Jack Duffy scores the winning goal as Stamford AFC defeat AFC Sudbury in the Southern League Premier Division Central
Jack Duffy made a goalscoring return from injury as Stamford got back to winning ways with victory over AFC Sudbury on Saturday.
The Daniels' top marksman has been sidelined for the last three Southern League Premier Division Central clashes after sustaining an injury in the recent defeat to Harborough Town.
He came back as a second half substitute at the Zeeco Stadium on Saturday and, within 17 minutes of his introduction, had scored the match-clinching goal in a 1-0 home success.
Goalkeeper Tom Jackson then saved a Sudbury penalty to ensure victory for Stamford after back-to-back league losses.
Manager Graham Drury was full of praise for both match-winners at opposite ends of the pitch as Stamford moved above near neighbours Spalding and back into seventh spot.
He said: "It was fantastic to have Jack back and he's done really well to get fit because his ankle was a mess.
"He's done everything right and stuck to the programme and it was fantastic to have him notching for us again.
"We were then indebted to Tom for making the penalty save.
"He does his own homework on the strikers and has made a great save so it isn't about luck because it was brilliance from our goalkeeper."
Drury had made just one change to his starting line-up from the defeat at AFC Telford last weekend with Tendai Chitiza coming in for Lee Shaw.
In a first half of few chances, Chitiza had gone closest to breaking the deadlock with a half-volley fired at Sudbury goalkeeper James Bradbrook from Richard Gregory's cross.
The visitors' best opening fell to Myles Cowling who steered a shot over the home crossbar from Joe Neal's low centre as the opening period finished goalless.
Chitiza sent a header wide from Cosmos Matwasa's cross after the break while Tom Dickens did likewise for Sudbury from a set piece.
Stamford sent on Duffy and Shaw as the game reached the hour mark and they came close to scoring when George Hobbins rattled the upright with a shot.
The breakthrough then arrived when Jordon Cooke's header fell to Duffy after a scramble and he smashed home the opening goal.
The visitors then had a way back into the contest with seven minutes remaining when they were awarded a penalty following a foul in the area but Jackson saved superbly from Neal's spot kick.
The home goalkeeper then made another crucial stop in injury-time to secure a much-needed victory for the Daniels.
Drury added: "Sudbury are an awkward side to play against because of their rotations and movement in midfield.
"You have to work really hard to be switched on and concentrated and I felt we did that well in the first half.
"Our intensity in the final third wasn't quite sharp enough in the first half so we had to up that and the substitutions gave us that bit of energy and pace.
"We needed to find that winning way after losing the last two games and it was about getting that monkey off our back after the last two defeats.
"It has given us a little platform to build from again."
Stamford travel to face Bromsgrove Sporting on Saturday.