Another point in the bag for Basford United at the weekend, in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central, following a battling draw with visitors Rushall Olympic.
Both clubs harbour promotion aspirations and are both on the verge of the play-offs, with leaders Tamworth topping the able, ten points better off than the Notts club after the weekend’s outings.
As the leaders weren’t in action, it was left to the chasing pack to lay down some kind of marker, Nuneaton lost 3-0 at Bromsgrove, and Mickleover edged visiting Stratford in a seven-goal thriller, of those sides that were in action, whilst Basford and Rushall, they shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw.
In front of more than 250 spectators, Basford striker, Gregory Smith, opened the scoring after thirty minutes, he being replaced by Tyreace Palmer in the closing stages as the hosts sought a winner, Rushall having levelled through Samuel Mantom shortly before the hour.
In Basford’s starting line-up, a starting debut for recent addition, defender Bradley Beatson, who recently joined the club from Ossett United, Ben Starkie returned to the bench and came on as a second half sub, and there was a squad placing from Academy ‘keeper, Dan Morledge.
Basford – Kieran Preston, Lewis Carr, Joshua Barnes, Adam Chapman, Brad McGowan, Bradley Beatson, Luther Munakandafa (Ben Starkie, 74), Declan Dunn, Gregory Smith (Tyreace Palmer, 78), Anthony Dwyer, Corey Grantham
Over in the Northern Premier League East, the wins continued to flow for Worksop Town, they picking up their twelfth league win on the bounce with a 4-0 home win over North Shields, to maintain second place.
Liam Hughes struck twice as the Tigers were three to the good at the break; Jay Rollins opened the scoring, and Jack Broadhead notched his fifth in five outings, Hughes’ second coming in second half injury-time.
Victory means that Craig Parry’s side are three points off leaders Stockton Town, and with two games in hand; meanwhile, fellow Notts side, Carlton Town, picked up another three points when in the north-east, they at Dunston UTS.
Niall Davie scored the only goal of the first half, heading home with five minutes of it remaining, Bradley Wells doubled the lead on the hour and, although Terry Galbraith pulled one back for the hosts with ten to go, Niall Hylton added a fine third at the death to wrap up a vital, three points.
Newark & Sherwood United are the highest-placed Notts side in the United Counties, they currently holding third in the Premier North, following Saturday’s 4-0 home win over Pinchbeck United, but are still ten points adrift of leaders, Loughborough Students.
Kimberley Miners Welfare are next best, and were involved in an eight-goal thriller at home to Belper United, both sides netting twice in each half; Kieran O’Connell opened the scoring for the visitors before James Shaw equalised, Alex Steadman restored the visitors lead only for Kai Moore to level with five minutes to go in the first.
Taking a well-earned breather at the half, the momentum was reignited in the second as Tom Eccleshall registered within eight minutes of the restart, giving Kimbo the lead for the first time, only for Steadman to notch his second, minutes later; Richard Hanslow then gave Belper the lead again, in the 80th minute, only for an eighth goal to come, at the death, this from Louis Nicholson.
The other four, Notts sides in the division, suffered defeat, Sherwood Colliery losing 2-0 at home to Skegness Town, AFC Mansfield went down 5-1 at home to leaders Loughborough, Eastwood were edged in a seven-goal thriller against visiting Quorn, Jack Thatcher with three, and bottom club Selston fell to their fourteenth loss of the season, 2-0 away to second-bottom, Heather St. John’s.
In the UCL Division One, fourth-place Hucknall romped to a 7-1 win away to St Andrews; four goals to the good at the break, the visitors would see Joe Butler score three, and Joseph Ashurst two, in the win, but are some fourteen adrift of leaders Aylestone Park, with a game in hand,
Radford are a point further back, in fifth, and they defeated fellow Notts side, Clifton All Whites, 3-0, at home, and have four games in hand on the leaders (currently fifteen adrift), goals coming from Michael Fitzhugh, Kyle Stovell, and Sacha Markelic.
Newark, Clipstone, and Dunkirk make up a clutch of five Notts clubs, the former winning 3-2 at the latter, whilst the middle of those three, won 2-1 away to another local club, West Bridgford; Nathan Benger and Rio Allan both bagged braces as Rainworth Miners Welfare won 4-0 at Saffron Dynamo, whilst there was defeats for Southwell City and Gedling Miners Welfare.
George White scored twice for Retford, in the Northern Counties East Division One, as they kept up a play-off push, winning 3-1 away to Brigg Town, and Ollerton Town were edged 3-2 at home to Staveley, Lewis Bingham bagging a brace as well.
The Central Midlands League would see SJR Worksop draw 3-3 away to Kiveton Miners Welfare in the North, whilst Nottingham won 2-0 at home to Ashland Rovers in the South as Linby Colliery Welfare and Teversal drew 1-1, and Arnold Town drew 1-1 at home to Derby Singh Brothers.
Keyworth United progressed in the Nottinghamshire Senior League Senior Cup, winning 5-0 at home to Aslockton & Orston, whilst in the Premier Division, Sandiacre Town won 3-1 at home to Basford CFC to lead by one from Woodthorpe Park Rangers, Joshua Mundell with a brace.
Other results would see Awsworth Villa win 2-1 at home to West Bridgford IIs, Stapleford Town edged visiting Dunkirk 1-0, and Wollaton won 3-0 at Ravenshead.
Southwell City Reserves lead Division One and defeated visiting Kimberley Reserves 2-1, whilst South Notts front up Division Two following an 8-0 demolition of Bull Farm United, and Southwell City Development top Division Three after they edged visiting Wollaton Developmet, 3-2.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @Basfordutdfc action from Basford’s draw with Rushall on Saturday.