It was a relatively quiet day at the office for the Nottinghamshire non-league scene at the weekend, only a handful of clubs shining a light through the wet and miserable weather presently on offer.
One of those was the Millers, of Carlton Town, in the Northern Premier League East Division, as they battled to a hard-fought, 1-0 win, on the road at Bridlington to move into third in the table.
An expectant crowd of over 220 attended, and it was a headed goal from Lamin Sisawo-Danso the separated the two sides, five minutes before the interval, he getting on the end of a free-kick from Niall Davie.
After the win, the Millers are sitting nicely in third place, on 21 points, snuggled in nicely behind leaders Belper Town (25 pts), and second place Hebburn Town (22 pts), and with games in hand on the two above – Carlton host seventh place Cleethorpes on Halloween (Tuesday 31 October) in their next outing.
CARLTON TOWN – Felix Annan, David Adegbola, Lewis Durow, Lamin Sisawo-Danso, Peter Dearle, Ahmed Tahar, Lamin Manneh, Niall Davie, Alex Hardwick, Alex Howes, Niall Hylton (subs – Zac Hill, Musa Hawara, Oliver Seeby)
In the FA Trophy First Round meanwhile, Worksop Town suffered a somewhat heavy defeat, going down 5-0 at home to Mickleover for what was their first home defeat in nearly a year (20 December 2022 being the last) – Oliver Greaves and Andy Dales both scoring twice for the victors.
It was also a cup exit for Gedling Miners Welfare, from the FA Vase, they losing their rearranged, first round tie, at home to Loughborough Students, 2-1, Kieran Harrison with a second half goal for the Notts-based club.
The United Counties League saw but a handful of matches played also as, in the Premier Division, Sherwood Colliery continue to hold a five-point advantage following a 3-2 win away to Ashby Ivanhoe, goals coming from Kieran Knight, William Norcross, and Jobe Shaw; mid-table Kimberley Miners Welfare also picked up another win, this a 4-0 success at home to Belper United as Tom Eccleshall scored twice alongside goals from Samuel Brown and Aaron Coyle.
Ainsley Finney’s goal for Newark & Sherwood United saw them earn a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw away to Deeping Rangers, and AFC Mansfield went down 5-2 at home to Skegness Town, McKenna Parton and Devon Smith with a goal in each half for the hosts.
Speaking of a goal in each half, that was the same at Radford, in UCL Division One, as they won 2-0 at home to fellow Notts club West Bridgford.
Victory for the Pheasants pushed them into tenth place in the table, and just five outside of the play-offs; the opener arrived five minutes before the break following a floated cross from Abdurrahman Saad, which is met by the head of Joe McLaughlin and sails over everyone into the visiting top corner.
The second for the hosts arrived midway through the second period, from the penalty spot after Scott ‘Tank’ Litchfield is fouled in the box, he dusts himself off and promptly send the ‘keeper the wrong way from a dozen yards out.
RADFORD – Oluyinka Abebowale, James Reynolds, Abdurrahman Saad, David Boafo, Joe McLaughlin, Conor Moore, Craig Meakin, Greg Tobin, Tyler Dacres, Scott Litchfield, Grant Tobin (subs – Calrick Dunkley, Mitch Tait, Enem Jones, Will Lathwood, Elijah Samuels)
The only other Notts club in Division One to collect a win was high-flying Clipstone, who edged a 2-1 success at Harrowby United, Timothy Gregory and Liam West with the goals, whilst Rainworth Miners Welfare collected a point in their 1-1 draw at home to Lutterworth Athletic, Callum Brooks levelling twenty minutes from time.
Elsewhere in the division Clifton All Whites were beaten 3-1 at Leicester St Andrews, Southwell lost 3-0 at Kirby Muxloe, and Sandiacre Town suffered a 6-0 defeat when at runaway leaders Bourne Town, James Hill-Seekings and Zak Munton both scoring doubles.
It was cup day in the Central Midlands Alliance, and with mixed fortunes for the regions clubs; SJR Worksop progressed in the Sheffield & Hallamshire County Cup thanks to a 1-0 win away to Swinton Athletic, whilst in the Buckingham Insurance Challenge Cup, Blidworth Welfare were the only side to progress (Teversal’s match with Holbrook Sports needs rearranged).
Blidworth eased past hosts Linby Colliery Welfare 4-0, goals coming from Kyle Bacon, Brendan Clark, Reilly Hodge and Triston Burrell, whilst there was early dismissals for both Retford Reserves (4-1 at Hatfield Town), and for Mansfield Hosiery Mills (7-2 at Pinxton).
The only league game played came in the CMA South, Arnold Town claiming a battling point in a goalless draw at Melbourne Dynamo.
As for the Nottinghamshire Senior League Premier Division, Stapleford Town still lead the way by two points, and with a game in hand, from joint-second pairing of Awsworth Villa, and Collingham, the latter of which won a nine-goal thriller on Saturday away to Gresley Rovers Reserves.
Wollaton sit in fourth place following a 3-1 win at home to Woodthorpe Park Rangers (seventh, with games in hand), fifth place Cotgrave eased to a 5-0 win over Beeston, whilst there was also wins for Aslockton & Orston (3-2 over Southwell City Reserves) and for Basford CFC (7-1 over Ravenshead).
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @BridTownAFC action as Carlton beat Bridlington Town in the North East.
