And just like that, the cold winter snap has taken it’s hold with pretty much the entire schedule for both the Central Midlands Alliance, and the Nottinghamshire Senior League, wiped out by snow, wind, and rain.
In fact, only two Notts clubs were in action in the Central Midlands, Ollerton playing at Kiveton Miners Welfare under the Friday Night Lights, and Worksop Town Reserves hosting Staveley Miners Welfare the following day, both in the Premier North.
The Notts Senior League didn’t fare much better either, its Premier Division schedule being completely wiped out with only Division One and Division Two seeing action, although there were plenty of goals, twenty-six of them, over four matches.
At Kiveton, in the CMA Premier North, it would be the visitors who’d take an interval lead, netting midway through the first half; a free-kick awarded, at distance, would see Ashton Stringer arrow one into the roof of the home goal, from fully 25-yards out.
Changes late in the first, Freddie Norris on for Sam Geeves, and early in the second with Matas Gerasimov on for Aaron Pride, perhaps scuppered Town’s momentum, and the visitors took advantage on the hour mark to equalise.
Seventeen-year-old centre-half, Hisham Awadh got the hosts on level terms with a headed effort past Declan Sadler; ten minutes later and Town made their third change when Reece Marton replaced Adam Scott, but the hosts were unfazed in their search for the winner.
That arrived thirteen minutes from time when Papa Sarr was on hand to score the winner, and put his team within touching distance of Town in the league standings, Town sitting eighth and Kiveton ninth, three points off, with a game in hand.
Ollerton Town – Declan Sadler, Harvey Limb, Sam Geeves, Aaron Pride, Oli Page, Vlad Nittiss, Sam Stretton, Lloyd Askwith, Adam Scott, Liam Pritchard, Ashton Stringer (subs – Freddie Norris, Reece Martin, Matas Gerasimov)
The following day, at Sandy Lane, thirteenth place Worksop Town Reserves were held to a 1-1 draw against Staveley Miners Welfare, a side one place and one point above them in the table, Ethan Slater netting for the Tigers’ second string midway through the first half.
As for the Notts Senior League, the majority of games there were also wiped out, with the entire Premier Division falling victim; three games did however go ahead in Division One, and one in Division Two.
Of those in Division One, three sides scored four times apiece, including a seven-goal thriller as Clifton All Whites Reserves lost 4-3 to visitors Rushcliffe, the visitors leapfrogging their hosts into ninth place.
East Leake Robins and AC United are fourth and fifth respectively, they both also netting four times, the Robins with a 4-1 win at home to Stapleford Reserves, Harry Pezzola with a brace alongside a penalty from Tom Hardy, and a goal for Jacob Consterdine.
AC United also netted four times, they winning 4-1 at lowly Keyworth United Reserves with goals coming from Bradley Evans, Joshua Osafo, Courtney Brown, and substitute Matthew Fowler, the top five in the division now separated by eight points.
As for the one game played in Division Two, that saw nine goals, although it was level at the break at ones-apiece before Notts Olympic ran riot in the second to run out 8-1 winners against visiting The Rossoneri, Nile Ions-Hall and Jeremiah Ogie both netting twice.
Victory for Olympic, temporarily at least, saw them move top of the table, on goal-difference, from Gedling Southbank, who have two games in hand, whilst having a little breathing space on Greyfriars (third) and FC Pelican (fourth) – Elston United in fifth though, they have sufficient in hand to worry those above them, for now at least….
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @KivetonParkFC Friday night action between Kiveton Park and Ollerton Town.
