in a game that the home side will feel they could have had something from.

The first half was competitive but both goalkeepers were rarely threatened as strong defensive performances kept their opponents at bay.

Yaxley’s Luke Hipwell was the first to attempt goal wards when he cut inside and shot at Danny Bircham in the home goal, David Cobb and JP Duncliffe combined down the right where Duncliffe got to the goal line and crossed where Jacob Joyce met but the header was high.

Duncliffe was again released down the right and his fierce cross was well defended by home full back Dan Flack to clear the danger.

At the other end, Matt Carter was fouled out wide and Mohammed Hamid in swinging kick had visiting keeper Aaron Butcher at full stretch to tip away from the top corner. From the corner Hamid’s kick found David Burton-Jones whose pass was fielded by Spencer Tinkler to supply a deep cross to the far post where Butcher tipped the ball onto the advancing Hamid and the ball went across the face of the goal and was cleared.

The Cuckoo’s swift raids were always a threat and Duncliffe was prominent, he capitalised when Deeping gave the ball away to cross for Scott Carter to meet but he pulled his shot wide of the far post.

A Dan Cotton corner saw Carter head over.

Rangers were growing in confidence, a defence splitting pass from Hamid played in Flack behind the visitors back line only to see his cross cut out by Gav Cooke - Matt Carter’s super control and inside pass deserved something other than an offside against Flack.

Deeping’s best chance came as Flack found Hamid to advance into the box where the ball was played into the path of Tom Palmer only for the youngster to hit tamely goal wards.

Half Time – Deeping Rangers 0 Yaxley 0

The visitors started the second half strongly, Cotton won the ball from Flack and advanced down the left, he was slowed by Tinkler and when he crossed Flack was back to cut out the danger, on the other wing Cobb picked on the edge of the box and curled a shot that was inches over the bar.

Rangers’ stylish Palmer played in Carter whose control set up a shooting chance only to see Hipwell in the way for the visitors, from the Scott Ginty Corner, Tinkler had a free header just over.

With the game end to end, Yaxley’s Liam Hook freed Cotton whose rasping shot was well taken by Bircham while a swift Deeping break saw Hamid and Ginty combine to play in Tom Smith to shoot without troubling Butcher, Ginty then set up Hamid but again the shot was high.
Joyce the wriggled free some 30 yards out, turned a blasted goal wards that saw Bircham at full stretch to tip away.

The Cuckoo’s veteran Ricky Hailstone made the breakthrough on 64 mins – he collected the ball just outside the box and shot where the ball deflected off a Rangers defender and looped over the retreating Bircham and went just under the bar to follow the line of the net.

Deeping responded well and Ginty freed sub Liam Tunstall whose shot was straight at Butcher, and then same players were involved but Tunstall wasted the chance with a poor cross.

Rangers’ task was made worse on 75 mins, a swift Yaxley move saw Cotton heading towards goal where the covering Flack attempted a challenge and was adjudged to have fouled and being last man the referee issued the red card.

Yaxley made the most of the extra man and sealed the win in additional time – a back pass to Bircham was intercepted the quick Dan Cotton who rounded the keeper and slid into an empty net.

This was harsh on the home side but teams in the top three at this time of the season are there for a reason and the Cuckoo’s showed why they are challengers, while for Deeping the youngsters, and the older hands, gave a good account of themselves that should show benefit in future games.

Full Time – Deeping Rangers 0 Yaxley 2