There was the usual, mixed fortunes, across the Nottinghamshire non-league scene this past weekend as Basford drew, Worksop and Carlton both suffered defeat in the Northern Premier League, whilst Sherwood Colliery marched on in the United Counties League.
In the NPL, Remaye Campbell’s goal just after the hour mark saw Basford United earn a point when at Warrington Rylands, the hosts snatching the draw when levelling up in the closing minutes, whilst Worksop fell to a lone-goal defeat when home to Marine, and in the East Division Carlton Town lost 2-1 at Consett, Zachary Hill with a late consolation after Scott Fenwick and Jack Gibbons had netted for the hosts.
Sherwood Colliery continued their run at the top of the United Counties League Premier North, they seeing off local rivals Hucknall Town, 4-0 at home; Craig Westcarr afforded the hosts an interval lead before a second half double from Kieran Knight and a late fourth from Jobe Shaw keeps them five clear of the chasing pack, with a game in hand.
Eastwood CFC jumped into the play-off places as they won a local affair of their own, 2-1 at Newark & Sherwood United, who are now third bottom; level at the break after Tyreece Robinson’s opener for the visitors was cancelled out by Liam Moran immediately after, fans had to wait until the final ten before the winner arrived, Tyler Blake giving the Red Badgers another three points.
They are the only two Notts clubs in the top half of the table thus far this campaign, the remaining four making up the majority of the bottom five – Kimberley Miners Welfare (14) lost 2-0 at home to Lincoln United, AFC Mansfield (15) went down 3-1 at home to Loughborough Students, whilst Newark & Sherwood and Hucknall sit 16 and 17 respectively, Pinchbeck United propping up the table.
In Division One, Clipstone and Newark Town are chasing down early leaders, Bourne Town, the former though ruing being held to a 1-1 draw at home to fellow Notts side, Clifton All Whites at the weekend, Ryan Ingram and Kyle Stovell with the respective goals, whilst the latter won 5-0 against another Notts club, Sandiacre Town to move within touching distance, Ryan Smith with a brace for the visitors alongside goals from George Asplin, Jonathan Wiles, and Joshua Randall.
Elsewhere in the division, Radford eased to a 4-1 derby success against visiting Rainworth Miners Welfare as Scott Litchfield, Jevin Seaton, Abdurrahman Saad and Sean Devlin all netted for the hosts, Callum Brooks with the consolation; Harvey Grice and Aboubacar Sylla scored to give West Bridgford a 2-1 win at home to Birstall United, Dunkirk were held to a 1-1 draw at Leicester St Andrews, and Selston lost 4-2 at home to Harrowby United.
Lowly Notts pair, Ollerton Town and Retford, clashed in the Northern Counties East Division One, the visitors edging a tight game, 2-1, all three goals arriving in the final half hour when Zach Casburn afforded visiting Retford the lead with 23 minutes remaining only for Joshua Brentnall to level just five minutes later; the winner coming from Charlie Williams with minutes left on the clock.
Retford United meanwhile picked up three points as they saw off visiting Dronfield 4-1, Joshua Nodder bagging a hat-trick alongside a goal from Jake Champion.
There was a mix bag of results for the county’s Central Midlands Alliance sides with Woodhouse Colts earning a point in a goalless draw at Hatfield Town in the North, whilst in the South Arnold Town edged a seven-goal thriller with Teversal, Nottingham edged Mickleover Reserves, and Linby Colliery Welfare drew with South Normanton.
Leading 2-1 at the break, Arnold eventually squeezed past Teversal by the odd-goal-in-seven thanks to goals from Tremere Lindo, Kyme Mason, Craig Taylor, Aaron Wainaina, the visitors replies coming from the recently returned Cameron Pinnick, as well as James Whitmore and Robbie Savage.
In the other three games in the CMA South, Nottingham won 2-1 at home, Linby drew 2-2 at home, and Mansfield Hosiery Mills were beaten 3-1 at home off Wirksworth Ivanhoe.
As for the Nottinghamshire Senior League, Premier Division leaders Stapleford Town fell to a 3-2 defeat away to mid-table Southwell City Reserves, whilst Awsworth Villa narrowed the gap to five points with a 2-0 home win over Woodthorpe Park Rangers.
Plenty of goals arrived in other games in the NSL Premier, Basford seeing off visiting Cotgrave 5-2 with William Brooks bagging a brace, Ian Marley scored twice as Keyworth United won 4-1 at Borrowash Victoria, and Samuel Winch also bagged two in Aslockton & Orston’s 4-1 win at home to Beeston.
There was also an eight-goal thriller played out as fourth place Wollaton were held to a 4-4 draw away to lowly FC Sez, the hosts bagging a stoppage time equaliser for a share of the spoils – Jarrod Westcarr scored twice for Wollaton, Joshua Broad and substitute Liam Taylor also scoring, whilst replies from the hosts came via Michael Lindsay’s brace, Nicholas Federici, and a 95 minute leveller from home substitute, Dhyari Khanye.
FCV Grace Dieu and FC Cavaliers are still neck-and-neck atop of Division One on 34 points, the former seeing off West Bridgford Colts IIIs 4-2, and the latter beating Bingham Town 4-3, both at home; Greyfriars, following a 4-1 win at home to Pythians, lead Division Two by a point from second place AFC Colsterworth, however they have five games in hand; and in Division Three Gedling Southbank have a three point advantage on Arnold Town Reserves (one game in hand(, both having picked up maximum points.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @Basfordutdfc Remaye Campbell in action for Basford United.
