In appalling weather conditions, trying to play football was really difficult with a strong wind blowing and driving rain.
Stamford playing with the wind in the first half had a couple of early chances with Joe Boachie and Ryan Seal going close but neither troubling Charlie Taylor in the Loughborough goal.
With ten minutes gone, the home side appealed for a penalty when former Daniels player Ryan Robbins went down under a challenge from Henry Eze, but the referee was not interested and waved play on. A few minutes later Robbins had a shot on goal, but this was blocked by the Daniels defence.
On the half hour mark, the home side almost took the lead through fortunate circumstances. The ball was crossed from the left and the ball was cut off by Eze, but the ball headed goal wards and Dan Haystead had to make a sharp save to prevent an own goal.
Seal had a shot from a free-kick a few minutes later but this was comfortably held by the Loughborough keeper.
In the second half, the weather did not improve, and chances were limited for both sides.
The decisive point of the game came just after the hour mark. Haystead came to collect the ball but Josh Riley beat the Daniels stopper to the ball and Haystead brought down the Loughborough number 10.
Karl Demidh stepped up and sent Haystead the wrong way to score the only goal of the game.
Stamford continued to find a way back into the game, but the conditions were making it difficult to put any kind of passing move together. With twenty minutes remaining, manager Graham Drury introduced new signing Christian Enermadu as they looked to get the goal back.
The home side then had a chance to double their lead when Jared Holmes hit a fierce shot from 25 yards but Haystead was able to claim the easily.
Both sides created limited chances of what remained of the game and once the final whistle went both sides headed for the relative warmth of the dressing rooms.
# | Team | Pl | Pts |
9. | Belper Town | 38 | 59 |
10. | Marske United | 38 | 58 |
11. | Stamford | 38 | 50 |
12. | Frickley Athletic | 38 | 48 |
13. | Stocksbridge Park Steels | 38 | 43 |
14. | Lincoln United | 38 | 43 |
15. | AFC Mansfield | 38 | 42 |