The cold, winter snap continues to play havoc across the nations’ non-league scene, with only a handful of matches being played across Nottinghamshire, Basford United and Worksop Town two of the beneficiaries of games managing to go ahead.
In the Southern League Premier Central, Basford United were held to a 2-2 draw away to lowly Barwell, the points dropped denting the Notts clubs’ promotion aspirations, they currently sitting in tenth, and seven off Coalville Town, in the final promotion spot.
The opening goal arrived seven minutes before the break, Kevin Bastos and Ben Starkie combining well with the latter, crossing beautifully, for Anthony Dwyer to head home strongly; the hosts equalised shortly after the restart but, less than ten minutes later, Basford’s lead was restored after a free-kick from distance, by visiting ‘keeper, Kieran Preston, was headed clear by the home defence, only as far Courey Grantham, who fires home.
However, with the encounter into the final five minutes, Barwell levelled for a second time, this earning a share of the spoils, much to the dismay of the visitors, who must now dust themselves off to go again, on Tuesday night, when they travel to AFC Rushden & Diamonds.
BASFORD UNITED – Kieran Preston, Owen Betts, Josh Barnes, Lewis Carr, Dom Roma, Adam Chapman, Kevin Bastos, Ben Starkie, Gregg Smith, Anthony Dwyer (Kameron Campbell, 83), Courey Grantham
There’s only so many superlatives that can be lain at the door of Northern Premier East leaders, Worksop Town, after they passed a century of goals, in all competitions, this season, following a 7-1 demolition of visitors Long Eaton United.
The mid-table visitors struggles with the attacking prowess Worksop have shown this season, they inflicting a five-goal blitz in the first half alone, Liam Hughes grabbing the headlines, with two in a minutes midway through the half, before adding his, and Worksop’s third, with ten to go in the first half.
Liam Hardy added a fourth with a little over five remaining, before the visitors pulled one back as the game headed into first half stoppage time, Aleksandrs Starcenko restoring the four-goal advantage when firing into the bottom corner.
Just after the hour mark and Hardy would add his second, and the hosts’ sixth of the afternoon following some great work from captain, Hamza Bencherif, playing in Hardy following a free-kick, he heading home.
Chances came and went for the leaders as they searched seventh heaven, the goal finally coming in stoppage time when second half substitute, Tuvonga Kuleya firing home from close range to wrap up the 7-1 success.
Boasting a seventeen-point advantage at the top of the table, and with a game in hand over second place Stockton Town, Worksop are on the road next when they make the trip to Ponterfact Collieries, continuing the road to success.
WORKSOP TOWN – Sebastian Malkwoski, Deegan Atherton, Josh Wilde, Sam Wedgbury (James Hanson, 66), Hamza Bencherif, Jack Broadhead, Terry Hawkridge, Aleksandrs Starcenko, Liam Hardy (Luke Hall, 70), Liam Hughes, Jay Rollins (Tuvonga Kuleya, 58)
Only two Notts clubs, across the entire, United Counties League contingents, saw games go ahead, both of which were in Division One as Newark Town, in front of a 250+ strong crowd saw a 1-1 draw with Harrowby United, and Dunkirk fell to a 2-1 loss at Blackstones.
Newark’s point strengthened their position in third place, although they have played more than clubs around them, Lewis Chambers’ first half goal stretching the unbeaten run to eight (seven wins and a draw), lowly Harrowby equalising after the break.
Meanwhile Dunkirk slipped up when away to Blackstones, the hosts moving into eighth with a 2-1 win to leapfrog their visitors, this after Jack Oldham had afforded the Notts club an early lead, before conceding twice in the final twenty.
The only game played across the two, Central Midlands League Premier Division’s, came at Mickleover Reserves as visiting Linby Colliery Welfare collected all three points courtesy of a 3-1 win.
Victory for the Notts club moved them clear in ninth place with all four goals coming after the break, the visitors finding the net via Greg Conn and Sean Craven, before the points were wrapped up by late substitute, Josh Baldwin, seven minutes from time – Craven had replaced Connor Gillan a little over ten minutes earlier.
Of the other Notts sides in the Central Midlands, the North sees Retford United clear at the top, unbeaten in seventeen, and seventeen points clear, whilst in the South, Teversal are the highest-placed, sitting in fourth and eleven points behind leaders Pinxton – both Retford Untied, and Teversal, are among the sides to have applied for promotion.
Although a couple of games were also postponed in the Nottinghamshire Senior League, Keyworth United currently lead the Premier Division, by six points, and a game in hand, after they saw off lowly West Bridgford IIs, 3-0, after Wollaton (2) and FC Sez (3) battled to a goalless draw on Friday night.
Mid-table duo, Basford CFC and Cotgrave both collected victories, the former defeating Sandiacre Town 4-0, the latter winning 2-1 at AFC Top Valley, meanwhile Awsworth Villa and Clifton FCB shared six goals.
East Leake Robins continue to lead Division One, by a point from Southwell City Reserves, AC United and Meden Vale Colts both having games in hand; South Notts now only lead Division Two by a point from that of Greyfriars and West Bridgford Colts IIIs, they having a number of games in hand; whilst Division Three has Southwell City Development leading the way with a five-point advantage.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @Basfordutdfc spoils shared for Basford (in red) at Barwell.
