Non League Day Approaches As Season Hots Up

As top-level professional football takes a break this weekend for the March international fixture calendar, focus draws to Non-League Day on Saturday March 26th where various clubs down the pyramid are expecting bigger than usual gates with plenty of attractions and some concessions on offer for those who usually miss out on the glories of grassroots soccer due to following the likes of Nottingham Forest and various teams in the Premier League & Championship instead.

Basford United in the Northern Premier League are offering anyone with a Forest season card a reduced entry price of £7 for their match with Bamber Bridge at Greenwich Avenue on Saturday which is a must win game for Mark Clifford’s side as they look to stay adrift of the bottom three.

United’s form has slumped in recent weeks after the club decided to reduce their wage bill by reducing some star assets in January and after a 3-2 defeat at FC United of Manchester last Saturday, the club are now just two points above the drop zone sitting seventeenth in the 22 team division.

On Wednesday night, Worksop Town were beaten 1-0 in the NPL East Division by Liversedge who go top of the table on goal difference from Marske United as the Tigers in sixth stay five points below the playoffs.

Like Worksop, Carlton Town are also sixth place and just outside the playoff places In the NPL Midlands Division, the Millers travel to Corby Town this weekend.

In the Northern Counties East League Premier Division, fourth placed Sherwood Colliery host third placed Eccleshill United on Saturday (adult tickets £5) whilst AFC Mansfield down in sixteenth travel to Winterton Rangers.

Sherwood were knocked out of the NCEL Cup against table topping Grimsby Borough on Tuesday night, after a 1-1 draw in the Quarter Final tie, the match went to penalties which was won by Borough who reach the last four.

A much-needed win for Rainworth Miners Welfare on Tuesday night helped ease any relegation worries they have in the NCEL First Division.

The Wrens beat struggling FC Humber United and are seventeenth well clear of the drop zone, Teversal who are bottom lost 1-0 at home to Shirebrook Town whilst Clipstone down in 19th lost 8-1 at home to Parkgate.

It was a bad midweek for Ollerton Town too as they were beaten 4-1 against Selby Town despite an early opener from Luke Francis which gave the away side a fifth minute lead in East Yorkshire.

Finally in the division, eighth place Retford FC lost 1-0 at Brigg Town who move up to third after victory over the Choughs on Wednesday night.

This weekend see’s Clipstone host promotion chasing North Ferriby, Ollerton travelling to Nostell Miners Welfare, Rainworth at home to Worsbrough Bridge Athletic and Teversal welcoming free scoring Selby Town.

In the Uhlsport United Counties League, Selston were beaten 2-1 at home against Sleaford Town last night with the Blues in unenviable action against league leaders Long Eaton United on Saturday.

Selston (on eighteen points) are sixteenth in the table, two points above the drop zone and a place behind Newark (on 24) who themselves travel to Sleaford at the weekend whilst Eastwood (29 points), one place above Newark in 14th, face a home match with Melton Town on Saturday.

Finally, midweek action in the UCL First Division included Hucknall Town beating West Bridgford FC 3-0 thanks to goals from Joe Ashurst, Craig Westcarr and Grant Ryan at Watnall Road whilst Kimberley Miners Welfare continued their good form on Tuesday night with an 8-0 win at Birstall United.

Kimberley now top by six points host West Bridgford at the Stag on Saturday whilst Hucknall visit Clifton All Whites in another cracking all Notts tie for Non League Day.

Dunkirk who beat Bourne Town 1-0 thanks to a Scott Litchfield strike on Tuesday, face a trip to Graham Street Prims whilst Gedling Miners Welfare visit Birstall and Radford host Borrowash.

If you’re a football fan, there really are no excuses this weekend, there’s plenty of action to choose from across the county and groundhoppers might want to note that there’s also several fixtures in the Nottinghamshire Senior League that might whet your appetite.

On Friday night in the NSL Premier Division, AFC Dunkirk host FC Sez in a 7:45pm kick off before the following day see’s an NSL Cup tie between Awsworth Villa and Clifton (1:30pm KO) ahead of several matches that will effect the league title race, starting at 3pm.

Top picks include Southwell City v Woodthorpe Park Rangers, Keyworth United v FC Cavaliers, Wollaton v Aslockton & Orston, Stapleford Town v Attenborough, Ravenshead v Sandiacre Town and Cotgrave v Bilborough Town.

Friday 25th March 2022

AFC Dunkirk v FC Sez (NSL Premier Division) 19:45

Saturday 26th March 2022

Awsworth Villa v Clifton All Whites FCB (NSL Senior Cup Quarter Final) 13:30
Basford United v Bamber Bridge (Northern Premier League) 15:00
Corby Town v Carlton Town (Northern Premier League Midlands Division) 15:00
Sherwood Colliery v Eccleshill United (Northern Counties East League) 15:00
Winterton Rangers v AFC Mansfield (Northern Counties East League) 15:00
Clipstone v North Ferriby (Northern Counties East League Division One) 15:00
Nostell Miners Welfare v Ollerton Town (Northern Counties East League Division One) 15:00
Teversal v Selby Town (Northern Counties East League Division One) 15:00
Rainworth Miners Welfare v Worsbrough Bridge Athletic (Northern Counties East League Division One) 15:00
Eastwood Community v Melton Town (United Counties League Premier Division North) 15:00
Selston v Long Eaton United (United Counties League Premier Division North) 15:00
Sleaford Town v Newark (United Counties League Premier Division North) 15:00
Birstall United v Gedling Miners Welfare (United Counties League Division One) 15:00
Clifton All Whites v Hucknall Town (United Counties League Division One) 15:00
Graham Street Prims v Dunkirk (United Counties League Division One) 15:00
Kimberley Miners Welfare v West Bridgford (United Counties League Division One) 15:00
Radford v Borrowash Victoria (United Counties League Division One) 15:00
Cotgrave v Bilborough Town (NSL Premier Division 15:00
Keyworth United v FC Cavaliers (NSL Premier Division 15:00
Ravenshead v Sandiacre Town (NSL Premier Division 15:00
Southwell City v Woodthorpe Park Rangers (NSL Premier Division 15:00
Stapleford Town v Attenborough (NSL Premier Division 15:00
Wollaton v Aslockton & Orston (NSL Premier Division 15:00