Two of the county’s non-league sides racked up seven goals on Saturday afternoon, with Central Midlands League side, Retford United, still battling on three fronts, reaching the final of the Nottinghamshire FA Senior Trophy courtesy of a 7-0 win away to Hucknall Town Reserves, and Radford, in play-off contention in the United Counties League, registered the same when at home to Borrowash Victoria.
Liam Kay’s Badgers side, third in the CML North, six behind leaders Newark Town with a game in hand, are through to semi-finals of the Senior Trophy, and are finalists in the CML Floodlit League Cup after another big week in their season.
Defeating Clay Cross Town 2-1 away in midweek, setting up a final with Sherwood Colliery Reserves, they proceeded to make the Trophy semis at the weekend when hitting Hucknall’s second string for seven, braces coming from Dean Conway and Charlie Dawes.
Leading by two goals at the interval, Conway and Dawes netting the first of their respective braces, the Badgers added a further five after the break thanks to goals from Conway and Dawes, alongside efforts from Owen Fieldsend, Aaron Fell, and Liam Frost.
Scoring-wise for the Badgers, Conway’s brace takes him to thirteen in nineteen games, Dawes’ double puts him on six in twelve, whilst goals from Fell and Frost sees them move to fifteen (in twenty-five) and ten (in eighteen) respectively.
The Badgers’ started against Hucknall Reserves with the following – Tom Crosby, Tom Brook, Stuart Ludlam, Liam Marsden, Daniel Booth, Mason Barlow, Brandon Kane, Charlie Dawes, Igor Mlynarski , Charlie Baird, Dean Conway.
Watch Retford United’s semi-final win against Hucknall Town Reserves courtesy of Grassroot T.V
League-wise, and with both Basford United (1-0 at home to Bamber Bridge) and Carlton Town (2-1 away to Corby Town) losing in the Northern Premier League, then attention, as has been in recent weeks, turned on the United Counties League.
In the UCL Premier Division North, Eastwood CFC continued their battle for a mid-table finish with a 3-2 home win over Melton, a double from Kamari Wilson adding to an early opener from Ayleal Dill; Newark lost 3-0 away to Sleaford Town, and Selston were held to a 1-1 draw when home to leaders Long Eaton United.
Kimberley Miners Welfare continued their march to the UCL Division One title with a 3-1 derby win over visiting West Bridgford thanks to a brace from Louis Rose, and one for Aaron Coyle, the reply coming from Dylan Fitzpatrick.
Victory for the leaders, their tenth straight, sees them nine points clear of second place Hinckley, who have a game in hand, but are now level with Belper United, ahead on goal-difference.
Holding two of the four play-off positions are Radford (fourth, and four points behind joint-third), and Hucknall Town (fifth, with a game in hand, and three behind Radford) – it’s going to be tight.
Radford hit seven without reply when home to bottom club Borrowash Victoria, Hucknall won 3-0 on the road to fellow Notts side, Clifton All Whites, whilst seventh place Dunkirk edged hosts Graham Street Prims 2-1.
At Radford, their cause would be helped, quite a bit, by a first-half, four-goal salvo, from Jevin Seaton, taking his tally to ten for the season; whilst further goals were added in the second period from second-half substitute, Kevin Hermagou (2), and one for Solace Uyi-Olaye (taking his tally to fifteen in twenty-two).
Lining up against Borrowash was Yinka Adebowale, David Adegbola, Conor Moore, David Boafo, Joe McLaughlin, Michael Fitzhugh, Jermain Hollis, Gino Kelleher, Callum Smith, Jevin Seaton, Solace Uyi-Olaye.
A brace from Craig Westcarr helped Hucknall to a 3-0 win at Clifton, boosting their own promotion hopes, whilst second half goals from Scott Litchfield and Rueban Nwandike gave Dunkirk the points at Graham Street, as Gedling Miners Welfare went down 2-1 at Birstall United Social.
Both Sherwood Colliery and AFC Mansfield fell to defeat, without scoring, in the Northern Counties Premier, with Ollerton Town winning 2-0 at Nostell Miners Welfare in Division One, Luke Francis and Ollie Grady with the goals, and Rainworth Miners Welfare shared the spoils with visitors Worsbrough Bridge Athletic, a George Simpson penalty, and one for Morgan Boyle, earning a point.
Meanwhile, in the Central Midlands League Premier North, Newark Town continued their title charge with a narrow, 1-0 win at home to Collingham, Ainsley Finney with the only goal of the game, whilst in the South, Arnold Town coasted to a 4-1 win at Nottingham thanks to goals from Owen Tyler, Jake Ogden, Billy Owen (penalty), and Jamie Crawford.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @Grassroot_TV Retford United in action at Hucknall.
