Match report: Stamford AFC beat Redditch United in the Southern League Premier Division Central
The Daniels defied a gruelling schedule to maintain their play-off push with victory over Redditch United on Tuesday night.
Stamford secured a 2-0 success in the Southern League Premier Division Central clash in what was their fifth game in just 11 days.
The flurry of fixtures had started with a draw at Royston before they beat Biggleswade Town last Tuesday night.
A penalty shoot-out defeat in the Lincolnshire Senior Cup at Cleethorpes followed 48 hours later before Stamford shared the spoils with Lowestoft at the weekend.
Goals from Tobias Liversidge and James Blunden were then enough for victory in the midweek match at the Zeeco Stadium.
Stamford made two changes to their starting line-up following the weekend draw with Joao Varela making his first start following his arrival from Soham Town Rangers.
He was joined in the team by Tobias Liversidge as Charlie Marzano and Connor Bartle missed out, the latter being named on the substitutes' bench.
A scrappy first half saw Kai Tonge have the ball in the net for Stamford only for his effort from Lee Shaw's cross to be disallowed for offside.
The home side then lost skipper Joe Burgess to a serious looking injury after he was caught by a challenge and had to be stretched off.
It forced a reshuffle in the Stamford ranks with Stacey Freeman being introduced and Ashton Offler moving into midfield.
Offler went close to breaking the deadlock with a sweet strike which flew just wide of the Redditch goal while Liversidge was foiled by a close range save from Oliver Taylor before giving Stamford the lead shortly after in the 41st minute.
Tendai Chitiza laid the ball into Liversidge's path and he drilled home a low finish into the bottom corner from just outside the area.
It was enough to give Stamford the lead at the break with Redditch restricted to a couple of tentative efforts that were easily dealt with by home custodian Tom Jackson.
Stamford started the second half strongly and were rewarded with their second goal within seven minutes of the restart as Liversidge's back post corner was powered home by the head of Blunden.
The Daniels continued to look to add to their tally with Shaw clipping a shot wide while Jackson was smartly off his line at the other end to save at the feet of the rapid Tyrell Skeen-Hamilton.
Tonge lashed a first time shot over the Redditch crossbar before hitting another effort wide after a strong surging run.
Jack Kelly blazed a shot over from distance for the visitors but the Daniels were disciplined in their defending to restrict Redditch to very few openings as they saw out the remainder of the contest.
The victory moved Stamford to within three points of the top five having played the same amount of games as fifth-placed Halesowen Town.
Stamford: Jackson, Varela, Offler, Burgess (Freeman), Cooke, Blunden, Chitiza, Hobbins (Challinor), Tonge (Matwasa), Shaw (Bennett), Liversidge. Sub not used: Bartle.
