First Division South semi-finals review

But play-offs have a habit of producing different outcomes. However, AFC Rushden & Diamonds and Stocksbridge Park Steels weren`t quite able to achieve notable away wins in their semi-final ties at Spalding United and Witton Albion.

In front of a crowd of 448 at the Sir Halley Stewart Field, the Tulips were the dominant side in the opening period against a Steels side who were the form horse coming into the game. But the Yorkshire side were grateful to goalkeeper David Reay for keeping the scoreline blank early on with two or three decent saves.

But two minutes before half-time he was beaten when Nathan Stainfield was brought down in the box and Matt Varley converted the resultant penalty. However, the lead was cancelled out just two minutes after the break as Stocksbridge equalised when a long-range effort hit the bar and Richard Stirrup reacted quickest to bundle the ball home from close range.

The Tulips regained the lead after 63 minutes when Stainfield crossed for Lee Beeson to head powerfully past Reay at the far post. Steels were back on level terms though 12 minutes from time when Harrison Biggins’ in-swinging free-kick evaded everyone and nestled in the bottom far corner of the net.

Beeson almost snatched victory for Spalding in normal time but it was into extra-time to see who would go into the weekend`s season finale. It was cagey stuff in overtime and then two minutes before the end of the first period of extra-time, Spalding scored a crucial third goal when Jonathan Lockie remained composed to beat Reay at his near post.

AFC Rushden & Diamonds suffered play-off agony a year ago when they lost to St Ives Town in the EVO-STIK League Southern Division One Central final and they suffered again in Tuesday night's other semi-final.

Switched to the EVO-STIK NPL, they travelled to Cheshire to take on a Witton Albion side who had beaten them twice in the regular season and a crowd of 580 witnessed a game that the home side dominated for long periods and, had it not been for a superb performance by Diamonds` keeper Matt Finlay, would have won more comfortably.

Finlay produced a string of fine saves to keep the scoreline blank by half-time, with saves from Tom Owens` header and an Anthony Brown effort being especially noteworthy. The deadlock was finally broken nine minutes into the second half when Rob Hopley bravely finished with Finlay coming out to dive at his feet.

The game was effectively over for Diamonds just past the hour-mark when they had Dan Quigley sent-off for a lunge at Steven Tames but they battled hard to get back into it and came close to taking the game into extra-time with close calls from Tom Lorraine and Sam Brown.

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