Grantham Town Under 16s beat Corby Town in the Junior Premier League

Grantham Town Under 16s moved within two points off top spot in the NPC Midlands Division of the Junior Premier League with victory on Saturday.

The young Gingerbreads were 2-1 home winners over Corby Town and now sit third in the division.

Corby had arrived in second spot and were unbeaten since October so Grantham fully expected a difficult challenge and knew a good start to the game was vital.

The home side duly asserted themselves from the off and really should have been out of sight by half-time.

The clearest early opportunity came when Rhys Stevens was sent clear to lob the keeper, only to see his effort bounce back off the far post.

However, Grantham did take the lead when Lennon Stones played the ball in behind the full-back for Aston Taylor to replicate Stevens' lobbed effort, but this time the ball hit the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.

Stones himself then struck the upright from close range following a scrambled set piece and Stevens drove a low effort just wide from the corner of the box.

Corby responded with a powerful shot from distance that flew over the bar before normal service resumed as Nikolas Adamopoulos had two long range efforts.

Firstly, after winning the ball in midfield, he struck a shot over the top and then he lined up a free-kick from 25-yards that curled agonisingly wide of the left hand post .

Just before the break, Harley Webster found a yard of space in the box but his subsequent effort missed the target.

The second half started in the same vein as the first as Webster threaded a ball through for Henry Thomas but his prodded effort was blocked bravely by the on-rushing goalkeeper.

Then, in one moment, the game threatened to turn on its head.

Grantham lost the ball in midfield and Corby’s number 10 looked up to loft a shot from 40 yards over keeper Harri Bexon and into the net.

The visitors were buoyed by the goal and applied pressure to the Gingerbreads backline.

For the following 10 minutes, Grantham struggled to pick up the second balls and were losing out on their midfield duals.

It seemed to be a case of them trying to ride the storm until their composure could be restored.

To their credit Grantham then responded in the best way possible as Adamopoulos flicked the ball into the corner of the net following a goalmouth scramble to make it 2-1 to the home side.

Corby however, maintained their pressure on the Gingerbread defence as they went in search of the equaliser and this time they did start to create good opportunities.

A free-kick from 25 yards looked to be heading for the top corner but a save at full stretch from keeper Bexon wonderfully denied the goal.

Bexon had to be alert moments later as a cross from the right was headed towards goal but again he was equal to it to push the ball away to safety.

Another Corby shot, this time a low drive from distance, was handled well by Bexon as he dived down to his right to gather.

As Corby pushed hard in the dying minutes of the game, Grantham defended resolutely to keep them at bay and take the three points.