Eastwood March On
Battles at opposite ends of the United Counties League Premier North division continued in earnest on Saturday afternoon as high-flying Eastwood CFC kept themselves within three points of leaders Bourne Town at the top, whilst Kimberley Miners Welfare picked up a hard-fought point away to promotion-chasing Newark Town, to aid their relegation battle.
Both Notts club made hard work of it though, second place Kimberley needing a late brace to help them earn the three points at ten-man AFC Mansfield, who sit fourth in the table, whilst Kimberley, they conceded a stoppage time equaliser when at Newark with three points quickly becoming one.
Phillip Watt afforded the Red Badgers the lead, early in the first half, Aaron O’Connor with a perfectly weighted pass to the back post for Watt to head home, but the first half was perhaps more about the referee than much else, he brandishing five yellow cards, including one to The Bulls’ James Matthews.
Despite also having two efforts cleared off the line, the visitors went in a goal to the good at the interval, the hosts having the better of the chances following the restart, Kaylum Mitchell firing over from a corner.
With a little over twenty minutes remaining the hosts found themselves down to ten man, Matthews receiving his marching orders following a second yellow card, seven players in total going into the referee’s notebook.
Still leading by the one, the visitors brought on Billy Gillies, as the game ticked into stoppage time, and it would be he who’d turn the game on its head; on just a matter of minutes, and following build-up play between Terry Hawkridge and Tyler Blake, it would be the former who’d pull the ball back for Gillies to smash the visitors’ second past Josh Turton.
He wasn’t done there either and, two minutes later, grabbed his second of a perfect, cameo appearance, this time Blake was the provider, crossing for the waiting Gillies to wrap the game up, putting the seal on a 3-0 win.
Eastwood CFC – Samuel Wilson, Lavell White, Lynden Joyce, Declan Dunn, Phillip Watt, Jake Wright, Terry Hawkridge, Daniel Elliott, Tyler Blake, Aaron O’Connor, Aaron Opoku
AFC Mansfield – Josh Turton, Luke Bacon, Kacper Rajter, Liam Mays, Jacob Ferdinand, Adam Bratley, Kian Sketchley, Will Heather, Ryan Ingram, James Matthews, Kaylum Mitchell
Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, Kimberley picked up a hard-fought point when away to promotion-chasing Newark Town, although they’ll be aggrieved that it wasn’t three, the home captain levelling proceedings in the 96th minute.
Finn Ryder had the lowly visitors in front at the break, netting midway through the half, before they doubled their lead through captain Michael Pearson just before the hour mark.
Home substitute, Matteo Perkins, pulled one back when finishing low in the bottom corner with less than thirty minutes remaining, whilst with the virtually the last kick of the game, deep into stoppage time, the hosts snatched an equaliser through their skipper, Luke Andersen, tying the games at twos-apiece.
Despite it just being a point for bottom club Kimberely, it’s an outcome that moves them a little closer to safety, they’re now five points off joint-second bottom pairing of Shirebrook Town and Deeping Rangers.
Kimberley MW – Tom Smith, Lewis Partridge, Zak Sandhu, Michael Pearson, Shea Thompson-Harris, Toby Thompson, Paul Johnson, Dan Tuck, Finn Ryder, Matt Moffat, Neo Sanchez
Newark Town – Jake West, Mitch Griffiths, George Robbins, Joe Braithwaite, Luke Andersen, Matty Clarke, Will Norcross, Ritchie Ingham, Sean Woolley, Ryan Smith, Louis Czwerak
Elsewhere in the Premier North, Surafel Tefera notched the only goal of the game as Hucknall Town won at Ashby Ivanhoe, Tyler Dacres and Kieran Cummings notched a goal in each half as Newark 7 Sherwood Untied gained a point in a 2-2 draw at Boston Town, and Shirebrook lost 1-0 at home to Sleaford Town.
Both Retford, and Radford, notched four goals when winning on the road in UCL Division One, the leaders claiming a 4-2 success at fellow promotion hopefuls, Clipstone, whilst mid-table Radford won 4-0 at Holwell Sports.
In the former of those games, Riley Noble and Michael Williams netted for the Cobras, however, braces from Aaron Sennett-Nielson, one a lovely free-kick, and Iren Wilson, gave the Choughs maximum points, whilst in the latter four different scorers gave the Pheasants the points when at Holwell, goals coming from Harry Goddard, Conor Moore, Kwusi Ofushine, and Kamani Wilson.
There were also wins on the road for fourth place Gedling Miners Welfare (2-1 at Coalville Town), lowly Clifton All Whites (2-1 at Southwell City), and bottom club Sandiacre Town (2-0 at high-flying Staveley Miners Welfare); Steven Brett and Kieran Harrison were on-target for Gedling, Courtney Nyakuhwa for Clifton, and Fraser Geddes and Jake Gadd for Sandiacre.
Retford United dropped to third after they were held to a 1-1 draw at West Bridgford, Tomas Poole’s early opener for the visitors cancelled out by Isaac Morledge on the stroke of half-time; the Badgers being leapfrogged by Clay Cross Town, who won 1-0 at Dunkirk, and there were also defeats for both Rainworth Miners Welfare (2-1 at home to Pinxton), and for Stapleford Town (2-0 at home to Blackstones).
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @AFCMansfield action from the Forest Town Arena where Eastwood won out.
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