March Town stuttered their way to the top of the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division with a 3-0 victory over Heacham tonight.

A second-half brace from Flo Tsaguim and a Danny Emmington cracker sent the Hares to the summit after they finally overcame the stubborn resistance of the Magpies.

But the avalanche of goals that many had predicted failed to materialise following a dogged defensive display from the visitors.

March dominated the opening 45 minutes against the managerless Magpies at the GER, but were unable to find a breakthrough.

The Hares went into the contest unbeaten on home soil, having collected an impressive 20 points from a possible 24, and in devastating goalscoring form after plundering 27 goals in their previous four league and cup outings.

Saturday’s hat-trick hero Rio Henson was unavailable due to work commitments, but March were boosted by the return of leading scorer Toby Allen from injury.

In contrast, Heacham arrived in Cambridgeshire having endured a difficult campaign, with their only victory coming courtesy of a 1-0 success at Cornard.

The visitors had a goal difference of minus 40 and had conceded 18 times in their previous five matches.

With those statistics in mind, many inside the GER may have been anticipating another goal feast – but it proved to be anything but.

The Hares almost made the perfect start when Reuben Marshall cut inside from the right after just two minutes, only to see his effort cannon back off the post.

Heacham’s Callum Robinson became the first player to enter the referee’s notebook after six minutes following a late lunge on Tsaguim.

The Hares continued to pile on the pressure and Allen was denied a dream return when visiting goalkeeper Sam Pishorn produced an excellent point-blank save to keep out his effort in the ninth minute.

March’s Evan Watkins was cautioned three minutes later, before Matty Foy narrowly failed to make the required connection with an inviting Adam Brumby cross after 14 minutes.

Allen thought he had finally broken the deadlock two minutes later when he found the back of the net, but his celebrations were cut short by an offside flag.

Despite the home side’s dominance, Heacham refused to buckle, throwing bodies in the way and producing some determined last-ditch defending to frustrate their free-scoring opponents.

Visiting defender Harvey Pightling was shown a yellow card for a challenge on Brumby after 34 minutes as March continued to search for an opener.

The woodwork came to Heacham’s rescue for a second time six minutes before the break when Foy’s header struck the post, leaving the hosts wondering just what they needed to do to find the breakthrough.

Allen’s return lasted just 45 minutes before the frontman limped off to be replaced by James Hill-Seekings at the interval.

The fact the Hares were back out early for the start of the second half was perhaps an indication that boss Ash Taylor had been far from satisfied with his side’s first-half display.

Heacham were dealt a major blow shortly after the restart when Jack Parker was stretchered off with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.

March continued to dominate proceedings but found the visitors just as difficult to break down as they had been in the opening 45 minutes.

Marshall sent an attempted cross sailing over the crossbar, while Charlie Bowen headed straight into the grateful arms of Pishorn as the Hares continued to search for that elusive breakthrough.

The lively Brumby was next to be frustrated, with Pishorn using his body to deny the March man, before a fiercely struck volley from Bowen was deflected behind for a corner as the chances continued to come and go.

With the clock ticking down, the home faithful could have been forgiven for wondering whether it was going to be one of those nights.

But Heacham’s stubborn resistance was finally broken 18 minutes from time when Tsaguim reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the penalty area to fire the Hares into a deserved lead.

And having waited so long for the opener, March needed just two more minutes to double their advantage.

This time it was a moment of individual brilliance from Emmington, who cut inside before curling a superb effort into the bottom corner to give Pishorn no chance and finally provide the home side with some breathing space.

March Town: Whitehall, Emmington, Brumby, Green, Bowen, King (Miller 70), Marshall (Harvey 70), Watkins (Jenkins 64), Allen (Hill-Seekings 45), Foy (Tait 64), Tsaguim.

Heacham: Pishorn, Pightling, Willmott, Robinson, Parker (Fenby 52), Harwood, Buhlemann, Howe, Anderson, Hunt, Forde. Subs: Foster, Rippin, Hall, Brindle.