Record, equalled, as Craig Parry’s Worksop Town moved to 32 games unbeaten on Saturday afternoon, seeing off second placed Hebburn Town, 4-1, at the Windsor Foodservice Stadium, and with it, their hundredth goal of a stunning season.
A record that has stood since the early seventies (fifty years on 24 February) is now, very much, in danger of falling, as the runaway Northern premier League East Division champions continue making history.
Two goals up at the break, it would not be until the final ten minutes in which the visitors pulled one back, but the Tigers, they were already out of sight.
Liam Hughes, who else would it be, got the hosts on their way midway through the first half, Luke Hall bursting through the visiting Hornets defence on his way into the box before laying off a low ball for Hughes, who slots it past Shaun Newbrook.
Ten minutes and that man Hughes had doubled the hosts’ lead, Hall again the supplier when, following a pass, the Tigers hitman proceeded to smash the ball into Newbrook’s far corner, much to the delight of the travelling support.
Both sides continued to create chances throughout, but it would be the hosts who’d strike first in the second period, extending their lead further, Hall adding a deserved goal to his two assists, Hughes turning provider; the Tigers striker slotted the ball through the Hornets defence and, racing into the box squared beautifully for Hall to tap home.
Then came 100 GOALS this season, and yes, it was to be Hughes who’d get it; having been fouled in the box he proceeded to step up, and send Newbrook the wrong way, from the penalty spot for his hat-trick, and Worksop’s fourth of the afternoon.
With ten minutes remaining the visitors registered a deserved consolation goal, Robbie Spence providing a beautifully-weighted through-ball which Amar Purewal raced onto, rounded Dylan Parkin in the home goal, and slotted into the empty net.
It was too little, too late however, the hosts ‘holding on’ for a 4-1 home win, and that record, which has stood for half a century, can fall in the north-east, when they travel to Dunston UTS, on Saturday 8 April….
Worksop Town – Dylan Parkin, Deegan Atherton, Josh Wilde (Connor O’Grady, 75), Sam Wedgebury (Aleksandrs Starcenko, 75), Hamza Bencherif, Jack Broadhead, Terry Hawkridge, Vaughan Redford, Luke Hall, Liam Hughes, Jay Rollins (Tayonga Kuleya, 67)
Sherwood Colliery’s play-off hopes took a sizeable knock when in a local derby away to fifth bottom Eastwood CFC, in the United Counties Premier North, Terry Atem with the only goal of the game, minutes into the second period, affording the home side a 1-0 win.
AFC Mansfield, they’re third bottom, also won, edging mid-table Deeping Rangers, 3-2, at home, Thomas Lees-Collier with a late brace adding to Joe Hawson’s first half effort; Kimberley Miners Welfare edged Loughborough Students 2-1, James Shaw and Bajoun Pakrouz netting; and Newark & Sherwood United were held to a goalless draw by visiting Leicester Nirvana.
In Division One, Hucknall kept up their promotion hopes with a 4-2 win at home to Clifton All Whites, and Radford boosted theirs when winning 3-1 away to Kirby Muxloe, both sides sitting in a play-off spot.
The Yellows, in a home, local affair, were two up after fifteen, and three up as the game ticked through the half hour, Craig Westcarr tapping home the opener after five minutes, before Niall Towle, who’s initial penalty was saved, rolled home the rebound – the visitors also had a player sent-off for the initial offence.
Louis Tomlinson then added the third, following up an initial shot from Aaron Lamb, before slotting home, Westcarr close to adding a fourth late in the half; the visitors pulled a goal back early in the second period before Westcarr got his second just after the hour, heading in off the bar following a great run from Lamb, and cross from Kai Wilson.
A number of chances feel the way of the hosts, including a disallowed goal for a foul, before the visitors added a late second as the game ticked into the closing ten minutes.
Hucknall Town – Louis Kinnerley, Jamie Crawford, Billy Brooks, Aaron Short, Louis Tomlinson, Joe Ashurst, Kai Wilson, Niall Towle, Brad Lathall, Aaron Lamb, Craig Westcarr
The Pheasants meanwhile, they overturned an interval deficit to claim a 3-1 win away to Kirby Muxloe to keep their play-off hopes alive.
Lucca Watson-Quilter afforded the hosts the lead just before the half hour as the hosts went in a goal to the good.
Sacha Markelic headed home the equaliser as the game was ticking towards the final twenty, Jevin Seaton having seen his strike sting the home ‘keeper enough to drop kindly, then, minutes later, the Pheasants were in front, Michael Fitzhugh, he chipping the defence and into the net after a passage of play fell right for the visitors.
Five minutes later, and heading into the final ten, the comeback was complete as Seaton gets his goal; chipping the home ‘keeper and into the top right corner, both sides having numerous chances in a game that could have easily yielded much more.
Radford – Yinka Adebowale, David Adegbola, Dan Fletcher, David Boafo, Greg Tobin, Kuwsi Ofushine, Koe Meakin, Michael Fitzhugh, Jordan Alls, Jevin Seaton, Sacha Markelic
Elsewhere in Division One, West Bridgford won 2-1 away to Gedling Miners Welfare, and Clipstone won 1-0 at home to Saffron Dynamo, whilst Newark fell to a lone-goal loss at Bourne, and Rainworth Miners Welfare fell to a 3-2 loss at Barrow.
In the Northern Counties East Division One, Retford won 1-0 at home to Brigg Town, Alex Boyd netting, whilst Ollerton Town, they suffered a heavy defeat when on the road at Staveley Miners Welfare, crashing to a nine-goal defeat in front of more than three hundred spectators.
Retford United celebrated winning the Central Midlands Premier North as Mark West, with 101st goal for the Badgers, and Tom Roebuck, netting in a 2-1 home win over Staveley Reserves, whilst in the South, Teversal collected a big point when Tristan Burrell’s goal gave them a share of the spoils at home to Pinxton.
Only a handful of games were played in the Nottinghamshire Senior League Premier Division, including the semi-final of the Senior Cup as Harvey Grice’s brace for Keyworth United featured in a 3-3 draw away to East Leake Robins, the visitors progressing 4-2 on penalties.
Of the two Premier Division games played, Stapleford Town moved fourth, on goal difference, following a 4-0 win at home to Woodthorpe Park Rangers, and Borrowash Victoria won 4-1 at third place Wollaton – Stapleford, they’re just ten points off leaders Keyworth, with six in hand.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @worksoptownfc Liam Hughes celebrates his hat-trick goal v Hebburn.
