The result from the game between Eastwood CFC and Lincoln United, this coming weekend, could well go a long way in deciding the outcome of this season’s United Counties Premier Division North title.

Both won again on Saturday afternoon, whilst third place Bourne Town slipped up away to Heanor Town, who themselves take up the last of the play-off positions; for the top two though, Lincoln United won 2-1 at home to Ashby Ivanhoe and stretched their unbeaten run to nineteen matches in all competitions, dating back to their last defeat, the exit from the FA Vase in mid-December.

Lincoln’s last league defeat, a month earlier when home to another Notts-based club, Hucknall Town, and victory over title rivals, Eastwood, would open up a six-point gap heading into the home straight; Eastwood meanwhile, they put the previous weeks’ heavy lost to Newark & Sherwood to one side, with a 1-0 win over the same opponents.

Goalless at the break, this was to be a fixture settled by a goal from the Red Badgers’ captain, Aaron O’Connor, as the game moved into the final twenty minutes, putting them back in the winners’ seat after consecutive losses of late.

AFC Mansfield and Newark Town are both on the fringes of the play-offs, but both dropped points in their respective, weekend games; the former were held to a 1-1 draw with Hucknall, Harley Bates netting later on for the hosts with Niall Towle for the visitors, and the latter were narrowly beaten 1-0 away to Deeping Rangers.

At the other end of the table, second bottom Kimberley Miners Welfare lost 2-0 away to Boston Town, and sit two points off third bottom Gresley Rovers, and bottom club Shirebrook Town held visiting Skegness Town to a goalless draw.

In Division One, Retford United confirmed their place in the play-offs with a thumping, 4-0 win, away to title-chasing leaders Clay Cross Town, whilst Retford sit second after edging a five-goal thriller at home to Blackstones.

The Badgers led at the break through Max Pemberton’s goal with ten left in the half, before Brandon Kane took over in the second, firing home a hat-trick to seal an impressive win; the Choughs meanwhile won 3-2 thanks to goals from Daniel Patterson, Gavin Allott, and an own-goal, after the visitors led at the break.

Clipstone kept their hopes of reaching the play-offs alive with a 2-1 win at Selston, Joe Naylor scoring for the hosts whilst Gareth Curtis, and a 96th minute goal from Devon Smith, gave the visitors the points.

Dunkirk inflicted a heavy, 5-1 defeat, on visitors Rainworth Miners Welfare, Callum Orange with a brace for the victors alongside goals from Lewis Wilcox, Isaac Morledge, and Rio Murray, Nathan Moss replying; West Bridgford and Southwell City shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw, and Stapleford Town were beaten 3-0 away to Coalville Town, in a mid-table clash.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @EastwoodCFCV2 Aaron O’Connor in action for Eastwood against Newark & Sherwood.