As clubs across the Samba Nottinghamshire League held a minutes silence in memory of the nine-year-old, Jordan Banks, who tragically lost his young life this past week, the groups themselves are still not definitive, a number of teams still able to qualify.

Group A leaders, Bingham Town, top-scored in the Premier Division Cup, winning 6-2 at Moorbridge Road when home to second-placed Keyworth United and, with the next match pivotal in the outcome of it, the hosts would be thankful for a hat-trick hero.

Substitute Michael Jepps would find himself taking home the match-ball with a late, three-goal haul, adding to further efforts from Euan Sweeting (2) and Aaron Large; victory, coupled with Cotgrave’s 2-1 home defeat to bottom club Aslockton & Orston on Friday night, means Town are in pole position with ten points, and a goal difference ten better than United.

It means that in midweek, should Town win at Cotgrave, they’ll qualify for the semi-finals and face the winner of Group C, which is so much tighter, and a two-way battle between Magdala Amateurs and Woodthorpe Park Rangers.

The top two in the group are both nine points, but the latter of those surrendered the chance to open up a lead when they feel to a 3-0 loss away to FC Cavaliers for whom Blessing Adeleye, Mustapha John, and substitute Chad Richards, all netted; the top two clash at Wilford Lane next weekend in a winner-takes-all battle.

The other semi-final will be contested between the winners of Groups B and D to which Ravenshead have the upper-hand in the former and have destiny in their own hands with home games both midweek and next weekend against Southwell City and Burton Joyce respectively.

The latter of those, Burton Joyce, made it harder for themselves when they lost 1-0 at home to Southwell at the weekend, Ben Selby with the only goal.

Meanwhile in Group D, it’ll be wither Sandiacre Town or Ilkeston Town FCB who qualify, the Stanton Road outfit taking over top spot with a 3-1 win against their visiting challengers, goals coming from Alex Beno, Perry McGrath and George Vear; the other match in the group finished in a 2-2 draw between Attenborough and Awsworth, Sandiacre travel to the Villa on Saturday knowing a minimum of a point send them through.

In the Division One Cup, United Grays head up Group D after they won 1-0 at home to Radcliffe Olympic to move onto ten points, they’ll qualify with a point at Southwell Reserves next time out whilst Radcliffe must win at West Bridgford and hope for the best, West having lost at home to Southwell Reserves, 3-0, at the weekend, Ollie McCourt with a treble.

They’ll face the winner of Group C, a spot firmly held by Wollaton Reserves, who also boosted their goal-difference when winning 6-1 at home to Stapleford Reserves, Luke Davies three, and Luke Denham two, among the scorers; Beeston have the slimmest thread of a chance to qualify, but their hopes faltered when losing 3-2 at Kimberley Miners Welfare and now require a massive goal-swing from their home tie with Wollaton to go through instead.

If Top Valley defeat visitors Gedling Southbank in midweek, they’ll take Group B having taken another three points at the weekend themselves, winning 4-1 at the same side, that group winner will face the best runner-up, currently Beeston, in Group C.

Elsewhere there were victories for Beeston Old Boys Association in the Division Two North Cup, 4-0 at home to FC Mansfield, the Old Boys maintaining their hundred percent record with goals from Mohammed Elmaghrbi, Harry Hill, Shaun Smith and Robert Gray.

The Division Two South Cup saw Long Bennington suddenly give themselves hopes of qualification with an emphatic, 6-2 win, away to AFC Colsterworth, they’ll do so with victory at Fernwood Foxes next time out, Jacob Baker and Owen Rowley both netting twice.

There’s a tasty battle in Group B however, each taking points off the other; Cotgrave Reserves are out of it now but won 4-3 away to East Leake Robins, whilst Keyworth Reserves won 5-4 at Ruddington Village Reserves, the top two, the Village travel to the Robins on Saturday needing to avoid defeat.

The Foundation Division Cup continues its trait of high-scoring games as eleven were registered at Bull Farm, they losing 6-5 to Manor whilst Netherfield Seniors took their group with a comfortable, 7-1, home win over South Notts, Callum Cocks with a four-goal haul.

Now, with a smattering of midweek matches, next weekend could prove interesting in determining the final outlook of each of the divisional semi-finals.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @11MerryMen1 action between Burton Joyce & Southwell City.