With league leaders Stotfold showing no signs of letting their healthy lead at the top slip, Deeping hammered another nail in Blackstones' championship coffin with a deserved victory.

Despite missing suspended top scorer Danny Matson and the dependable defensive duo of Michael Goode and John-Paul Duncliffe, Rangers showed that they aim to end their reign as champions with a flourish.

Boss Tuncay Korkmaz said: "It wasn't our aim to harm the chances of a local team winning the title because we had our own agenda of getting a good result so that we can end the season on a high.

"I don't think anybody can complain about the result because we deserved it. We were very resolute in defence and adventurous in attack and the players deserve full credit.

"We had a point to prove because we haven't had the consistency this season to be challenging for the title and it was one of our best performances of the season.

"The result highlights what we are capable of even if we were missing three of our most consistent players this season."

Stones' preparations were also hampered by an injury to regular goalkeeper Ian Flavell in Saturday's draw at Long Buckby.

Reserve team custodian Richard Stainsby took over between the sticks and he kept Stones on level terms in the opening period with a penalty save from Michael Stevenson's spot kick.

Dan Cotton had been adjudged to have handled David Cobb's 13th minute into cross in the box, but Stainsby came to Stones' rescue by diving low to his right to turn away Stevenson's effort.

The penalty was the only real clear-cut chance of the opening period as defences tended to dominate.

Trevor Smith got in a good block tackle to deny Stevenson as he was about to shoot before being forced off with a hamstring injury.

Kevin Ainslie fired two free-kicks straight at Danny Bircham in the Rangers goal while Stainsby was in the right place to thwart Richard Thompson as he turned Stevenson's cross-shot goalwards.

Cotton twice flashed shots wide after the break before Cobb sent a dipping effort just over the home crossbar.

Cobb was a constant thorn for the home side and, when he was fouled by Stebbing after 61 minutes, his curling free-kick was glanced home by the head of David Cornell.

Cornell was to prove to be an unlikely match-winner for Deeping as the centre-back doubled their lead eight minutes later.

Lee Ellison flicked Scott Woods' free-kick goalwards and, although Stainsby made a super stop at full stretch by tipping the header onto the crossbar, Cornell was on hand to nod home the rebound.

Stones' fate was sealed with 12 minutes remaining when Cobb's cross was laid off by Andy Ellis for Mark Baines to rifle home.

Blackstones: Stainsby, Blowers, Smith (Watson 16), Sheehan, Jones, Lodge, Cotton, Challinor (Stevens 77), Kuhne, Stebbing, Ainslie.

Deeping: Bircham, Kingston, Woods, Stevenson, Cornell, Porter, Baines (Bettinson 81), Ellison, Thompson (Ellis 66), Weston, Cobb (Korkmaz 84).

Match sponsor: O2. Ball sponsor: Tony Lilley.

Rangers have lost the services of experienced defender Lee Howarth who has been appointed assistant manager at Southern League Premier Division side Bedford Town.