Dan Parkinson’s penalty combined with two excellent saves by Charlie Cottrell helped Stansfeld to close in on the Southern Counties East Football League Division One title at the expense of Lewisham Borough. 

It was far from a classic, but the visitors ground out the victory that they needed to take them nine points clear of Sutton Athletic.

Parkinson had the first goal effort with a free kick that he blasted well over then Lewisham were awarded a free kick at the other end. Ahioseh Davies fired it into the wall, and it came out to Montel Williams whose shot was also blocked.

Macey Malyon poked wide for Stansfeld before Michael Amponsah netted for the Boro but the whistle had already been blown for an earlier infringement.

The all important goal came midway through the first half. Billy Parkinson was bundled over in the penalty area and brother Dan sent Jake Haskins the wrong way from the penalty spot.

Raphael President shot from wide, but Cottrell smothered it before the Lewisham player got in behind, but Cottrell came out sharply to make a great save. President finished the first half in the sin-bin for an ill advised comment to referee Paul Greenfield.

After the half time break Dan Parkinson shot well over before he smashed a free kick from fully forty yards high into the night sky.

Bryan Zepo out muscled his man and broke away before squaring across the face of goal, but it took a horrible bobble as Davies looked certain to equalise and he could only balloon it over.

Another great chance came and went for the hosts when Aiden Odwyer sent President through but once again, Cottrell made an outstanding save to keep his team ahead.

Odwyer then made an important intervention at the other end with a brave header out to thwart Rob Curtis as he tried to finish from Dan Parkinson’s whipped in free kick.

With ten minutes remaining, the hosts were reduced to ten men when Jayden Hoosang-Robinson fouled Rob Hughes. Although it was a tough tackle, the red card seemed a little harsh, especially considering other similar challenges that did not warrant the same punishment, and that it was his first foul.

Numbers were evened up for ten minutes when Casey Killilea was sin-binned but there was no further goal mouth action despite seven and a half minutes of stoppage time.

Two wins out of their last five games should be enough for Stansfeld but defeat for Lewisham means that their lingering hopes of a play-off place are probably over.

Lewisham Borough: Haskins, Hoosang-Robinson, McDonald (Adeshina 87), Williams, Amponsah, Odwyer, Davies (Adebayo 71), Chambers, Zepo, Simon-Jordan (Sama 65), President.

Unused subs: Adeshina, Reid, Cabas.

Goal scorers: None

Yellow cards: Zepo 

Sin Bin: President (43-53)

Red Card: Hoosang-Robinson

Stansfeld: Cottrell, Smith, Borland, Killilea, B. Parkinson, Curtis, Milton, D. Parkinson (Oborne 82), Friend (Walker 85), Hughes, Malyon.

Unused subs: Jeal, Minter, Shinners. 

Goal scorers:  D. Parkinson pen (23)

Yellow cards: Curtis, Malyon

Red Cards: None

Sin Bin: Killilea (83-93)

Referee: Paul Greenfield

Assistants: Esther Perry and Tarig Abdelrahman