5th XI (2) v Market Deeping 3rd XI (2)

Unbeaten Deeping were rattled by a competent and lively March Town team who played to an excellent match plan and took advantage of defensive errors. After a close first ten minutes when Deeping had their chances, a horrendous error by centre-back Steve Windsor let March in for the softest of goals.

Somewhat against the run of play Simon Taylor then produced a wonder goal to equalise. He dragged the ball left across a packed D before unleashing a perfect reverse stick lob over the small but excellent March keeper. An umpiring error then left Deeping flat-footed and they conceded another soft goal from a bobbling deflection at a short corner.

Despite niggling injuries and out of form players, Deeping did better in the second half, while March scorned a couple of good chances, leaving the persistent Jack Seaton to score a hotly disputed equaliser with ten minutes left. On balance they just about deserved it, but despite Deeping's five point lead in the league, this should be a wake-up call.