Premier Division

Deeping Rangers  2    Stotfold  3

Saturday, 08 August 2009

Gordon Bickerstaff started his career as Stotfold first team manager with an excellent win in an entertaining Outgang Road encounter.

Eagles debutant Leon Gutzmore gave his side a second minute advantage, reacting smartly to score at the second attempt after Lea Jordan saved his initial shot.

Deeping were level after five minutes when the visiting defence failed to clear Ben Porter's free kick and Dan Jacob slotted home.

Jimmy Dean headed narrowly wide from a Porter corner while at the other end Jordan went full length to turn away a low shot from the overlapping Paul Donnelly.

The lively Jacob twice went close to giving Deeping an interval lead, testing Brad Gillham with a cross shot and shooting narrowly wide after latchng on to a great pass from Lee Blewett.

The home side looked the more likely winners in the opening exchanges of the second haf with Ashley Stevens shooting narrowly wide after combining with Jacob and substitute Mark Paul shooting over from Luke Kennedy's pull back.

Stotfold regained the lead after seventy minutes, Stuart Lochhead sending Jordan the wrong way from the spt after Paul Garrett was tugged back just inside the penalty area.

Stotfold substitute Ashley Fitton shot over from close range after Garrett's knock down created the chance, but the Eagles were not to be denied and went further in front after 82 minutes. Louis Taylor worked hard to win possession by the touchline and fed Fitton whose centre was miskicked by Gutzmore but fell into the patch of Garrett who sent a cross shot across Jordan into the far corner.

Gillham thwarted Stevens with a great reflex save and then Michael Goode powered a header from a corner just over.

In the 90th minute a clever flick from Stevens send Jacob away to beat Gillham with a fierce shot from the edge of the box, and in stoppage time Stevens was inches away from making a telling connection with Goode's header forward.   

Deeping: Lea Jordan, Matt Porter, Ben Porter, Lee Blewett, Dan Holyoak (Scott Bogusz), Michael Goode, Luke Kennedy, Jimmy Dean, Ashley Stevens, Alex Phillips (Mark Paul), Dan Jacob.

Stotfold: Brad Gillham, Mark Bryant, Paul Donnelly, Luke Simkins (Tommy Hull), Michael Payne, Josh Bickerstaff, Louis Taylor (James Peters), Stuart Lochhead, Leon Gutzmore, Paul Garrett, Dean Auburn (Ashley Fitton)
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