An unbeaten home record lasting nearly five months is fuelling Stamford’s fight for survival in the Southern League Premier Division Central.
The Daniels – who were last defeated on home soil in mid-November when they went down to a 3-0 reversal against Worcester City – were 1-0 winners against Quorn on Easter Monday to remain outside the relegation zone with four matches of their campaign remaining.
Stamford had actually slipped back into the bottom four before the start of their game following St Ives’ win at Royston Town in the early kick-off.
Alex Collard. Photo: Rob O’Brien
However, they were back out of the drop zone within two hours as a goal from Alex Collard defeated their play-off chasing visitors who finished the match with nine men after a double dismissal.
The Daniels made just one change to their starting line-up following the defeat at Halesowen on Good Friday with Oran Jackson coming in for Jake Duffy.
Billy Bennett was also included in the Stamford squad for the first time this season on the substitutes’ bench to face a Quorn side who were without ex-Daniels frontman Jack Duffy.
Stamford started the brighter of the two teams and enjoyed the lion’s share of the opening half against their play-off chasing visitors.
Leon Lobjoit fired an early shot wide of the Quorn goal before his cross was turned home by Kai Sanchez-Tonge only for the effort to be disallowed for offside.
Visiting goalkeeper Adam Harrison then made a good save at full stretch to tip over a Lobjoit shot before another good Stamford move saw the striker combine with Mike Armstrong to tee up Sanchez-Tonge whose close range shot was blocked.
Lobjoit then sent a first-time volley over the crossbar after being picked out by Sanchez-Tonge before Stamford made the deserved breakthrough.
Quorn had cleared the initial Stamford set piece but it was returned into the penalty where Collard steered home the opening goal to give the Daniels a one-goal lead to take into the interval.
Stamford brought on Connor Bartle for Joe Burgess at the break and were soon back on the offensive with George Hobbins curling a shot just wide after a teasing run.
Lobjoit then went close again as his shot rolled agonisingly wide of an unguarded net after goalkeeper Harrison had come out of his area and skied an attempted headed clearance.
The visitors were winning more than their fair share of set pieces in the second half with Mason Frizelle heading wide from a corner and Finn O’Boyle whipping a shot past the far post as they continued to probe for an equaliser.
Stamford could have doubled their advantage midway through the second half but Josh Cavallo shot over when well-placed after Lobjoit’s initial effort had been well saved by Harrison.
Quorn were then reduced to 10 men with 20 minutes remaining when Luke Cox was sent off after hauling down Lobjoit as the Stamford striker broke clear.
And he was soon followed down by the tunnel four minutes later by O’Boyle who was dismissed for violent conduct after retaliating to a Hobbins challenge.
It left Quorn to go for broke in a bid to salvage something from the game in the latter stages and Zak Goodson blazed a shot over after a strong run.
Stamford looked to exploit the gaps at the back and Sanchez-Tonge went close while Harrison made a superb save to claw away a deflected strike from Challinor before the game entered seven minutes of stoppage time.
Bartle blasted another effort just over as Stamford safely saw out the final exchanges to claim another vital victory in their fight for survival.
Stamford: T Jackson, Armstrong, Wilson, Keeble, O Jackson (Cashmore), Collard, Burgess (Bartle), Hobbins, Sanchez-Tonge (Frew), Lobjoit (Challinor), Cavallo (Bennett). Attendance: 430.
