Central Midlands League Premier title challengers, Newark Town and Retford United, will contest this season’s Nottinghamshire FA Senior Trophy final, on Saturday 10 May, at Basford United, after both sides won their respective semi-finals on Saturday afternoon.
The CML pairing took care of the remaining Nottinghamshire Senior League duo of Ruddington Village and Awsworth Villa to make the final dance, the former of the two, NSL sides, losing 3-1 at home to Newark, the latter being narrowly edged, 2-1, away to Retford United.
At Ruddington, a brace from captain, and top-scorer, Lewis Chambers, set Newark on the road to victory, Mason Wilson-Rhiney also netting; whilst at Cannon Park, home of Retford United, goals from Aaron Fell, as well as their captain, Tom Brook, afforded them a 2-1 win.
Starting elevens for the victorious semi-finalists were as follows –
Newark Town: Nick Eatough, Max Jemson, James Gardner, Raheem Sunmonu, Sam Bartle, Kosi Nwobi, Jackson Buckthorp, Mason Wilson-Rhiney, Lewis Chambers, Ainsley Finney, Chanju. Mphande
Retford United: Tom Crosby, Stuart Ludlam, Daniel Booth, Tom Brook, Aaron Fell, Liam Marsden, Owen Fieldsend, Brandon Kane, Igor Mlynarski, Dean Conway, Mark West.
Watch Retford United beat Awsworth Villa in the Notts FA Trophy Semi Final courtesy of Grassroot T.V
In the Northern Premier League both Premier Division side, Basford United, and East Division outfit, Worksop Town, suffered 1-0 defeats, against Matlock Town and Ossett United respectively; defeat for each leaves Basford third bottom of their division with three games remaining, whilst Worksop find themselves nine points adrift of the playoffs, also with three to go.
Newark and Eastwood were both away in the United Counties Premier Division, the former losing 3-0 away to Anstey Nomads, whilst the latter fell 2-1 away to Selston, Kamari Wilson with the visitors’ goal, in the second period.
The UCL Division One is where all the action is, and Kimberley Miners Welfare are champions-elect, with one point required from their remaining games.
Saturday saw them win 5-0 away to Bourne Town, whilst second place Hinckley were made to fight for three when at Hucknall Town before winning 5-4; Kimberley took the points as Luis Rose scored twice alongside goals from Nathan Banton, Aaron Coyle, and Ryan Wheatley, with Cairns and Harking notching braces to keep Hinckley’s slim hopes alive, Craig Westcarr’s hat-trick, and one for Joseph Ashurst in reply for the hosts.
Hosting Hinckley, Hucknall Town lined up as follows – Keaton Sharpe, Courtney Bartley, Ollie Brown, Joe Ashurst, Lenford Jenkins, Jordan Phillips, Jamie Crawford, Michael Bannister, Craig Westcarr, Grant Ryan, Joe Butler
Elsewhere in the division, Clifton All Whites were held to a 3-3 draw away to play-off hopefuls Aylestone Park, whilst Radford, also gunning for the playoffs, won 3-1 at Saffron Dynamo, goals courtesy of Joseph McLaughlin, Solace Uyi-Olaye, and Kevin Hemagou.
Dunkirk were also successful, winning 4-1 when home to Holwell Sports, William Gillies notching twice, whilst there were defeats for Gedling Miners Welfare, 2-1 at Lutterworth, and for West Bridgford, 3-0 when hosting Barrow Town.
It was similar in the Northern Counties Eastern League as Premier sides, AFC Mansfield, and Sherwood Colliery, dropped points. At home to Garforth Town, Mansfield lost 2-1, whilst at Boston United, Sherwood Colliery found themselves being held to a 1-1 draw.
Ollerton Town meanwhile fell to a 3-0 defeat when away to Rainworth in Division One, Nathan Benger with a brace, whilst Retford finished their campaign with a comfortable, 4-1 win, away to Swallownest, they netting via an Adam Scott brace, and one apiece for Zach Casburn and Liam Bennett.
The remaining games, in the CML, resulted in defeats for SJR Worksop, 2-0 at home to Glapwell, as well as for Arnold Town, 1-0 at Hilton Harriers, and Nottingham, 2-1 away to Wirksworth Ivanhoe.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @NewarkTownFC the cup finalists Newark (in blue) ahead of their game at Ruddington.