LATE CHITIZA SHOW KEEPS THE DANIELS DREAMING
STAMFORD edged a competitive Lincolnshire derby to consolidate second position in the division on a very windy afternoon at Linden.
Both sides had half-chances in the opening phase, but it was to be the visitors that moved ahead in the 17th minute. Cosmos Matwasa swung in a teasing cross from the right flank and captain Sean Wright rose high to power home a header from six yards.
Cleethorpes battled back and were desperately unlucky not to level with the clock ticking towards the interval.
Curtis Bateson saw an effort skim the crossbar from a narrow angle and then, in the next attack, top-scorer Scott Vernon was left cursing the frame of the goal, as Stamford keeper Dan Haystead superbly tipped his bullet header onto the woodwork.
Town, playing with a strong wind in the second-half, began to pin the visitors in the final third and full-back Sam Topliss produced a very dangerous cross that was eventually hacked clear.
However, substitute Caine Winfarrah did provide the leveller on 67 minutes. The recent signing drove the ball into the corner following a scramble in the area. At this stage, Cleethorpes looked the most likely winner and Winfarrah side-footed just wide.
Having weathered the storm though, Stamford dug deep and underlined their promotion credentials by scoring the decisive third near the end.
Tendai Chitiza, a thorn in the side for the home defence, picked up the ball in space and showed composure to curl the beyond Richardson.