Jonathon Margetts scores a hat-trick as Stamford AFC defeat Yaxley at the Zeeco Stadium
A master-class in finishing from Jonathon Margetts secured victory for the Daniels in their final home league game of the season on Saturday.
Margetts hit a hat-trick as the Northern Premier League Midlands Division champions defeated Yaxley at the Zeeco Stadium.
It virtually confirmed Margetts' status as the top goalscorer in the division for the second successive season after another goal-laden campaign on an afternoon where title-winning Stamford were presented with the league trophy.
The Daniels had made five changes to the starting line-up following the quick turn-around of fixtures after Thursday night's home match with Spalding.
Isaac Currie, Jon Challinor, Stacey Freeman, Will Mellors-Blair and Michael Frew all came into the team against a Cuckoos side now managed by ex-Blackstones boss Lloyd Burton.
There was always going to be an end of season feel about the game with Stamford already crowned champions and Yaxley relegated some weeks ago.
The Daniels, as expected, created the early openings with Challinor having an effort gathered at the second by Kasper Kurylowicz in the Yaxley goal.
Jack Duffy drove a cross-shot just past the far post before Frew broke clear but his low shot was gathered by Kurylowicz.
Frew and Mellors-Blair then linked well with the latter rifling a shot over before Margetts flashed a first-time effort past the post.
It was Stamford's top scorer who then broke the deadlock just past the half-hour mark as he was perfectly placed to convert a rebound after Kurylowicz had clawed Rob Morgan's flick-on from a long throw into his path.
Stamford came close to increasing their lead before the break as Challinor fired a well-struck effort wide from Margetts' lay-off before seeing a header held by Kurylowicz from Frew's pass.
The chances continued to come for Stamford after the break with Frew twice seeing headers saved by Kurylowicz in the opening exchanges.
The lead was then doubled in the 51st minute as Margetts scored his second of the game with another finely crafted finish as he worked himself some space in the box before curling his shot beyond Kurylowicz.
Morgan lofted another effort narrowly wide before Yaxley's best chance of the half saw Marcus Pancho's shot saved by Ben Heath who then smothered Faruq Usman's follow-up.
Stamford were soon back on the offensive and the third goal duly arrived as Margetts completed his hat-trick with another tidy finish after Frew's shot had been saved by Kurylowicz in the 68th minute.
The Yaxley goalkeeper then produced a stunning fingertip save to deny Frew as Stamford closed out the game in control of proceedings before the trophy celebrations started.
Stamford: Heath, Currie (Bartle), Challinor, Freeman (Vince), Wright, Blunden, Jack Duffy, Mellors-Blair (Jake Duffy), Frew, Margetts, Morgan. Subs not used: Burgess, Johnson.
Yaxley: Kurylowicz, Squillace, Adebayo, Stallard, Onu, Young, Usman (Dass), Bahrey (Hamill), Pancho, Acheampong (Osei-Bonsu), Wilson. Subs not used: Snelling, Tessler.
Attendance: 680.
