The Northamptonshire Combination and Northampton Town League representative teams faced off in the first of a series of warm up games before their respective ties in the FA National League System Cup.
In filthy conditions, it was readily apparent that the side that adjusted quickest to the conditions would be the more successful.
Josh Winters opened the scoring for the Combination, receiving the ball from a corner and producing a smart finish.
The Town League equalised in similar fashion as the first half ended all square.
A neat passing move saw Winters double his tally on 70 minutes, before further good passing saw Ross Arundel fire home.
The difficult conditions were underlined with the fourth goal, as the Town League goalkeeper saw the wet ball squirm loose from his grasp and Reece Roe tapped in.
Duston Garage (Bosch Service) Premier Division
Michael Betts netted the winner for Milton against derby rivals Blisworth to keep his side top of the table.
Welford stayed a point behind after thumping Ringstead who drift ever closer to the drop.
Harpole’s 2-0 win over Brixworth means they stay within a point of top with two games in hand.
Weldon saw any lingering hopes of league glory all but dashed with a draw against Nomads. Jay Arnold got two for the visitors, while Ben Johnson got both of Nomads goals.
Stanion emerged victorious against Pegasus, while Roade made it 18 defeats from 18 for Heyford as they won 3-1. Fraser Bennett was on the mark for Heyford.
Duston Garage (Bosch Service) Division One
Table-toppers Earls Barton moved further clear with a 3-0 victory over Gretton thanks to goals from Lee Savings, Justin Dowling and Adam Bridgeford.
Kislingbury’s 4-1 win over Stanwick keeps alive their dreams of an immediate return to the top division.
Jamie Piggott netted twice for Finedon who recorded a first win of the season over Medbourne, while Wootton St George were 3-0 winners over Orchard Park.
Rothenberger Tools Division Two
Strip Mills’ tie with Wilby had it all. There were goals, penalties, red cards and a fightback.
Strip Mills were 4-1 up at the break with the first half featuring a penalty apiece. Strip Mills converted theirs, but Wilby failed to reduce the deficit.
Shaun Lewis completed his hat-trick ten minutes after the restart with his second penalty of the day before the day fell apart for Mills.
Two quickfire strikes put Wilby back in the game before a highly fortunate deflected effort reduced the arrears to a single goal.
A long pass set up the equaliser as Wilby pulled an unlikely draw out of the jaws of defeat.
Strip Mills’ day went from bad to worse when they were reduced to 10 men shortly after.
Paul Caswell netted two for Eagles in the win over Redstar while Old Grammarians enjoyed a bumper haul against Spratton, winning 6-1 with Cornell Haughton and Ali Oakenfell picking up five between them.
Spratton’s consolation was scored by Julian Cranston.
Daventry Comms were beaten 2-1 at Clipston.
Duston Garage (Bosch Service) Division Three
Leigh Butler netted twice to make Ferrers the only side to win at home on Saturday as they saw off Drayton Grange 3-0.
Leaders Exiles defeated West Haddon 3-1 despite George MacArthur’s strike for Haddon, while neighbours Grange Park smashed in six against rock bottom Gleneagles as they won 6-0.
Paul Linnell got three for Walgrave against Great Doddington, while Weedon won against SPA. Titchmarsh and FC Higham drew.
Duston Garage (Great Wall Cars) Reserve Premier Division
Moulton and Pegasus enjoyed big wins at the weekend.
Dan Raymond got three for Moulton who thumped Ringstead 8-1.
Also on target were Aaron Blundell (2), Jay Goodall, Dan White and Ryan Ansell.
Leon Trimble and Paul Gallacher scored three apiece for Pegasus as they beat ON Chenecks A 7-2. On the mark for Chens were Eduino Furtado and Nathan Thompson.
Blisworth defeated Harpole 3-2 while Lewis Curtis got two in Roade 3-1 win over Milton, Ali Foote getting the other.
Duston Garage (Great Wall Cars) Reserve Division One Cup
Bugbrooke B reached the final with a 3-2 victory over Welford.
Duston Garage (Great Wall Cars) Reserve Division One
George Donnelly scored twice for Everards who defeated Orchard Park 3-2, while Kislingbury overcame Old Grammarians 5-2.
Duston Garage (Great Wall Cars) Reserve Division Two
Harborough A defeated Wilby 3-1 to damage the latter’s title aspirations, although with Wollaston also dropping points against Titchmarsh, the picture remains largely unchanged.
Strip Mills put nine past Hellenic.
Duston Garage (Bosch Service) Star Award
This week’s winners are Wilby, who came back from 5-1 down to achieve an unlikely 5-5 draw with Corby Strip Mills.