Bartle's stoppage time strike secured a 1-0 home success over Bishop's Stortford which elevated the Daniels back up into fifth spot on an afternoon where most of their promotion rivals dropped points. AFC Telford and Spalding shared the spoils as did Bedford Town and Harborough while Stratford draw at Redditch with Kettering being held at home by lowly Hitchin.

Stamford made three changes to their starting line-up from last weekend's home draw with Kettering as Billy Bennett, Kai Tonge and Elliott Durrell came in for Connor Bartle, Tendai Chitiza and Lee Shaw.

The visitors arrived in 14th place in the table and shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw with Stamford in the reverse fixture in August. Buoyed by last week's late leveller against Kettering, Stamford started on the front foot as a deft pass from Jack Duffy came close to releasing Tonge.

Ben Isaacson then swept a cracking Crossfield pass to Tonge who cut inside before driving his shot over the crossbar. Tonge then turned provider as he flicked the ball on into the path of Duffy whose header beat Elliott Krasniqi in the Blues' goal only to rebound back off the post.

Ashton Offler had a header deflected wide from a Bennett set-piece before Krasniqi clawed away a low strike from George Hobbins as Stamford continued to look for a breakthrough which proved elusive as the first half drew to a close.

Stamford came out for the second half with the same intentions and Bennett saw a dangerous early cross scrambled away by the visitors. The Blues then had their best two chances of the game so far as Jordon Cooke was forced to clear off the line from a Luka Chalwell shot while Mark Haines hit the upright from close range after goalkeeper Tom Jackson had blocked the initial effort.

Jackson then palmed away a free kick from Cole DaSilva as Stortford continued their resurgence after the break. The Stamford goal was starting to lead a charmed life and Jake Thompson then rattled the crossbar with a close-range header. Bartle, Shaw, Chitiza and Joao Varela were all introduced with the latter winning a corner with his trickery which saw James Blunden head wide from the set piece.

Stortford substitute Presley Evans stabbed a good chance straight at Jackson before Stamford broke and Bartle fired wide from a good opening. Bartle then saw another well-struck effort blocked with Isaacson rising to meet the resultant set piece only to head wide.

It looked like time was running out for Stamford until Varela's cross picked out Bartle in the penalty area and he drove home the last-gasp winner in the third minute of stoppage time.