The run-in, it’s getting interesting across the Nottinghamshire non-league scene following Saturday’s round of matches with Worksop Town continuing their push for a play-off spot with victory on the road in the Northern Premier League Premier, whilst Carlton Town are in a similar position in the NPL East after a battling win in the north-east.
At Bradford Park Avenue, Craig Parry’s Tigers, sitting in seventh place, two places and four behind fifth place Macclesfield, claimed all three points thanks to a first half double from Josh Wilde, the hosts pulling a goal back ten minutes after the restart.
Wilde’s first rubber-stamped an early onslaught from the visitors and, following a third successive corner, fired home to give the Tigers the lead after twenty minutes, then, as the game ticked towards the interval, Wilde doubled up and rewarded the relentless, attacking pressure they’d inflicted all half.
Despite conceding early in the second, the play-off hopefuls held on for a valuable, three points, at the top end of the table and keep within touching distance of a top-five finish; meanwhile, relegation-threatened Basford United, they fell to a 2-0 defeat when away to FC United of Manchester.
Worksop Town – Sebastian Malkowski, Deegan Atherton, Josh Wilde, Sam Wedgbury, Hamza Bencherif, Jack Broadhead, Terry Hawkridge, Aleks Starcenko, Vaughan Redford, Liam Hughes (Jordan Burrow, 72), Jay Rollins (Luke Hall, 81)
In the East Division meanwhile, Carlton have a number of games in hand on sides above them as they also push for the play-offs, Saturday’s win, in a five-goal game away to Dunston UTS, saw them close the day eight points off fifth place Pontefract Collieries.
In the game played at Morpeth Town’s Craik Park, it would be one that would see two own-goals, two penalties, and a 90-minute winner – yes, it was one of those afternoons.
The hosts led twice in the first half, a Daniel Brown own-goal affording them the lead inside fifteen minutes, and Dale Pearson netting from the spot on the stroke of half-time, sandwiched between those and Jude Swailes would put into his own net to give the visitors hope, UTS leading 2-1 at the break.
Within ten minutes of the restart and the visitors levelled for a second time, and with the games’ second spot-kick, this time Alex Hardwick firing home; then, with the game heading into added on time, Nathan Watson volleyed home what proved the winner for Carlton, send the Notts club back to the East Midlands with all three points, having twice come from behind.
Carlton Town – Felix Annan, Shea Thompson-Harris, Lewis Durow, Daniel Brown, Dean Freeman, Greg Tempest, Nathan Watson, Alex Howes (Mamadoh Sylla-Diallo, 64), Alex Hardwick (Niall Davie, 70), Lamin Manneh, Niall Hylton (Micah Jebbison, 80)
Sherwood Colliery are on the verge of lifting the United Counties League Premier Division North title, and with it, promotion, after they collected their 24 victory of the season which sees them eight clear of second place Lincoln United, who’ve a game in hand, and but a couple remaining.
Hosting Loughborough Students, themselves sitting in the play-offs, it would be the Colliery that would score a goal, early in each half, for the win; Jacob Pearce opened the scoring after just two minutes, whilst Craig Westcarr added a decisive second within six minutes of the restart, the visitors pulling a goal back in stoppage time.
Wayne Savage’s side however, they’ve but two games remaining, both derbies, away to AFC Mansfield (30 March), then what could well be a trophy lift, at Debdale, two weeks later, when they host Newark & Sherwood United (14 April).
With both Hucknall Town, and Newark & Sherwood, collecting 2-2 draws when home to Heanor Town and Wisbech Town respectively, there was little joy elsewhere for Notts clubs in the division; Bradley Wells was at the double as Hucknall snatched a point, and first half goals from Liam Moran and Kieran Cummings helped Newark & Sherwood in theirs.
Elsewhere in the division, Eastwood’s hopes of a play-off spot took a hit when losing 1-0 at home to Pinchbeck United, AFC Mansfield were beaten 2-0 away to Sleaford Town, and Kimberley Miners Welfare, for whom Kole Lambert scored twice, were beaten 4-2 at Skegness Town.
Division One sees that of Clipstone, Newark Town, and Dunkirk, all sitting in the play-offs, the former of the trio still harbouring hopes of lifting the title and earning automatic promotion; all three of the Notts clubs picked up big wins with Clipstone winning 3-1 at Saffron Dynamo, Timothy Gregory with the decisive third in the 97 minute, Newark romped to a 5-0 win when at Holwell Sports as Lewis Chambers scored twice, and Dunkirk defeated visiting Asfordby 4-0 where Andrew Tsolakis bagged a hat-trick.
A number of clubs are sat in mid-table wit h Southwell City joining them following a 2-0 home win over Kirby Muxloe, and Callum Fletcher’s double gave Rainworth Miners Welfare a much-needed three points as they beat visiting Radford 2-0; there was to be defeats for Gedling Miners Welfare (1-0 at Lutterworth Athletic), West Bridgford (2-0 off visiting Bourne Town), and Sandiacre Town, (5-0 off visitors Blackstones for whom Nathan Rudman netted a second half hat-trick).
An early Gregg Smith goal gave Retford the points as they win 1-0 at home to Nostell Miners Welfare in the Northern Counties East Division One, Ollerton Town meanwhile losing 3-0 away to Yorkshire Amateurs; as for local clubs in the Central Midlands Alliance, a Thomas Mullen brace helped SJR Worksop to a 3-0 derby success over visitors Woodhouse Colts in the Premier North, whilst Arnold Town won 2-1 away to Teversal, in another derby, in the CMA South, Liam Black and Tremere Lindo for the victors, Thomas Widdowson the hosts, and Mason Moore’s goal was insufficient as Linby Colliery Welfare fell to a 2-1 defeat when home to Mickleover RBL.
As for the Nottinghamshire Senior League Premier Division, Stapleford Town still boast a thirteen-point advantage at the top, although sides beneath have between three and seven games in hand; third place Collingham just about kept up the pressure but were held to a 1-1 draw away to Basford CFC, whilst Awsworth Villa blasted themselves into fourth to overtake a Cotgrave side that drew 1-1 at FC Sez on Friday, the Villa defeating visitors Gresley Rovers Reserves, 6-1. Mason Proctor-Smith with three and Luke Williamson two.
Meanwhile Beeston made the final of the NSL Senior Cup when seeing off Wollaton following a battling, goalless draw, the hosts progressing 4-1 on penalties.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @shotbybamboo action from Bradford Park Avenue and Worksop Town.
