A MEMORABLE DAY AS BALDOCK TOWN SHOCK THE SAINTS TO PICK UP THREE WELL DESERVED POINTS

If local bookmakers were offering odds for this game prior to kick off St Panteleimon, who were second in the table, would of been odd's on favourites to win against Baldock Town who sat in sixteenth. The visitors had won their last three league games with the hosts losing their last four.  However, Baldock had beaten The Saints earlier in the season winning 1-3 back on Saturday 10th December. 

It was a full-blooded affair with tackles flying in from both sides watched by a crowd of 69 people on a chilly afternoon on the Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire border. 

TACKLES FLYING IN!!

@thecoldendofficial #Grassrootsfootball #nonleaguefootball #nonleague #football #Soccer #tackles #TheRoystonClub ♬ Blisters - The Royston Club

 The first real chance fell to former Reading, Wycombe Wanderers and Colchester United striker Dean Morgan who was played through on goal by the St Panteleimon's talented midfielder Guilherme Monti - Morgan's shot beat Baldock keeper Josh Mollison but rattled the bottom of the post. 

The real talking point of the game came midway through the first half when St Panteleimon had a real shout for a penalty - see the footage below with the consensus being it should of been a spot kick from the people who have viewed it on social media although some say it was normal football contact and play on. 

The visitors had given away a number of free kicks around their penalty box and it was only a matter of time that one may prove fruitful for Dave McAdam's side. On 38 minutes former Dunstable Town and AFC Dunstable player Newman Carney curled a free kick into the corner of the net to make it 1-0. Mollison made an impressive save shortly after by tipping a shot from outside of the box over the bar to keep the score at 1-0 at half time. 

DEAN MORGAN & NEWMAN CARNEY WERE BOTH ON THE SCORESHEET 

It was 2-0 just after half time when Harry Dollimore's first shot was well saved but the former Hitchin Town and Letchworth Garden City midfielder followed up to score on his debut for Baldock. 

Morgan scored a late goal to make the last five minutes nervier than they should of been for the home side but it was they who held out for a memorable win. 

The defeat puts a dent in The Saint's title hopes - they could of already been defined as having an 'outside chance' prior to the game given the amount of games Leighton Town have in hand. The current top four in the table is shown below - the title winners are promoted to step four with the runner's up qualifying for one of the step four/five play off matches. 

Baldock Town's next fixture is a local derby on Tuesday evening when Shefford Town and Campton visit before a trip to in-form Cockfosters next Saturday - The North London side have won five of their last six league games. 

The future looks bright for Baldock Town as three of their u18s squad were involved in this game with their u15s reaching the County Cup final and u16s winning though to the County Cup semi-final also this weekend. 

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS - SHORT 

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS - LONG 

SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE 

PREMIER DIVISION CURRENT TABLE -TOP FOUR ONLY  

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF-GA	GD	PTS	FORM	POSS PTS
1.	STOTFOLD	28	17	8	3	53-24	+29	59	WWDWLW	89
2.	LEIGHTON TOWN	23	17	3	3	62-22	+40	54	WWLWWW	99
3.	ST PANTELEIMON	30	16	5	9	50-40	+10	53	WDWWWL	77
4.	DUNSTABLE TOWN	26	15	7	4	49-22	+27	52	WDWWWL	88

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES FOR THE TOP FOUR 

Tuesday 7th March

Biggleswade United v Dunstable Town  

Potton United v Leighton Town 

Stotfold v Hoddesdon Town 

Thursday 9th March

Biggleswade United v Leighton Town 

Saturday 11th March

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos v Stotfold 

Dunstable Town v Colney Heath 

Leighton Town v London Colney 

St Panteleimon v Ardley United (@ Potters Bar Town)

Tuesday 14th March 

Dunstable Town v Leighton Town 

St Panteleimon v Arlesey Town (@ Hertford Town) 

Saturday 18th March 

Dunstable Town v Risborough Rangers 

Leverstock Green v Stotfold 

Shefford Town & Campton v Leighton Town