Grantham & District Sunday League
Division One
Long Bennington 1
Springfield AFC 2
Springfield kept the pressure on league leaders Grantham United with a hard fought win against Bennington.
The visitors started well but should have gone behind when Long Bennington were awarded a penalty. Keeper Dos Santos saved the spot kick for Springfield but was beaten by a neat lob 10 minutes before half time to give Bennington a slender lead going into the break.
Springy came out battling and drew level when Vorley sent a rocket past the stranded keeper from a tight angle.
With the game drawing to a close, both sides had decent chances and it was Springfield man-of-the-match McDonald who secured the points, lashing in from a cross by veteran Stubbs.
Springfield: Dos Santos, Duncan, Dixon, Blanchard, Stubbs, Proctor, Vorley, Howe, Sterry, McDonald, Webb, Chappell, Wilson.
Ropsley 2
Nobody Athletic 1
Ropsley had to battle hard to overcome a much-improved Nobody side by a single goal.
The home side took the lead on 20 minutes when a clearance from the goalkeeper was headed on by left-winger Paul McAllister, before Rich Healey lashed a shot into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
Nobody Inn replied immediately when Gareth Johnson beat the offside trap and was put through on goal one-on-one. The first shot was saved by Neil Graham but Johnson tucked home the rebound after a scramble in the box.
Ropsley came out for the second half keen to increase the tempo of the game and were rewarded with a goal on the hour. This time it was Ropsley’s turn to beat the offside trap as Glen O’Meara put Rich Healey through the middle. Healey cut back on to his left foot and unleashed a shot that was too hot for the Nobody keeper to handle.
Ropsley had a couple of good chances to extend their lead but the Nobody keeper made a good stop to deny Healey a hat trick, and Fiorentino missed the target late on.
Nobody Inn were always in the game but could not create a clear chance to grab an equaliser.
Neil McClory of Ropsley was booked for dissent in the closing minutes of an otherwise gentlemanly game.
Ropsley’s man of the match was centre-midfielder Chris Greenaway in what is likely to be his last game for the team.